likebyregina MARK THE DATE! Ivy Yang, the executive sous chef of ELISA Steakhouse, is hosting her first popup dinner on September 27, 2019 at HY Tea Lounge. The dinner includes 4 courses, which is $75 per person. Wine pairing is available for additional $45. I was invited to a media preview and tried all dishes myself. It is my first time dining at HY Tea Lounge. It is surprisingly bright and spacious. A large window hovers half of the restaurant, which brings natural light.
After Ivy introduced us to the appetizer, I immediately digged in. The appetizer is Hamachi Crudo. The dish features cured hamachi, garnished with chanterelle, black table farm tomato and lemon cucumber. The vegetables in the plate are freshly picked from a farm of Ivy’s friend. The cured hamachi is soft, and I love the contrast texture of crunch from the vegetables. The cherry tomato is unexpectedly sweet!
Everything Smoked comes next. It comes in a sealed glass jar, and there is a smoky aroma once you open the lid. Inside the jar, vibrant red salmon roe immediately catches my attention. A confit egg yolk is sous-vide at 64 degrees. On the bottom, we have mashed potato. Server came around and add a spoonful of furikake to the dish. The best way to enjoy the dish is to break the egg yolk and mix well with the mashed potato. The egg is cooked perfectly, and the dish is seasoned with the natural saltiness from the salmon roe. I highly recommend to enjoy the dish asap. Once it turns cold, the salmon roe can easily get fishy.
Our main course is Duck Breast. It pairs with fregola (a type of pasta), pistachio pesto, black kale, sourcherry, and black truffle jus. I found that there are many different flavors on the dish, which overpowers the flavor of the duck breast. I did not taste much of the pistachio pesto, but the sour cherry taste dominates the dish. The duck breast is also slightly overcooked, so the meat is too tough to my liking.
How can we not finish the meal with a dessert? Our dessert for the night is Eclair with moscato poached apricot, caramelized white chocolate, and goat cheese. This is my favourite dish of the night (duh!) When I first heard goat cheese in my dessert, I thought I might not like it. But I was so wrong! The goat cheese mixes with cream cheese, and it is creamy. I love the pairing of apricot and white chocolate, as the flavors are well-balanced. I would have another plate if there is any left.
Overall Impression
I think $75 is a great deal for this popup dinner. Not only because it is hosted by Ivy Yang, the executive sous chef of ELISA Steak, but the ingredients in each dish are top-notch. Though the main course did not quite meet my expectation, other dishes are well presented. I also really enjoyed the restaurant, HY Tea Lounge. It is nice to see still sunshine in the evening. One thing to keep in mind is that almost all dishes have dairy and nuts in them. If you are interested for the tickets, you can purchase here.
Taste : 4.5/5 • Service: N/A • Ambiance: 5/5 • Quality-Price: 4.5/5
| #ivyspopup | Purchase Ticket ; hosted by Ivy Yang and SwipeMenuEvent |
| Disclosure: Media Tasting |
