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2010-08-02
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(continued from previous review)In the beginning there were two separate table for appetizers. One on the left, and one along the bar. Then, halfway through the middle, the staff all gathered around, picked up the platters in perfect unison, and made room at the other table and crowd the platters in, until there was no room for the tongs. On one bare table where the appetizers once graced, now one could only see new sets of forks and tongs, and the whitest of white tablecloths.As if a well chore
In the beginning there were two separate table for appetizers. One on the left, and one along the bar. Then, halfway through the middle, the staff all gathered around, picked up the platters in perfect unison, and made room at the other table and crowd the platters in, until there was no room for the tongs. On one bare table where the appetizers once graced, now one could only see new sets of forks and tongs, and the whitest of white tablecloths.
As if a well choreographed dance, the staff came out of the kitchen, one by one with bowls of cookies, mounting at the top, with their cupped hands firmly at the bowl. At one point it looked like they're all walking down the aisle at a wedding, only with the bouquets replaced by cookies. The cookies were laid, and looking at them. They did not have the welcoming scream of "eat me" up from the top, but they didn't send me the resenting "pick something else" message either. Feeling concerned, I picked up the CHOCOLATE ALMOND THINS -- almost thin and fragile like a tuile. The dark chocolate also brings out the slightly burnt taste during the baking process. There's one spring-roll resembling cookie with coconut within, that one wasn't impressive either. The PISTACHIO BUTTER COOKIES, however, with jade-green pistachios bejeweling each pale golden square of cookies, snap by the bite with a buttery finish.
Next came the desserts -- instead of whole cakes cut into wedges (which, as we all know, at times of self-served modes, often ended up being trashed and violently dismembered into items after mass destruction) Not here, each dessert/ pastry was made into bite-sized/ small servings, where individuals can have more room for something else.
APPLE STRUDEL looked textbook, except at its miniature sized oval-shapes the filo pastry was soggy. The filling consisted of thinly sliced spiced apples (not too strong on nutmeg or cinnamon, but it's there lurking beneath). The raisins were plump and chopped walnuts were fine as they were in the strudel. LEMON ALMOND TART was adorned by lanky juliennes of candied lemon peel, with a deep golden lemon curd layer that could benefit with better tang than sugary custard. The almond layer beneath was delightful though, reminding one of a flourless cake. GREEN TEA AND RED BEAN CAKE wasn't quite as impressive. The red beans at the top were slightly too hard, but the mousse within was pillowy soft and not nearly as sweet. The green tea sponge was light on both texture and flavour, as the only thing remotely green was the colour when you consume it as one piece instead of deconstructing it into layers.
The Two NAPOLEONS -- were not of the standard textbook types. Here they were simplified into single piece of flaky pastry topped with pastry cream and fruit. The STRAWBERRY NAPOLEON was a little too tart on the berry, while the MANGO one was better, with just enough sweetness from the fruit. A Lookalike of SERRADURA was impressive on the looks but not quite on the taste, although one of us did finish the whole thing and almost licked her fingers as she went on.
Another lemon dessert was the LEMON CHEESECAKE, which turned out to taste more like Greek Yogurt than cheesecake, masking both the raw taste of dairy and the sharp tang from the citrus fruit. The MANGO PUDDING was presented in petite Chinese teacups, with all the mango one could have in one dessert -- a velvety soft mango pudding with mango coulis and mango chunks, all coherent in taste (not one sweeter than the other). The WALNUT Tart had the best brown edges on the pastry and the chockfull of crunchy nuts throughout. The nuts were toasty and rich to taste.
What amounted to a tart-shaped dessert the staff may have called a 'BUTTER TART' was one of the better pastries here. The tartlet, very brown on the outside and at the top, was rich and buttery inside and out, with reminiscence of brown sugar's caramel sweetness throughout. The JELLIES, however, were something to be dreaded upon. The Blueberry (dark) was nowhere near berry-enough to be called that, while the Cherry (light) did not bear the cough-syrup resemblance (good), only to be replaced by a weird reminder of hawthorne berries (bad).
It's not the most textbook perfect dessert selections out there. There were no pulled sugar clowns, or small installations of lost desserts revived back in vogue. This restaurant wasn't about that. Fusion has its drawbacks a lot of times, but a lot more it's to lose oneself into the realm where we relax and enjoy the food, and be chilled. There is no need for calculations, or dissecting everything into minimal details and trying to put everything back together.
And for one who likes brunching, I think I have finally found the pleasure of it, or beginning to see what's out there, possibilties I mean. I gathered the brunch here may not be the best in quality out there, especially for a 7 1/2 months wait. But isn't it great to try it once in a while, and go hang out with a group of friends who think similarly about food, and be cool with it?
That, perhaps is the best option there is. even beats the Brunch at the beach, with mimosas and hammock in the picture...
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