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DIM SUM DALLIANCE
(Jul-Aug 2001)
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More used to salsa than yum cha, Latin boy band MDO had their first taste of dim sum when in Singapore recently. Marianne Wee was there for the historic event.
“AAHHH!” Didier fails the chopstick challenge. Again. Together with fellow band members Abel, Pablo and Caleb, Latin pop stars MDO has accepted WW’s invitation to a dim sum lunch. But 20 minutes into the meal, the short journey from plate to chopstick to mouth is proving elusive.
The dim sum dishes are arriving thick and fast, the table is filling up with tantalising morsels in bamboo baskets. Appetising aromas waft from the spread, but save from Caleb, the other three are fighting a losing battle with their chopsticks.
Eventually a truce is called, spoons are asked for, and finally the guys are able to tuck into the feast.
‘What’s
this? Does it have shrimp in it?
I’m allergic to shrimp.’ Caleb is eyeing a piece of deep- fried shrimp paste
wrapped in beancurd skin with suspicion. Meanwhile,
the other three are wolfing them down at an alarming rate.
‘It’s really good- crunchy and tasty.
I like it!’ pipes up Didier. He
gets nostalgic for a similar Cuban dish called roda vieja that is basically deep
fried minced meat. This launches a
passionate discussion among the quartet about their favourite dishes, which
range from enchiladas to Mexican tacos. MDO
is obviously homesick.
Coconut crazy
That
might have something to do with the guys’ unanimous choice of drink- fresh
young coconuts. ‘You have to try
this,’ says Didier as he passes around a plate of coconut flesh which he had
sprinkled liberally with sugar- his own concoction.
‘It reminds me of home.’ It’s
surprisingly good. Abel tells us
about this Mexican drink, archata, which is made of cinnamon and sugar in rice
water, but before he can reveal the recipe, the sharks fin soup arrives.
Shark lovers
We
gawk at them in anticipation, waiting for them to drop their chopsticks and rush
for the bathroom when they find out what it is.
But we are in for a disappointment.
‘We have this in Mexico too, but out there, we eat the shark’s meat
in kebabs. I like this, it’s very
good.’ Says Caleb. Darn.
But the next dish takes them by surprise.
‘Huh? What’s this brown
thing?’ Caleb is poking gingerly
with a chopstick at the bamboo basket of stewed chicken feet.
Upon learning its true identity, the guys look at each other puzzled.
‘Why
do you guys eat the feet of the chicken? Isn’t
it all skin and bones?’ Inquires
Abel. Um… never mind.
We urge them to give it a go, and Caleb sportingly rises to the
challenge. He sputters at the first
bite and makes a grab for the tea. ‘It
taste good, but I don’t like the fatty part!’
It’s impossible to get Abel, Didier or Pablo to try it after that, and
the chicken feet dish is ignored.
Sweets for the sweet
Everyone
visibly perks up when the desserts are served.
Pablo opts for the mango pudding, and Abel gets the almond cream with
sago. ‘Mmm…’ is all Pablo
manages to say, as he happily slurps through two servings of the mango pudding.
He looks so pleased with his choice that the other guys just have to try
it for themselves. A chorus of
‘Mmm’s and head- nodding establishes the mango pudding as the overall
favourite at the table. Several
mango puddings later, Abel comments, ‘It’s delicious, but you can have too
much of it.’ The herbal jelly and
glutinous dumplings receive a less warm response but the honeydew sago was just
starting to make an impression on Didier. He
confesses that he is on a strict diet and with a heartfelt sigh, stares
longingly at the pork ribs.
A hearty goodbye
As
we get up from the table, the guys hug their goodbyes and thank us for the meal
before posing for a shot by the hanging roasted ducks. ‘It was fantastic. We
should do this again.’ Declares Caleb.
Overall rating
Four
chopsticks out of six. ‘I’ve
eaten Chinese food in America, but nothing like this- this is very good!’
raves Abel.
