Peking Garden at Alexandra House, Central

星期五媽咪訂了中環歷山大廈北京樓，原因是太古城的分店經理升職了，特別推介那裡的北京填鴨。由於妹妹小時候開始，北京樓已成了我們外出必到的食府。原因是貪其廚房聽聽話話，說少油少咸，一定做得到。屬於美心集團的北京樓，先前也寫過一篇介紹金鐘的分店。不說不知，地點不同，風格也不同，就連拿手的小菜也大不同。太古城的分店賣點是富麗堂皇，由於區內居民老化，飲食一般要求清淡，所以雖然同樣是京菜，出品也會偏清淡。金鐘的賣點是Jane Austen筆下的歐陸田園大宅，高雅且用料是較為上乘，因為對象是富貴一族。中環歷山大廈的北京樓，地點交通四通八達，鄰近酒店之餘，也近蘭桂芳。客源以老外為主，主要做公司客及遊客生意，所以賣點是傳統貴族感，中國得不了。單從其四美圖的餐具，就知有幾中國化。

Last Friday we had a family dinner at Peking Garden, Alexandra House, Central. Peking Garden is a restaurant selling Peking cusine and belongs to a local catering tycoon –  Maxim Group. The Taiko branch used to be our default family gathering restaurant because their kitchen is very obedient that our order can be less oily and salty. Taikoo is an aging district therefore habitants are hgihly health conscious. To cope with the aging population and their dinning preferences, their kitchen used to put less oil and salt for tasting. The decoration of the Taikoo branch is grand and gold & red as their theme colors. Another branch at Amiralty is different. Their decoration is just like a classic mansion with a touch of collonial sense as the noble house described by Jane Austen.  Of course it is the most expensive among all as they target local “nobles” as well.  The one in Central is very traditional in typical Chinese style. Their ancient four-beauties tableware can already tell you their “spirit”.

是日主題是大閘蟹加填鴨。先說說填鴨，是一眾分店中做得最出色的。鴨不肥，皮薄而脆，肉質鮮嫩多汁，吃得出廚師在拿掐火喉方面的工夫非常到家。填鴨的甜醬，一般都是經過三蒸三煮的過程，是自家製之餘不太甜。非常難得地幾塊下肚也不會有膩的感覺。

Peking duck in these branch is the most tasty among all the branches. The duck is not fat at all with crispy skin and well roasted. If you are a tourist, you are highly reccomended to visit this branch.

大閘蟹我就無緣了，不過單從賣相已經極度吸引。蟹黃滿滿的，像奶黃，名副其實的貨真價實。

Autumn used to be the best season to taste Lake Crab. These crabs are not from the sea but in lake located in inner China like Jiang-su province.  The selling point are their ” eggs  and fats”. If you are high cholesterol like my parents and currently on pills to lower the level, well, you better not take anying.  The crab is usually steam with Chinese basil, served with garlic vinegar sauce and ginger tea.

蔥燒海參用京蔥配搭，多了一點嚼勁。刺參肥美肉厚，一進口滑滑的，非常滿足！！味道方面雖然用了紅燒的方法，先泡後炒再封獻，說了少油少咸，確實能做到。

Sea cucumber is typical Chinese ingredients, it is called cucumber-shaped echinoderms or Holothuroidea .Normally, westerners hate the texture while they are gems to the Chinese. It is rich in protein and collagen, the main point is NO cholesterol at all. If you can bear the silIva- silky like texture, I am sure you’ll be addict to it once you’ve tried. (Ref 2)

欖角蒸鱸魚，是一個新鮮的配搭。加州鱸魚肉厚少骨，沒有銀鱈油油的口感，卻有其滑溜溜的肉質，相對地健康。此道菜非常清淡，調味適中，也是這家分店獨有的。檻角的味道是非常特別的，五十年代的香港，經濟蕭條。那時候的家庭能夠吃一碟蒸欖角已經是非常幸運。那欖角是什麼來的？ 原來是潮州醃橄欖:

烏欖用溫水浸軟，切開兩段，再用醬油、甘草、芝麻油等腌曬制成的欖角（又名欖 豉），很受市民歡迎。在嶺南菜譜中，“欖角蒸鯪魚”歷久不衰。特別是潮州人，對烏欖情有獨鐘，幾乎每餐必備。烏欖的核可用來雕刻出各種人像、小船、車子、 動物等工藝品，具有很高的觀賞和收藏價值。另外，欖核內剝出的欖仁，其含油率高達28%，更是烹飪上菜和制月餅的珍貴配料。(註一)

Steam fish with ChiuChow assorted olives is actually traditional ChhiuChow dish. This assorted ChiuChow olives are marinated by soya sauce, sesame sauce, liquorice etc.

銀絲卷是中國的麵包裡我最愛的一款，因為其內裡的質感一層層、一條條的，小朋友最愛撕成一條條來吃。不過第一次上枱已非常明顯師傅因為趕工，忘了翻炸的過程，第二次再上枱就好得多了。

Finally, Peking bread roll is a must-try item. You can choose deep-fry or steam. For the deep-fry roll,  they taste good when go with condensed milk. Unlike western bread roll, it is multi-layers.

值得一提的是，如果你是遊客來這家吧！如果你想很體面地請客，去金鐘的分店吧！如果你只是朋友或家庭小聚，就選太古城的分店吧！

Reference 註:

1) http://hk.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=7009032000732
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber