VEA
Lemon Tea
Snacks – RED PRAWN BRIOCHE, PRAWN HEAD MAYONNAISE, GREEN SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN
Snacks – SCALLOP TART, CRISPY SCALLOP, HOKKAIDO SCALLOP CEVICHE
Mackerel, PERSIMMON, LAPSANG SOUCHONG, SWEET POTATO
Shirako, TROUT ROE, SPRING ROLL, BEURRE BLANC
Sea Cucumber, HAIRY CRAB, 20 YEARS SHAOXING WINE, VINEGAR, STEAM BUN
Ginger Tea
Fish Maw, BLACK GARLIC, SAND GINGER, CORDYCEPS, GINGKO
Haw Flakes Sorbet
Wagyu Beef Pithivier, FOIE GRAS, BOUDIN BLANC, SAVOY CABBAGE
Japanese Strawberry, VANILLA, PAT CHUN VINEGAR, MASCARPONE, OXALIS
Mignardises – CONDENSED MILK MOCHI, SALTY CARAMEL
Mignardises – TRADITIONAL CANDY AND COCONUT WRAP
Take Home – WHITE CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO CANDY CANE COOKIE
The second local Restaurant from Chef Vicky Cheng, located just one floor above WING, VEA focuses on Chinese Ingredients and sensibilities prepared with French technique learned while inhabiting kitchens such as Restaurant Daniel in New York.
A continuation of Cheng’s “Chinese x French” philosophy, 25 counter seats plus a few 4-tops yielding roughly one staff member per diner, it is upon arrival that guests are ushered to an expansive kitchen on full display with “One Team One Dream” bold in the background.
A six-course menu for Christmas, each plate seeking to tell a story tied to Chinese culture or Cheng’s memories of such, it was alongside Tea that two “Snacks” arrived with unexpected size and complexity, a Scallop in three textures impressive but he Prawn Toast a perfect example of VEA’s concept thanks to snappy red Crustaceans and a sauce from their Heads.
Moving quickly to a skilled cut of Mackerel, an impactful Fish made more so by Persimmons and Black Tea, fans of Cod Milt will find Cheng’s use of the Ingredient more innovative than many such as when placed atop crispy Pastry with a few spoonfuls of Beurre Blanc imbued by Roe.
Always offering a Sea Cumber course, on this day stuffed with seasonal Crab and spritzed by aged Shaoxing Wine, it was after sopping up every bit of Sauce that Tea cleansed the palate in preparation for Cordyceps and tender Fish Maw soaked in the flavors of Garlic plus Ginger.
Reminiscing of his youth with Hawthorn Candy Sorbet before taking on classic French Pithivier, nothing Chinese about it but nonetheless exceptional, Dessert came in three rounds begun by fragrant Japanese Strawberries before progressing to Mochi and the traditional Candy and Coconut Wrap sold commonly as Street Food.
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