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2010-06-28
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We love clocks -- we look at them early in the morning when we get up (cursing away as we approach our office), we look at them mid-morning waiting to go for lunch, look at them mid-afternoon waiting to finish work, look at them mid-evening waiting to finish overtime, and look at them wondering on a sleepless night...etc. Time, we never seem to have enough of it. If a day has 30 hours we will still be so occupied and preoccupied with things that made us whine about not having enough of time in t
Backstory - For the 20th time on a weekday the phone rang, on a flashing screen the foodie didn't recognize the number but picked it up anyway. The conversation went:
Woman: It's M, editor of Openrice.
Man: Oh hi...
Woman: We'd like to invite you to eat, as you know, we now divide the members into categories, and each month..
Man (interrupting, flat tone, like a movie's secret agent accepting a mission): Yes, when?
Woman: You don't want to know where and who you're eating with?
Man (briskly realized that has not been established yet): Oh, where and with who?
Woman: We'll Brunch at Aspasia, with KC.
Man (a chill ran down his neck, but quickly relieved): Ok, when? (and the date is set)
...
For the longest time I refuse to put names on reviews, not because I don't know their names, or because my memory usually serves me wrong associating names with faces, but because I like putting aliases for people who respect anonymity, to a certain level. Having known Mr. KC for a while, I have had mentioned him (in various aliases, most often times, 'friend') in a few write ups, but name, I don't think I have (or I don't remember). But on a slightly wet Sunday, I was also late for the meal. When I arrived, the party has arrived, busily chatting with joy.
Aspasia, on the first floor, divides its dining space into several areas -- one where natural light shines in, one where the seating are couches (useful for drinks, not so much for eating), one for bigger crowds, one called "the library" but not with shelves of useful books, and the others I seemed to have forgotten. The brand new Paintertainment Weekend Brunch runs from 11:30 to 3pm, and with an array of Antipasti (appetizers) and Dolce (desserts) in the style of buffets. Browsing through the menu of choices, we ordered one of each primo and secondo so we can share.
I find that the Antipasti usually take the most time to prepare, especially when it comes to available varieties, and even the smallest details account for the best results. MIXED GRILLED VEGETABLES feature an array of fanned out courgettes, shiitaki mushrooms , bell peppers, and aubergines. The grill marks were the only trace that proved the vegetables have landed on a grill, while the taste of it ever touching anything remotely called a grill was absent, except for the bell pepper, which has been grilled until the exterior is charred and cooled down. Each piece of bell pepper is skin-free, as the kitchen staff took the time to peel off the paper thin skin, which can be quite bitter or chewy especially after it's grilled. MOZZARELLA AND ROCKET SALAD takes on alternating layers of mozzarella and tomatoes. One could only wish their modifited Insalata di Caprese is using Italian Tomatoes -- not a chance here. Despite the juiciness, the intense fruity flavour from these tomatoes was never on the same level as the Italian varieties. SMOKED SALMON SALAD was satisfactory. The selection of COLD CUTS WITH PICKLES is good, yet it's hard to tell whether the Bresaola has gotten brittle or is it a desired texture -- on the first and replaced platter the same texture is yielded. The prosciutto takes on its usual 'pink ribbon' appearance but failed to deliver the right creamy taste on the fat alongside the meat part. OCTOPUS SALAD WITH POTATOES, GARLIC AND PARSLEY was the major issue here. We both chewed at the softer strips of "Octopus", and pondered a little as we finally caught each others' eyes -- It wasn't octopus! That was quite a revelation, even more so than discovering it's made with soya beans (clearly it's not). Turned out, it's squid, but why would they put an Octopus salad in the menu in the first place -- it isn't even Italian? Reason is beyond my understanding...
Conversation is the perfect side dish when it comes meals with friends. The three of us, chatting over choices and menu constructions and where to eat, there are much for me to learn, I admit, and there are very much to eat my way through different areas, and be who I aspire myself to be, a foodie named Wil. It didn't take long for the first courses to arrive, as the crowd fell silent.
Primo Piatto:
Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata -- Simplicity is spelled out in the first pasta dish to serve. Narrow strands of spaghetti cooked until al dente with matching flavours of tang and chii heat. Wait, that was the ideal textbook version you can't expect here. Instead, spaghetti is cooked alright, but with the right consistency the sauce clings onto each strand of spaghetti -- its crimson blush gently brushed across the surface of the pasta, and dripped slightly when the strands are lifted. The taste, if there is one thing that's uniform it's sweetness. The tartness is minimal and did we detect that chili's heat so faint I couldn't help but wonder the reason behind the lack of heat, when one of the dish's signature taste is the heat?
Risotto with Red Prawn and Fava Beans -- As textbook as it can be, from the slightly thickened coral-orange soupy rice consistency and appearance to the texture of each rice grain to be uniformly rich and chewy with a bite. The broth base is a little too "lobster bisque" causing a little 'dry' sensation at the throat, but the great use of Fava beans that's both seasonal and eye-catching as the lone spots of green. The buttery texture is well-kept during the cooking process.
Tordelli Stuffed with "Cinta Senese" Pork Ragout, Butter and Sage -- The delicate golden dumplings where the dough gathered on the top and pinched tight. The slightly dull appearance, compared to the same picture that 小漏漏took in her review, is truly of polar opposites. Halving the dumpling in half revealed what may have been the dullest filling of all -- a uniformly sandy meat filling packed so tightly and tasted so dry that it can pass easily as a freshly opened can of tuna (with water, not oil). The filling, however flavorful through hours of stewing, gave it away as the texture truly was a killer, or more like one that could kill a palate into submission. The dough has also become slightly brittle, and uneven in thickness. The dish was left unfinished.
After the staff removed the offending tordelli with a friendly smile that immediately turned into an expression conveying absurd horror (because the dish was barely touched), the three of us engaged in another round of conversations, ever so light and enjoyable as time never seemed to matter, and all priorities did not matter, and why is that -- it's an enjoyable time with people who love food. If a meal is held with company you enjoy and experiences to share -- time wouldn't be as much of a luxury when you know you want to hear the rest of many more stories to come.
The second round of courses arrived, but this time, the conversations didn't stop.
Pan-Fried Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille -- The two pieces of lamb sat crisscrossing on a mini slanting mount of ratatouille. The lamb, brown on the outside with a decided seared surface throughout, is well-flavoured. The exterior is essentially crusted and the interior so ever appropriately nice and pink, oozing juices. The ratatouille -- a melange of vegetables stewed together in a homogenously rich tomato mixture. Each vegetable in the mix is equally cooked through and the overall flavour is the best in all the dishes we have sampled so far.
(To be continued...)
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