Michael Chugani 褚简宁 - 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，但因为新冠肺炎疫情，香港现在已不再是美食之都。A food capital，就是一个城市有许多不同种类的食肆，提供一流的美食。美食之都有贵价与平价的食肆，丰俭由人，但水准同样要很高。

香港现在就不是美食之都了，因为政府因应疫情禁止游客来港，并下令食肆须提早关门。我很高兴读到传媒报道，很快就会容许游客入境，而且食肆都能营业至晚上十时。要让香港再次成为美食之都，政府必须容许游客入境而不必隔离检疫，以及容许食肆开门营业至夜深。

我住在香港时，去过许多餐厅，包括印度、法国、西班牙餐厅，以及中菜馆。其中一个我最爱去吃的地方，就是兰桂坊附近的香港外国记者会。我是该会的会员，在香港居住时，也常在那里进膳。那儿的食物价格低廉，因为会员本身就要付月费。外国记者会的海南鸡饭简直一流。我常选去皮无骨（off the bone）的鸡胸肉。若肉类或鱼的菜式是 off the bone，即它是去骨的。我喜爱外国记者会的汉堡包配 fat chips——习语“fat chips”并不常用，它就是指非常粗的薯条。

外国记者会从前有一味 Coq Au Vin，也是我的至爱。Coq Au Vin是法式红酒炖鸡，以红酒配甘笋、珍珠洋葱、蒜头和其他食材，去慢煮鸡肉。

印度菜，对我敏感的肠胃而言，是太辣了，但我邀请跟我一起到外国记者会的朋友们总是说，它的印度菜是全港最好的。外国记者会是一个私人会所，但公众可申请游览它那美丽的历史建筑，那是政府所拥有的。外国记者会的租约，将于今年尾结束，我希望政府可与外国记者会续约。
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁