Wang Yong (Black Pearl 3-Diamond Jin Sha) × Guillaume Galliot (Michelin 3-Star Caprice) collaboration, for me, was also the most satisfyingly filling chef collaboration I can remember.
The most moving part of the entire banquet was how the dishes quietly complemented each other, with local Jiangnan ingredients engaging in a dialogue with French techniques, world-renowned wines, and fine Chinese teas.
It opened with Eight Immortals tea, symbolizing the "Eight Immortals crossing the sea." The queen clam tossed in dried shrimp sauce, with a dried shrimp and tangerine peel sauce, brought out a deeper oceanic flavor. This was followed by a cold version of crab roe paste—my first time having it served as a cold dish. Chef Wang used an olive oil-fried egg as a base, topped with ginger jelly, allowing the layers of umami to unfold, paired with Champagne. The bubbles lifted the rich, fatty aroma of the crab roe, creating a perfect balance.
Caprice brought their signature pigeon tart from their autumn/winter game menu. It looked like a dessert, but inside it incorporated foie gras, pistachios, a small amount of pork fat, and wild duck jelly. The accompanying clementine sauce provided a perfect outlet for "indulgent eating" amidst the richness. The signature dish—for me, every bite was "sinful"—mashed potatoes with caviar and Champagne sauce, also made an appearance. The chef emphasized that he used Chinese caviar, and the quality was truly excellent.
The dish that looked like Hangzhou clear fish balls was actually Dalian scallop balls, with Chef Wang using a broth made from Shaoxing pickled vegetables and fresh bamboo shoots. The silky, sweet balls, set against a perfectly complex savory backdrop, wowed the food critics from various countries present. The steamed croaker stuffed with pork belly and drunken dried fish, drizzled with shrimp oil, was a masterpiece inspired by the naturally fermented shrimp oil flavors of Xiaoshan. As Chef Wang said, croaker meat is top-tier among sea fish. This steamed meat patty with croaker was rich and fatty, with the patty kneaded with bits of drunken dried fish. The drunken dried fish is based on small yellow croaker, salted and air-dried, then marinated in a Shaoxing wine and spice brine, and slow-fermented for several weeks. The wine aroma and fish meat blended deeply, creating an incredibly alluring flavor. This was paired with a premium Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France, where the minerality complemented the fermented seafood flavors perfectly.
Lobster with matsutake mushrooms, fig jam, and hazelnut sauce; both the lobster and matsutake retained a crisp texture. Paired with a pioneering Pinot Noir from Côte de Beaune, the red fruit aromas enveloped the mushroom and seafood notes, blending the textures. Smoked Wagyu beef tenderloin with French cabbage, celeriac puree, and red currant sauce; the smoky richness of the meat paired perfectly with the wild, gamey notes of the Pinot Noir from the Swiss Glacier Winery (A Dong).
Stinky tofu in sesame oil + monkfish liver braised in shrimp paste—for someone like me from the Jiangnan region, the deliciousness was a double foul. Fortunately, there was a small spoonful of rice hidden on the plate, allowing me to destroy the evidence of my crime. [Facepalm] This dish, full of Eastern tension, was paired with Egly-Ouriet Les Crayères Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Champagne. The full-bodied structure of the Champagne, much like pairing with blue cheese, was one of the most memorable French-inspired pairings of the night. Following this was Chef Wang's braised rice with basil pork sauce, white crab, and chestnuts, inspired by Yunnan-style basil minced pork rice, which was mouthwatering. I couldn't believe I still had room to eat...
To finish, walnut ice cream and walnut lava cream puffs, full of the unique nutty aroma of Lin'an walnuts, paired with Danjou-Banessy, Rivesaltes Rancio 2000 vintage wine. It was my first time drinking this wine; I initially thought it was a Sherry or Port. Rancio is a very special oxidized aged wine from Roussillon in Southern France. The aged, oxidized woody fruit aromas echoed the walnut scent, placing a brilliant "comma" at the end of this grand feast.
Because the period is still a long way off... we went to the kitchen again to eat the new lamb noodles at Jin Sha.