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2013-09-13
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This is actually my second visit to L'altro, since my last lunch here was rather rush, but the burrata with tomato cream had left me with a strong impression, I decided to return and had a relaxing lunch during my holiday.Seated at the corner, it was a rather quiet corner that I had it all to myself, and perhaps because of this corner, servers were rather non-attentive that I had to hold my hand up for quite a while before they noticed me. I asked about the Risotto of the Day, but did not receiv
Seated at the corner, it was a rather quiet corner that I had it all to myself, and perhaps because of this corner, servers were rather non-attentive that I had to hold my hand up for quite a while before they noticed me. I asked about the Risotto of the Day, but did not receive a satisfactory answer - 'risotto with a kind of white fish with cream sauce'. Given it was a michelin starred restaurant, I reckoned the minimum requirement would at least have the server telling me what kind of fish would be served, how it would be cooked. Finally, I opt for the 3-course option and was served with the bread basket. I especially liked the sun-dried tomato one though its aroma was stronger its taste.
My appetizer was presented to my table not long after I started nibbling my bread. It was Tomato 'panzanella', buffalo mozarella and 36 months cured ham. Tomato with mozarella was my usual choice for appetizer, and it came in a lovely twist! Panzaella is a Tuscan salad of soft bread and tomatoes. The bread was soaked with different kinds of seasonings, like onions, olive oil and vinegar. I could literally taste the 3 layers separately, first the panzanella with tomatoes, then the mozarella started to take over my tastebud, and at the final bites, I could smell and taste my ham. It was a lovely idea to add the cured ham onto the appetizer, which was indeed a good alternative to the more common Insalata Caprese. It did not make it a heavier dish but brought out the essence of the fresh mozarella and tomatoes.
Even when the server did not give a descriptive elaboration on the Risotto of the Day, I wanted to be adventurous and had it for my main. It was OK, the fish meat was rather tender, with crispy skin and the oil and juice in the fish was well preserved in the meat. The risotto was slightly too cheesy for my liking. I could only finish half of it since I needed to save some space for dessert.
As for dessert, of course I chose the famous Gelato Miramonti. The first time I came, it arrived on a wheeled table like an ice-cream mountain which was served later on a martini glass with strawberrie. Not sure if it was because this is rather time-consuming or there was not enough servers on duty, the gelato was just presented on the martini glass right away and brought to my table. I was a little disappointed that consistency was not kept. Well, the gelato still tasted awesome, it was silky smooth with a strong egg and milk flavor.
To me, dining consists of both food and service. If the 'showcase' of gelato had never been performed, there would not be any disappointment. Plus if it targets the fine dining sector, I reckon servers should be able to give a richer elaboration on the dishes. If it is really hard to memorize everything, little cards with explanation could be printedand shown on the tables. Overseas first class restaurants are already doing that and it is not anything new. Not only should a great restaurant keep up with its food quality, but it should also maintain at least the same service quality every time a diner visits or re-visits the place.
张贴
