Pork-A-Nosis

I get irritated when journalists print stupid information, especially when it's about pork. I was reading reviews of restaurants on asiaone.com and came across a review of a restaurant called Perle Noir. The reviewer who happens to be a blogger at http://ieatishootipost.blogspot.com/, and also apparently happens to be a Doctor stated that “Since pork has to be taken well done (because pork harbors parasites like tapeworm which can also cause infestations in humans so it is important to cook it properly)” also failed to note that the chances of this actually happening are about a million to one.


The fear of trichinosis came about in age when people were poorly raising pigs in environments that were less that sanitary and in particular related to a diet of human waste and sewage. Nowadays pork is so fiercely controlled, not only in its breeding, but at all points of production. Furthermore, all that proscitutto you have eaten is in fact, raw pork. Of course it has been “cured” but essentially is no more of a risk than cooking a chop medium-rare. There are parts of the pig that do benefit from long cooking and slow braising like the shoulder and the glorious ribs. Even more beautiful is the belly, from which after gentle slow cooking nearly collapses on itself and the meat pulls away gently and with magnificent succulence.

This also brings me to another point. As chefs, we should all want to know where our pork comes from and how it is processed. As consumers you should ask your local butcher from whom he buys his pork. Some questions to ask include, Are the pigs allowed to roam or are they cooped like chickens? Is the pork processed with a brine, to increase the weight and substitute moisture for lean meat? Are the animals treated with hormones? On visual inspection, pork should be gloriously marbled and riddled with pearly white fat, and contrary to marketing claims, pork should be a shade of rose tinged toward red, not white or pearl. The pale, flaccid specimens we see at many supermarkets are the result of man’s intervention in the growth of what should be a natural process.

Pigs are one of the greatest animals on earth. In fact, pigs are one of the only animals that are completely edible from head to toe and have nourished people for centuries. Think prosciutto, bacon, ham, sausages, casings etc. If you want proof that Pork doesn’t have to be cooked well done, come down and try our chop. I guarantee you will wake up in the morning.

Marutama Ramen

Some of you have asked me to post on some of the restaurants I like to eat at, so here it is. Marutama makes some sick ramen. Everytime I eat it I leave with a glorious smile and heinous garlic breath. If you sit at the counter be careful of the little bowl of fried garlic chips, wonderfully toasty and crisp that you can add at will to make the chicken based broth utterly mind blowing. The little place tucked into a corner in Central Mall is always packed at lunch, so go early or late if you don't want to wait. I always get the Marutama Ramen with Tasty Egg and Char Siu. A perfect lunch! Happy Eating.

People do read this blog

Contrary to popular belief, I actually met a couple at the restaurant who reads this blog. Who knew? While the few comments I have received have been from co-workers and family, it was refreshing to learn that perfect strangers, up till yesterday that is, occasionally dropped in to see what was on my mind. Interesting. Although, that is the point of a blog, isn’t it?

Well, I am back this week with a few words about service. What is it about great service? It can be something as small as a friendly smile welcoming you to the restaurant for the first time or a much appreciated glass of complimentary champagne to welcome you back for the tenth. Truth be told, quantifying service is rather difficult, it is the intangibles, the details and ultimately the feeling you get after you leave the restaurant that really makes the difference.

I will always remember the reception I got when I ducked into a wine shop on a cold and rainy afternoon in the small town of East Lansing, Michigan. The gentleman at the counter greeted me with a smile offered a towel to dry my head and face and proceeded to pour me a steaming cup of coffee. We talked at length about wine and food, his passion radiating with every word. Truth be told, I did not buy one bottle that day, but subsequently became my shop of choice during my “wine education” days at university. I always felt like I was going to visit a friend who just happened to know a lot about wine. I was a customer for life.

With every good service experience there seems to always be two or three bad ones not far behind. But, what I have learned that matters most is not necessarily the action but the reaction of the individual or business that matters most. One can simply shrug their shoulders and pretend that nothing happened or admit that they did not deliver on said promise and turn the situation around. Most of the time people understand and appreciate being looked after especially after something or someone has spoiled their experience. Human beings realize that things happen, and all they want is a sincere apology or acknowledgement of the situation. Honesty always trumps incompetence.

I would really like to hear feedback from all of you. Do you have a story about a great service experience, or one that simply made you furious?
Please tell. Till next time….