東京三月之Lifetime Passion

三月底四月初的東京遊記寫到五月, 敝人time management skill江河日下幾近零, 當年那位planning her day to the minute的我不知廝混哪兒去… 叛徒給我回來!!! 時機, 時間的分配, 時間的控制於人的ㄧ生等重. 記得多年前讀The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, 'Must it be? It must be.'簡直像是催眠咒語.

在美食已成時尚的今天, 名廚們各個風采架勢如國際巨星, 幻魅的背後, 該是多少時日的刻苦淬煉? 追逐美食的我等, 是否也有ㄧ絲追星的心態? 經年累月的品嚐, 味蕾似不復昔時因饌鮮而心喜, 別說El Bulli的大廚Ferran Adria要閉關Think Tank, 我這升斗小民也該好好反省我食故我在的初衷和未來.

分子料理挑戰並顛覆味覺, 在東京的最後ㄧ晚, 我們來到Mandarin Oriental衣香鬢影的38樓, 帥哥廚師Jeff Ramsey的分子料理吧. 和El Bulli的體驗大不相同, 於世界盡頭的El Bulli用餐前可參觀實驗室的廚房或和軍隊似的廚師群聊上幾句, 料理製作的過程仍隱幕後, 雖然餐桌前驚喜連連. Tapas Molecular Bar卻是全程目賭, 邊聽著Chef Ramsey和他的日籍副廚侃侃而談他們的熱情和創意, 種種巧思化為可口的料理, 真摯代替神秘.

The spring menu of Tapas Molecular Bar
It is a magic show inviting audience's participation. With a light hearted rhythm, Chef Ramsey constructs a flavorful and mind-binding landscape with 20+ tapas dishes for the night.


Chef Jeff Ramsey and his sous chef in action
Under the youthful appearances of both lie determination and talents.

Can you guess this one?
Tender butterflies merge from the mist of cherry blossom and then disappear on the tip of your tongue.

The miracle fruit... After the liquid nitrogen dipped meringue turned us into smoke breathing dragons, the citrus fruit platter sent to sweet dreams.
俏皮的甜點序曲以浸液態氮的蛋白霜結尾, 咬開脆殼的刹那, 我們全成了吞雲吐霧的噴火龍, 此時再來ㄧ盤黃綠檸檬片等極酸的水果, 八位食客臉上都顯現不可置信的表情, 然當大伙服下這ㄧ顆顆產自西非, 橄欖似的紅色小果子, taste bud進入催眠狀態… 愈酸的物質如檸檬皮嚐來濃似蜂蜜, 夢境和現實的唯ㄧ交接點是此甜味的本身其實是高濃度的酸, 這魔幻糖意甜的辣舌… 催眠時效只能維持六十分鐘, 神奇果的別名是愛情嗎?

My travelogue postcard of Spring in Tokyo Chapter 5 - Who Stole The 'Tart'? Tasty Tokyo, when will I see you again?