Hong Kong - Lunching at the Ritz Carlton

One of the biggest pluses about eating or drinking atop the 100+ storey Ritz Carlton is that the views are never the same.  And it is a stunning one no matter where you sit, no matter the weather and no matter the time of day.

Even when the clouds are so low that you can hardly see anything, it is but a different drama but dramatic nonetheless.

And on 102, there is a choice of Italian or Chinese.

Good breads on offer at Tosca are a welcome start especially the squid ink roll.

Bufala beef carpaccio, ricotta cheese cream, spring sprouts and homemade tomato jam

Grilled Octopus

Appetizers are decent enough although the centimeter thick beef carpaccio was a surprise.  Presentations were just short of stunning when compared with the view.  Produce used was superior so no real complaints there.  Pastas were only a so-so and my trio of spaghetti mounds with scampi and tomatoes were a just a tad underwhelming compared with the first course.  

Lemon tart with meringue

A citrusy sweet finish let us off with a happy enough ending and the meringue cigarettes were highly addictive.  So much so it stole the show from the tart itself.

If I could choose however, lunching at Tin Lung Heen is a little more exciting for the variety of dim sums that you can get.  Well, this is Hong Kong after all.

Baked Abalone Puffs with Minced Chicken

I haven't exhausted the menu yet but this is my favorite so far.  The abalone has a nice bite but isn't chewy and is a nice contrast to the crust which is firm but breaks down easily when in the mouth.

Baked Barbequed Buns

These are a nice alternative to traditional steamed BBQ pork buns.  A milky fragrant exterior that is fluffy with a good pork filling which was just a tad sweet for me.

Crispy roasted pork belly

Well, you can't really go wrong with this Cantonese roast staple.  TLH's version is a squatter piece which means the ratio of perfect crispy crackling to meat and fat is well, perfect.

Crispy noodle with Abalone and Chicken

This was a souped up version of the usual with the addition of abalone.  Crispy noodles well done and not greasy and abalones used were fresh and crunchy.  Lots of action on the palate with the different textures.  The fermented bean paste based sauce was surprisingly mild.

Poached Kailan with Conpoy

The use of good vegetables and conpoy came through in this really simple dish and it was a pleasure to enjoy the natural but diverse sweetness of both together.

Petit fours

The osmanthus jelly with wolfberries is a cool and light way to finish lunch without feeling like a tank before heading back to the office.  The floral scent may not be welcome by some but I love it and am usually sold to any dessert where it is represented.  Cashew cookies in the background were pretty decent too.

If you are looking to decompress and have a nice lunch where you can enjoy the views, decent food and actually converse without straining and still be heard, but don't mind paying for the experience, the Ritz actually isn't a bad choice.

Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒 ｜ Tosca
Level 102, International Commerce Ctr.
1 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-2263 2270

Bangkok - Enoteca Italiana

Bangkok's culinary haven status extends beyond Thai food, and it is in this bustling city where I have had some of my best Italian meals in the region.  For some reason, and there is probably a good one, the kitchens there can really churn out some world class renditions of Italian goodness.

The restaurant is not a big one but it is set in a really lovely garden with floor to ceiling glass so the feel to it is dramatically different if you have lunch or dinner, and add to that the permutations of dry or wet weather, sunny or overcast.  And because it is tucked well away in a soi (Thai for lane) of a soi, it may not be easy for the visitor to find so make sure you have a good driver, as we did.

Amuse Bouche

The menu isn't big and there are specials but don't expect to have a lot of variety.  They have some Italian staples but the menu is otherwise pretty innovative in turning some old favorites into modern eats.  The amuse bouche certainly kicked us off very well.  The dollop of chicken liver mousse sitting atop a polenta bed was given a real kick by a gelatinous balsamic vinegar blob, which packed a wow.

Black ink cappuccino

There was nothing cappuccino like about this one and I was happier for it.  It was in fact more like a Latte, if one were to continue in coffee speak, and a very good one at that.  Rich and creamy given more substance by pureed potato, packed with lots of umami by squirts of black ink from the squid, then given a slight chew by little chunks of squid, allowing you to savor the concoction for that much longer.  Our server was a little judgmental of me though, much to the laughter of the table .  He made me succumbed to a half-portion on account of what I had ordered and my size.  I hate to admit he was right.  The result 3 weeks later is a pining rather than a love affair that was good while it lasted.  I do want to go back...

Caprese

Has to be one of the best Burattas I've had in my entire life.  Full of texture but without detracting from the creaminess.  And those tomatoes.. wow, those tomatoes.  So sweet that it could be a mistaken identity - cherries?  strawberries?  Hmm...  highlighted by flavored oils and then given a complete re-take by the anchovies on the other end.  Just so much going on in the palate but in a good way.  Brings new meaning to working up an appetite.  Definitely some work out.

Lamb raviolis

After a good workout, you just want to sit back and be pampered.  This very simple presentation of 6 thin but al dente ravioli pockets filled with shreds of lamb that had been braised for a while garnished with the gravy it had been cooked in were just that.  Simple goodness.  Fuss free and likely to be given a stamp of approval by any Italian grandmother.

Chocolate ice

After a week of good eating, and almost giving up (hard to believe), I still wanted to end on a sweet high.  I spied this on the menu and announced that anything with ice can't be all that rich.  I was half right.  This has got to be some of the best chocolate I've had in a while and it is RICH.  But on top of a bed of crushed ice, this was easily downed and every spoonful was a little crunching with a sweet end.

Petit fours

There were definitely some oohs and ahs going on at our table and even our 2 vegetarian friends were converts by the end of the night.  Perhaps the only dish that didn't seem to work was the monkfish, which J ordered.  A spoonful I tried confirmed the verdict but aside from that slip up, all else was wonderful and just a great way to end a the work week.

39 Sukumwit soi 27
North Klong Toey
Wattana
Tel: +66-2-22584386

Hong Kong - 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana

About a week before the Michelin guide announced its 2012 list, little did we realise that Mr. Umberto Bombana would go on to score 3 stars for his restaurant.  Thanks to D, we scored reservations for this date about 10 weeks ago.  Now that it's gotten 3 stars, that 10-week wait is only likely to increase.

Alba White truffles

Was it worth the hype?  Well, I'll say as much.  It is the best place to enjoy Alba truffles in Hong Kong.  

And thanks to D, our very friendly server kept going and going..  to cheers and applause of course.  Thankfully we were hidden from public view.

Buttered Parmesan linguini with white truffles

The result:  a fabulous fragrance and taste which totally stole the show, making this one of the best pastas I've ever enjoyed.  Only complaint: since our group was large, and there was only one guy shaving, the pasta was just a tad clumpy when we finally got down to it.  But still thoroughly enjoyable.

And the rest of dinner?

Marinated Scampi - hybrid caviar, sea urchin and citrus Chantilly

A combination of the freshest ingredients.  No one can argue with that.  Naturally sweet, but those used to eating Japanese sweet shrimp might find this a tad bland by comparison.  Caviar and sea urchin make up for it.

Duo of braised pork cheek and roast medallion of pork

While the cheek was awesome - soft, tender and juicy, the rest of the dish wasn't as mind blowing.  Well executed.

Cheese platter

Hard cheeses here beat the soft cheeses in my opinion.  Unfortunately, we didn't get the names of the cheeses.  Choice of quince and apricot preserves were good matches.

Sabayon with Muscat grapes

Very pretty and refreshing.  Good for those who like just a palate freshener after dinner, with a just of hint of ostentatiousness in the form of a gold leaf over the top.

Pear tart

A tad burnt one side, but otherwise quite good.  More subtle than apple and not as sweet.

Petit fours

On the sweet side, I actually found the petit fours most enjoyable.  The use of pistachios in the nougat pieces, and the use of hazelnuts in the meringue were very, very good.  Wish they had doggie bags filled with these on our way out.

Overall, a great place to dine and enjoy the freshest which Mr. Bombana sources from around the world.  Was it 3 stars' worth?  I'm no Michelin judge so I won't even go there.  But I will go back to Otto, at least for tartufos!

Shop 202, Alexandra House
18 Chater Road, Central

Tel: +852 2537 8859

Singapore - Capricci

It's never fair to overly judge a first visit.  Given the crowd, there must be a variety of reasons why the restaurant commands the clientele.  Tonight, I wasn't impressed however.  Hopefully, we just caught them on a bad night.

The ambience of the place is as it was when Oso occupied this space, just darker.  Lighting was very low at our table in fact (which explains the quality of the photos) so quite  few tables of love-birds surrounding us.  However, I'm sure they were lamenting the table of 20 women celebrating a birthday just across from us.  20 of any specimen is not going to be quiet affair.  I was also in the direct line of fire, having been shot by a professional photographer's flash about 100 times.  If these could make holes, I would have bled to death in about 15 minutes flat.  I digress however, since a restaurant can't really control the patronage.

We shortlisted off the host's recommendations, our only instruction to her being "If you would like us to come back, what would you suggest?"

Burrata Caprese Style with Cherry Tomato and Salad

I enjoy the milkiness of Burrata and its chewy texture, without being overly rich.  Served Caprese, it is outstanding as an appetiser, waking up the palate with a garden freshness, and with any acidity well balanced by the cheese.  That's the theory.  The execution here didn't match up.  A first bite and both of us knew something was not right with the dressing.  The oil and vinegar combination was a lot heavier than usual, but unlike the richness of aged Balsamic.  This was tart yet greasy, and tasted almost like it was a tad "off".  Worried, we decided to send it back.  Service was impeccable here since our friendly host gladly took it back and the chef served up a new version with a light drizzle of just fresher extra virgin olive oil.  Much closer to theory.

John Dee Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin Tartare with Truffle Oil, Shaved Parmesan and Arugula

Our other appetiser of the beef tartare was enjoyable.  Good produce, although I strained unsuccessfully to get a whiff nor hint of the truffle oil.  Still enjoyable since this was real Arugula, and not the tasteless variety commonly sold in supermarkets here, that's all heat and nothing else.  Any concern we had from the waiter who asked if we wanted our beef tartare rare, medium or well done, was laid to rest.  The awkwardness of pondering his question merely made for a laugh afterward.

Paccheri with Homemade Italian Sausage, Porcini Mushroom and Parmesan  Cream Sauce

There is a fine line between al dente and undercooked.  Unfortunately, this one stood on the side of the latter.  Sauce was passably tasty although really nothing you couldn't do at home.  The sausage by itself was decent though and scored extra marks for being just right on the sodium counter.

Sous-vide Cod Fish Fillet Drenched in a sauce of seafood, anchovies, and cream topped with crispy corn

This one sounded a lot better on the menu that it tasted.  It wasn't bad at all but it just didn't taste sous-vide.  It tasted like cod generally tastes, sitting in a quarter bowl of soup that apart from the description on the menu, you would not have had an easy time deciphering the seafood content nor the anchovies.  I love corn but somehow it was odd combination.  This is almost reminiscent of going home, rummaging through the fridge and putting whatever is in there into a one-dish meal.  Probably OK for the home, but to pay restaurant prices for this is questionable.

So perhaps we made the wrong shortlist off our friendly host's recommendations.  We didn't try the other yummy sounding spinach souffle, nor the braised lamb shank.  Oh well, if someone else invited me, I may do that.  I'm just unsure at this time whether I would pick up the phone and make a reservation again soon.  A pity since the service was really quite good - friendly, professional but without being intrusive.  A gem anywhere these days, really.

27 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel: +65-62216761

Singapore - Gattopardo

The Garibaldi group’s newest venture at the Fort Canning Hotel is Sicilian-inspired Italian with hints of Japanese delivery via a catch-of the-day counter where you can peer (it’s not quite eye-level like Japanese restaurants) at the seafood chef at work, although the seats at the counter were empty. 

Service was a little tardy at first since after we were shown to our seats by the attractive host, we were left twiddling our thumbs for about 5 minutes before we could no longer resist the temptation to ask for the menu and for a bottle of sparkling water to quench my thirst after 3 hours of tennis. 

After the bread bowl was delivered however, service took a sudden turn for the better and was attentive but not intrusive.  And the bread was actually quite good, soft but dense with a good bite.  After we polished up the first lot, including the flavoured bread sticks, they refilled without hesitation.

Our starter of the Amberjack sashimi with Uni Vinaigrette was a refreshing start to the meal.  Served on a bed of crisp chopped up salad leaves with bits of citrus sacs from an orange, the burst of flavours of textures was delightful and certainly a sign of better things to come.  A light hand ensured that the creamy freshness of the Uni came through and not being overwhelmed by acid.  Fine bits of sea salt on the serving plate added to the authenticity of the dish but again, not being overly salty.  Only complaint, the chef was not sashimi grade and there was a bone or 2 which we had to pull out of our mouths discretely and the knifing skills since parts of it was too chewy.  But I won't belabour the point since it isn't a Japanese restaurant.

Our pasta of “holey” spaghetti with Bottarga roe, seaweed, bread crumbs, fresh sardines, plump golden raisins and pine nuts was another clever play on textures and flavours.  Retaining the taste of the Sicilian sea where the sardines hail, their freshness and sweetness were enhanced by the other ingredients.  My only complaint is a real one but I thought a regular spaghetti or linguini would have been better in picking up the flavours.  No great impact to the overall taste though.

The piece de resistance of the night was their signature seafood stew which is easily one of the best I’ve ever had.  Again a light but flavourful stock ensured that the flavours of the fresh seafood was not interfered with.  Fresh cherry tomatoes stewed rather than the overly robust plum tomatoes were used.  The quality and variety of the seafood sautéed in garlic and white wine before a quick boil to seal in flavours from the stock cannot be critiqued.  The tiny mussels which I love, clams, perfectly-done squids, snapper and the oilier Chilean sea-bass made for a perfect, hearty and comforting dish to come home too.  And add to that, 2 perfectly grilled pieces of toast flavoured with good butter.  Just heaven.

Perhaps the most disappointing was the signature Tiramisu.  It was “ok”.  I thought it was way too creamy and one-dimensional.  It’s “ok” if you crave Tiramisu but we should have tried the Sicilian special of the Cannolo, which was recommended, or stuck to one of my favourite Southern Italian desserts of the Rum Baba, especially since you can’t really find them in Asia very much. 

But there will be a next time, since Gattopardo is a wonderful add to the local Italian restaurant scene.  And the fact that it is open till late is even better!  No need to turn to local hawker food only at midnight!  And seafood with a light hand is what any hungry and tired body needs.  If you are not a seafood fan, fret not, they have meat specials for the Carnivore too.  

11 Canning Walk
Fort Canning Park

Singapore Tel: +65 6338 5498