Mantranz 佐敦

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(This dinner happened near Christmas time last year but I never had the time to recap on it. Whe I noted that Mantranz's owner Vita would be moving back to his native Czech Republic soon, I decide to leave a note here.)Having tried a myriad of vegetarian cuisine in Hong Kong, I wouldn't say nothing excites me now (in there thee are still many!) on the veggie dining scene, but I though it was time I tried out something more...exotic. And that was how I found Mantraz.Tucked away in a private flat in a quieter street in Jordan, going there is already a challenge for geographically challenged people like me. But once your are there you would first be rewarded by owner/chef Vita's warm welcome.The dining space's walls were painted a bright yellow with a long table that seats about 12. On the way we went there was a big group finishing there meal and we got to have some small talk with them as well. The ambience I would say was quite homey and cozy (fireplace missing given it was a winter day, haha.) Vita was the onemanband behind Mantranz who prepared and served the dishes all by himself, which we were pretty amazed.  The menu we had was coined "Menu No.1", the "classic" menu that Vita said he would recommend to first timers. First came a beetroot soup served with organic cream, and warm crispy bread. I am a huge fan of anything beetroot but this one was possibly the best I'd had so far! Sweet, rich, creamy, hearty, you name it. The bread was a pleasant surprise my family like it so much that we asked for a second helping!Then there was this checkerlike Bulgarian salad of mashed avocado,red pepper pate, cottage cheese and yellow zucchini. Vita really pays his attention to details and styling of his food. Tastewise everything was natural, but when you mix each other ingredient up you gotta have some surprises.The main dish was a Czech buckwheat with  champignons, mature cheddar cheese, asparagus and asparagus sauce. You may have eaten buckwheat (okay it's not wheat) in Japanese soba noodles, but Hong Kong people seldom eat buckwheat in its whole. In fact it is a staple food for Eastern Europeans like Vita. I'm no stranger to buckwheat myself as I often eat it in place of rice and grains, and it's got a nice nutty/toasty flavor. Vita made it to a risottolike consistency which was less crunchy than what I usually did, but more acceptable to most local palates. I would have loved it more if the seasoning had been lighter (the cheese was already quite sharp).To conclude the meal, we had a Czech apple strudel with organic cream for dessert. Being more rustic in style, the Czech version had more nuts in it, but was just as enjoyable. We were the only group there at the time, although Vita was busy on and off in his kitchen and serving us we still managed to chat quite a bit with him. With no formal culinary training, Vita's cooking was clean, nononsense and homestyle and really made us feel at home (yes, in Europe), and well I secretly hoped all Czechs were good cooks like him!  We left with full stomachs and big smiles, and thought this was what a private kitchen SHOULD be like.So long for now Vita, we'll miss your lovely dishes!Note: Mantranz will be taking reservations till 14 April 2015.

When vapid vegan ingredients meet fine dining in a rare occasion, it is probably at a luscious night at MantranzHK, a private kitchen secularly located on the ominous 13th floor of an old building in the Jordan area.Hailing from the Czech Republic was our chef Vita Tomanek. While there is no doubt about his perspicacity to create fabulous dishes without a recipe, it is his engaging personality that made the night, for fine food alone does not make a fine dinner if fine companion is lacking.Vita’s experience of living in different countries is a true eyeopener for the guests. Having been to different places itself is not an interesting thing, unless one accumulates many anecdotes, like Vita’s, that reveal the arresting cultural differences on the globe. As a Westerner who had been in Hong Kong for quite some time, his stories may inspire the locals to reconsider the precious things of this city, especially those which they had taken for granted for too long.It is certainly sad that Vita had decided to move on to a new chapter and he will soon return to the Czech Republic in April, but I consider myself very fortunate to have this last opportunity with him for a night of culinary and cultural delight.

日前有機會來到試業中的 Mantranz私房菜出席活動,當然要試一下捷克的素菜小食, 這兩個小食都是素菜來的哇!可以配合麵包作Topping,第一個遠看像皇冠,清清淡淡的牛油果+菠菜,加上咸香的芝士碎及香脆的核桃,味道很豐富 結合了不同的豆類,冬菇,香草煮成,很適合送飯

朋友上次去位於佐敦Mantranz 私房菜做Workshop,細問之下大廚話可以提供素食的私房菜 ,小喵第一時間就係跑去試,因為係香港很難得吃到外國素食私房素菜,加上可以特製無蛋無蔥蒜的料理.就當補回一個情人節晚餐給男友.吃過這頓晚飯後,深知這間私房菜地方需小,但用料是很認真及有要求的,而且材料新鮮,特別是紅菜頭忌廉湯,滿是有驚喜,因為內裡吃得出紅菜頭的質感,鮮甜得來不會太膩, 對女性的身體也很好.四式沙律,很有心思的鋪排,2款淡味及 2款濃味,而那甜紅椒還專登壓為正方形,雜豆飯,香味更清新,總是教人想一口接一口吃下去,芝士蛋糕,反而教我有點失望.但石榴配以朱古力粉小喵還是第一次吃

看完雜誌的介紹，想帶好友嘗試一下西式的素菜。

按著雜誌上的電話whatsapp店主，約了在星期六晚七時到來。

剛好那天沒有其他訂位，我們成了當晚唯一的客人。

店子在官涌街柯士甸道交界，在柯士甸站走出來很快便到。

接待我們的店主是捷克人，略懂簡單廣東話。

用餐位置是住宅內的客廳，略為狹窄，牆壁是鮮黃色，配上昏黃的燈光，蠻有情調。

餐桌上和餐椅都是松木，配上綠色的cushion，感覺就像在家中用餐。

餐桌上也有幾個小燭台，不過因為怕同來的小寶寶搗蛋，所以沒有點燃。

店主盛過熱茶給我們之後，便開始預備菜式。

(四道菜，每人$270 ，現時收費為$200)等了十五分鐘左右，開始上第一道菜。

顏色略帶淺粉紅的紅菜頭湯，將紅菜頭打成茸，然後與奶混合煮成湯，有著紅菜頭的甜味，又不會像傳統忌廉湯那樣heavy，配上烘脆的全麥法包，感覺清新。

第二道菜是一道四色沙拉，包括烘磨菇、牛油果醬、山羊芝士和烘紅椒配麥包。

顏色很悅目，配搭的安排應該是讓我們由淡至濃去感受食材的味道。

我比較喜歡牛油果醬和烘磨菇的香味，山羊芝士不過不失，至於紅椒只是將香草舖在紅椒上面烘香，我不太喜歡。

第三道菜看來好像意大利飯，其實是以切得極碎的芹菜和南瓜粒煮成的。

朋友說店主應該不是用日本南瓜作食材，感覺不太甜(我自己覺得太淡，還要稍為下鹽調味)，但吃完感覺蠻飽的。

最後的甜點是紅石榴配檸檬芝士蛋糕，上面加上朱古力碎。

蛋糕味道可以，但我不太喜歡它的質感，朋友說如果舖面的朱克力碎是黑朱古力碎更佳。

然後，以清茶為這頓晚飯作為一個結束。

結賬$400，可以接受，但如果以正價$540收費的話，希望菜式設計方面有更多的改進空間。

這頓飯吃了個多小時，店內沒有電視，只有輕柔的音樂和燈光，可以和朋友細意傾談，專心享受食物。

如果一群好友前來相聚，如又不嫌食物比較清淡的話，這裡是個不錯的選擇。

您對於佐敦餐廳「Mantranz」有何comment？

Mantranz餐廳詳細資料：

• Mantranz地址:
  佐敦官涌街3-5號煒亨大廈13樓D室
  Mantranz, Rm D,13/ F., Wai Hang Building,3-5 Kwun Chung Street, Jordan
• Mantranz電話:  
• Mantranz價錢: $201-400
• 分類: 西式,素食,私房菜,
• 座位: 未知
• 付款: 現金
• FB專頁: Mantranz Facebook

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