Michael Chugani 褚簡寧 - Coq Au Vin｜又中又英

Hong Kong is known as one of the world's food capitals but it is no longer a food capital because of the coronavirus pandemic. A food capital is a city with numerous different types of restaurants that serve excellent food. A food capital has both expensive and inexpensive restaurants but the quality must be good. Hong Kong is not a food capital for now because the government has banned tourists and ordered restaurants to close early due to the pandemic. I was happy to read media reports that tourists will soon be allowed and restaurants can stay open until 10pm. For Hong Kong to become a food capital again, the government must allow tourists to enter without quarantine and for restaurants to stay open very late.

When I lived in Hong Kong I went to many restaurants, including Italian, French, Spanish, and Chinese restaurants. One of my favourite places to eat is the Foreign Correspondents' Club（FCC）near Lan Kwai Fong. I am a member and often ate there when I lived in Hong Kong. Food prices are inexpensive because members have to pay a monthly fee. The FCC's Hainan Chicken is excellent. I always chose off the bone chicken breast with no skin. If meat and fish are served off the bone it means all the bones have been removed. I love the FCC's hamburger with fat chips. The expression“fat chips”is not often used. It means very thick French fries.

The FCC used to have Coq Au Vin, which I loved. Coq Au Vin is a French chicken dish slowly cooked in red wine with carrots, pearl onions, garlic, and other ingredients. Indian food is too spicy for my sensitive stomach but friends I invite to the FCC always say it has the best Indian food in Hong Kong. The FCC is a private club but the public can request to tour its beautiful heritage building, which the government owns. The FCC lease will expire this year. I hope the government renews the lease.
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香港是世界知名的美食之都（food capitals）之一，但因為新冠肺炎疫情，香港現在已不再是美食之都。A food capital，就是一個城市有許多不同種類的食肆，提供一流的美食。美食之都有貴價與平價的食肆，豐儉由人，但水準同樣要很高。

香港現在就不是美食之都了，因為政府因應疫情禁止遊客來港，並下令食肆須提早關門。我很高興讀到傳媒報道，很快就會容許遊客入境，而且食肆都能營業至晚上十時。要讓香港再次成為美食之都，政府必須容許遊客入境而不必隔離檢疫，以及容許食肆開門營業至夜深。

我住在香港時，去過許多餐廳，包括印度、法國、西班牙餐廳，以及中菜館。其中一個我最愛去吃的地方，就是蘭桂坊附近的香港外國記者會。我是該會的會員，在香港居住時，也常在那裏進膳。那兒的食物價格低廉，因為會員本身就要付月費。外國記者會的海南雞飯簡直一流。我常選去皮無骨（off the bone）的雞胸肉。若肉類或魚的菜式是 off the bone，即它是去骨的。我喜愛外國記者會的漢堡包配 fat chips——習語“fat chips”並不常用，它就是指非常粗的薯條。

外國記者會從前有一味 Coq Au Vin，也是我的至愛。Coq Au Vin是法式紅酒燉雞，以紅酒配甘筍、珍珠洋蔥、蒜頭和其他食材，去慢煮雞肉。

印度菜，對我敏感的腸胃而言，是太辣了，但我邀請跟我一起到外國記者會的朋友們總是說，它的印度菜是全港最好的。外國記者會是一個私人會所，但公眾可申請遊覽它那美麗的歷史建築，那是政府所擁有的。外國記者會的租約，將於今年尾結束，我希望政府可與外國記者會續約。
中譯：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧