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2024-05-28
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If you are looking for an upscale, refined but not restricted restaurant, may I present Estro located in Central. This small but spacious restaurant recently acquired a Michelin star but online chatter has always been positive.$$$The lunch menu has three choices, 3 courses at $680 (appetizer, pasta, main), 4 courses at $780 (2 appetizers, pasta, main), and 5 courses at $980 (2 appetizers, 2 pasta, main). Dessert is an additional $120. We went for the 4-course option.The interior decoration is wo
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The lunch menu has three choices, 3 courses at $680 (appetizer, pasta, main), 4 courses at $780 (2 appetizers, pasta, main), and 5 courses at $980 (2 appetizers, 2 pasta, main). Dessert is an additional $120. We went for the 4-course option.
The interior decoration is worth mentioning, with amazing architecture, and a selection of art-ware that accentuates the experience.
Aperitive
A trio of delights, recommended to start from lightest to richest. The Spring Pea tartlet is extremely fresh and crunchy, minimal seasoning so you really get that strong grassy yet sweet pea taste. Followed by a rich eggplant puree in this cracking shell topped with tomato jelly, fancy. Ended this little journey with a dual egg tart; egg salad on the bottom and salmon roe on top, umami! However, the most spectacular thing this small endeavor had was the opaque liquid they gave at the end to cleanse our palette, this liquid only contains cucumber and green apple, and when I say it is the most delicious liquid I have ever had. So rich and sweet but had savoury undertones and I was so close to asking for a glass of this but embarrassment got the best of me.
Appetizers
The first of our two appetizers was a Raw Amberjack that is delicately paired with juicy mandarins, bright dill, and a creamy soy emulsion. Definitely did not expect this from an Italian restaurant but very pleasing to eat.
The second was perhaps the most memorable and delicious course; their signature minESTROne. There was a whole garden on my plate from root vegetables such as kohlrabi and carrot, to cruciferous plants such as broccoli and romesco. And the amazing thing was that everything was perfectly cooked and bite-sized so eating was an ease! Hiding under this garden was a parsley custard aka a steamed egg which was silky and a great accompaniment to the vegetables. The vegetable consume poured on top reminded me of the insanely delicious cucumber water from before as this consume was rich and deceptively flavorful given its clarity. Really really delicious and highly recommend.
Bread
The bread here is unfortunately not made in-house but you would have never guessed it due to the elusive nature of the crafted bread basket. There is a strong, tangy, and chewy Rye Sourdough; a soft, seasoned, fluffy Potato Focaccia; crispy and thin bread crackers decorated with fennel pollen; and finally traditional Taralli flavored with lard and black pepper which melts in your mouth.
Accompanying the bread is a selection of olive oil (guests can choose which intensity they want but we obviously asked to sample all of them). The differences between the oils are very distinct and increasing intensity does increase the bitterness of olives which some may dislike. In my honest opinion, none of the olive oils really spoke to me.
But that’s okay because what I smeared onto every bite of bread (I cleaned up two portions of butter) was their buffalo milk butter with anchovies, ultra creamy and slightly salty; great with all of the bread.
Pasta
For the pasta course, me and my friend got both the availible dishes so we could try both. Mine was the Riso with spot prawns in the richest lobster-bisque-style sauce. But perhaps the most mind-boggling part were the pasta which resembled risotto but tastes like pasta, a plumper version of orzo if you will. Very interesting mouthfeel with the raw-like prawns. Hearty portion that is on the verge of being too much.
The other pasta is Scialatielli with zucchini, this green pasta is deceptively creamy and flavorful but simultaneously light and fresh. The homemade pasta is chewy and thick but absorbed the sauce very well.
Personally enjoyed my Riso more because of its richness and complexity.
Main
Having heard great things about their fish, I opted for the Blue Spotted Bream. Loved the perfectly grilled asparagus on the side with minimal seasoning to highlight this seasonal ingredient. Bream is flaky yet meaty just barely cooked so you do get some fishiness which is removed by the fresh parsley sauce with hidden umami from the seawater. Lovely main and use of techniques to highlight the ingredients. Which is what fine dining is all about.
Sweet Ending
The end of this luncheon featured the best Pistachio Gelato I’ve ever had. Extremely strong pistachio flavour which contributes to its natural green hue and rich creaminess. The crushed pistachio in the bottom added another layer of textures and crunch which is highly appreciated. However, the most impressive part is how they served this in chilled glassware. This small detail really left an impact on me and needs to be actively implemented in more places.
Other sweets we had was this very buttery shortbread filled with a tangy and vibrant lemon curd which was followed by a revamped Ferrero Rocher; a hazelnut encapsulated by a hazelnut ganache which is surprisingly less sweet than I imagined.
Very nice ending but I really wished they sent me off with another shot of their vegetable juice because yes, I am still thinking about that sorcery.
Summary
I hope you were able to vicariously experience this luncheon and hope you get inspired to try out Estro if you have money to spare or looking for a nice place for special occasions.
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