Adventures in Asia - Part VI

My final night of the journey; back in Hong Kong
Felt a little homey towards the end of my trip, but always felt that there was never truly any good quality, hearty, flavorful steaks in Asia. American beef, in this respect, is unrivaled anywhere else on this planet. So the next best thing was BLT Steak, at Ocean Terminal. Dining al fresco by the water with a stunning view of the harbor, and the skyline of Hong Kong Island was serene, a nice way to say until next time.
Complements from the chef, salmon sashimi on the house - fresh, simple, and oh so delish! Also, their signature giant Popovers were hot, buttery, and bubbly with melted Gruyere bursting from the center. Flaky and crispy on the outside, steamy and heavenly on the inside.

The Maitake Mushrooms came out sizzling on a cast iron skillet, as did the 14oz American USDA Rib Eye, broiled at 1700 degrees and finished with a herb butter. You just can't emulate such intensity on your home oven broiler. The center was perfect, pink, done just right. The tenderness and flavor was good, expected from well aged beef. A good steak does not need any extra salt, pepper, or sauce. The juices ran out along the strips of fat that encircled the meat. A satisfying and gratifying meal indeed.

Adventures in Asia - Part V

Decided to stay in for the night at the Pullman Dongguan and try one of their own, Sakura Japanese Restaurant. This evening I was in good company with two coworkers from my U.S. office. It was especially a treat, as I had the pleasure to introduce them to the fine art of teppanyaki.
The 10 course meal over the next 3 hours was meticulously prepared and executed by our master chef, artistically rendered and presented before our eyes, and most importantly, each dish was fresh and delicious. Here were two of the appetizers we had to kick off the night with. That wasabi was unlike any I've had before. It was about 10x as potent as any other I have tried and went right to the brain!
For the main courses, there was lobster (still wriggling), shrimp, scallop, fish fillet, and kobe beef. Our chef took her time with each preparation, as this meal was all about sight, sound, smell, texture and taste. I must say the kobe beef did live up to it's tenderness, and was quite flavorful.
The fried rice was kicked up a notch making good use of the night's main ingredient. As a final course, a sculpted seasonal fruit dish was a nice way to end the show.