Can I first start by saying, "I only ate the pesky ones?" The ones that harassed the swimmers at the beach perhaps! Not buying it? Just as I thought, this is going to be a tricky subject to talk about. 

Pushing Boundaries

All the way back in 2007 when Causeway Bay was my professional home, it felt like unexplored territory and I felt much like Neil Armstrong, and my restaurant was the Apollo 11, and we were blasting off to the moon daily! 

I was there to push the boundaries and concur new ingredients. 

Hell, there were even regular screams of "one small step for mankind" in my kitchen, it kept the blood pumping.  

I owed it to Hong Kong to be creative, after all I was not blessed with a fancy view, an exclusive location or a stomping ground for tourists. I filled my restaurant on pure skill! 

Because of that it meant no holds barred across the board in whatever I did or said. To the extreme and never look back! That was my motto!

Back in the Lab

Are you familiar with the TV show Whale Wars? 

Well, what I was about to do came after watching a complete season. I had decided to take the challenge and see if I could purchase any of the so called "for scientific research" whale meat the Japanese had been harvesting.

By chance I had just acquired a new Japanese fish supplier and things were off to a good start, kind of frisky and flirty to be honest. You know, that eager to please honeymoon stage, so to order anything was definitely a possibility.    

After a few short text messages and a phone call it was unofficially, official that I would purchase a small amount of the meat for my own "scientific research" back in the lab!

Delivery was fast and in no longer than twelve hours it was in my kitchen, express from Tokyo! 

Once I had it on my chopping block I couldn't believe it and to be honest so controversially wrong, but I had to have it, it had to be done. 

I felt like a naughty school kid that needed a good spanking for not listening in class, I mean this was morally wrong in most circles. 

But wait a minute! 

Perhaps it's the name you have an issue with, what if whale wasn't called whale but was called, something like, Hitler instead? 

And what, if it was caught from the sky and not the ocean.

And instead of playing happily in the ocean it spat rocks at people?

Would that make things easier for you? 

Probably not! Who am I kidding? 

So say it out loud, Whale! It makes every thing feel better. 

It's Out There

Although buying whale sounds rare I think you will find it's a bit more readily available than you would like to think. 

So the next time you go to the real equivalent of "Mysterious Madame Gong's Exotic Chinese" restaurant give the maitre d' a tickle in the palm or stomp your feet real loud as you sing the song "Human Behaviour" by Bjork, (from the great whale eating nation of Iceland). 

It's like when you order the Chicken Ala King or the number 97, but it turns out to be code for Bengal Tiger Penis Tempura with spring onions and ginger and a sour plum dipping sauce!

Very 1980s. Very American Psycho. And, Very Indiana Jones. If you ask me.

Tasting Notes & Recipe

So let's cut to the chase, whale meat is deep red, lean also (well mine was, maybe it was filet), kind of like a mildly fishy, oily, slightly watery, pasture-raised beef, and goes extremely dry when over cooked. 

Now for those of you who are reading this article and are feeling uneasy or think how could that bastard do such a thing?

I leave you with this thought. 

You only live once so when opportunity knocks you've got to take it. 

So as a parting gesture I give you this simple recipe to follow for the next time you get your hands on a whale T bone or a Snapper cutlet.

Qty whale meat , Good olive oil, Sea salt, Black pepper, Lemon  

Season whale lightly with the olive oil, sea salt and black pepper, grill over open charcoal, serve rare with a squeeze of lemon. 

Just to round things off no whales were harmed, eaten or served during the writing of this post and the rest is pure history.

Bon Appétit!