Just Salt

We had another quiet, simple weekend, just spent with my daughter and husband. While Saturday was efficiently spent doing the weekly groceries, and driving my daughter to and from her violin lessons and ending with Mass in the early evening, our Sunday began with brunch of Filipino tapsi (combination of breakfast sweet meat, fried rice and fried egg) at this place we recently discovered called Deo’s Hideaway Bar, just a 5 minute drive from our house. It is situated at one of the high points of our area quite near the Provincial Hall with a really great panoramic view of Metro Manila, from Muntinlupa on the left to Quezon City and Marikina on the right. Just sitting there and taking everything in was therapeutic by itself.

In the spirit of going back to basics, it was also timely that a week before, I already planned on trying out a different recipe for Hainanese Chicken Rice for dinner. My old recipe called for salting the chicken, and stuffing the cavity with ginger and lemongrass, then boiling the chicken until it was cooked through. With this method, I usually ended up with chicken that was dull, got too flaky, and the skin all torn up.

However, this new discovery of mine required prepping the chicken by rubbing it all over with kosher salt. In my case, since I wasn’t able to make a quick drop at the supermarket for kosher salt, I just used rock salt (I’m not sure if they’re actually the same thing), which worked just as fine. Rubbing the chicken all over and inside the cavities definitely made the chicken and its skin all firm and glossy, and certainly contributed to producing a better broth, both in appearance (one ends up skimming off white colored scum, instead of brown), and taste (clean chicken flavor). It is also desirable to have a rice cooker for preparing the rice dish as it will substantially cut your labor time. I used jasmine rice for this version, but any long grain variety will do. However, jasmine rice is already aromatic by itself and it is ideal for this dish. I further enhanced the flavor and aroma by adding a few leaves of pandan (screw pine) into the rice cooker and the result was all heavenly flavor and aroma.

The first few bites into the chicken, and few sips of broth certainly confirmed why this much loved Singaporean dish is named as its national dish, and getting to be more popular here as can be seen by restaurants sprouting like mushrooms offering this as their special.

Considering that I cooked double the recipe of this dish as I was going to try it out for the first time on 8 people, it took me three hours to cook everything alone — from the chopping to the scrubbing to the boiling and plating. But now that I’ve already gone through the whole thing once, I am now familiar with it and will probably be able to cook the same dish for a shorter period next time. Don’t be daunted by my experience here. Hainanese Chicken just needs a bit more care in preparing and cooking, but the reward of a simple, flavorful and invigorating dish is well worth it.



The Chicken

1 whole chicken (organic if available)
kosher salt (or rock salt)
4˝ section of ginger cut in 1/4˝ slices
spring onion (both green & white parts)
3 cloves garlic, crushed with some skin on
1 tsp or so of sesame oil

The Rice

2 Tbsp. chicken fat or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1˝ section of ginger, finely minced
2 cups long grain or Jasmine rice soaked in water for 10 mins. or longer
2 cups reserved chicken broth
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
pandan leaves

The Chili Sauce

1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. reserved chicken broth
2 tsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. Sriracha chili sauce
4 cloves garlic
1˝ ginger
generous pinch of salt to taste

For the Table

1/4 cup dark soy sauce
few sprigs cilantro
1 cucumber sliced into bite sized chunks

1. To clean chicken, rub with salt to rid of loose skin and dirt. Wash and pat dry inside and out. Season generously with salt inside and out.
2. Stuff chicken cavity with crushed garlic, ginger and spring onions. Place in stockpot and fill with water just covering the chicken. Let boil over high heat, then immediately turn heat to low and keep to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes more (depending on the size of the chicken).
3. Check for doneness by sticking a fork or chopstick into the flesh under the leg and see if juices run clear, or insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. It should read 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. When chicken is done, transfer to a container prepared with ice water and soak to stop the cooking process and allow to cool. Reserve the chicken broth to serve as soup, for cooking rice & preparing the chili sauce.

5. For the rice, drain the water. In a wok or saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium high heat. When hot, add ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant. Make sure not to burn the aromatics.
6. Add drained rice and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, add sesame oil and mix well.
7. If cooking rice on stovetop, in the same saucepan where you are frying the rice, add 2 cups of reserved chicken broth, add salt and pandan leaves if using, and let boil uncovered. Immediately turn heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (with lid still on) for 5 to 10 minutes, to allow residual heat to finish the cooking.
8. If cooking rice in rice cooker, after frying, pour aromatics and rice into rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups reserved chicken broth and salt. Fold 2 to 3 pandan leaves together, if using, and insert in the rice. Turn on your rice cooker and allow it to cook your rice accordingly.
9. While rice is cooking, remove chicken from ice bath and rub outside of chicken with sesame oil. Carve chicken for serving.
10. For chili sauce, blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth and bright red in color. Prepare soup by adding salt as needed and serve hot.

Deliciously Simple

It’s been months! How time flies when one procrastinates. Which is not a really good habit by the way, but there you have it. However, considering that things are slowing down a bit for the business as the school year is ending, it is also the time that I can also sit still for an hour or so and finally share something here.

From November last year until February this year, everything just came whizzing by me that all I could do was just pick up and run after whatever it is. I keep telling myself, ˝Tomorrow I’ll write˝ or ˝Hey, this is a good dish. Will share this later.˝ But never got around to doing it. But it was a very fulfilling Christmas season, and start of the New Year.



For my friends out there who know more than most people about what’s going on with me, they knew that Heaven’s Country Kitchen was invited to become a full time concessionaire at this school where we are operating. Hence, aside from my usual brunch offerings (pancakes, waffles, french toasts), we are offering lunch, sandwiches and pasta dishes. I’m very thankful that the students welcomed our entry by patronizing us often, and it’s been quite thrilling for me to plan the weekly menu that is not the usual thing you get from your school canteen. So far, the students’ favorites have been my standby as with other clients and friends: the Korean Beef Stew, the Beef Salpicado, the Pasta Carbonara, the Crispy Pork Chops or Chicken Fillets with Cranberry or Cheese Sauce. And, there are a few discoveries too like the Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Pomodoro made from molo wrappers, the sticky barbeque chicken wings served with baked mushroom rice, and the Pizzas Margherita or 2 Cheese & Garlic made from 10 inch flour tortillas that come out of the oven flavorful and crispy, much like the Roman pizzas we enjoy in the Eternal City.

Not that I am not advocating love and enjoyment of Filipino food, I just noticed that the food offerings there lacked variety. And so what I offered was really just alternatives, and healthier alternatives at that. When budget allows, I would use corn or olive oil, or insert vegetable ingredients here and there without hiding them. And surprisingly, when we offered green salads, students would prefer it for their snacks or as sides to their lunch plates, whether they brought their own or bought it from either concessionaire.

Nothing beats the feeling I get when I make people happy with the food I prepare or cook for them, because I enjoy making or conceptualizing those dishes too.

In the spirit of simplicity, I recently introduced home made cream puffs into the mix of products I offer the students. I had to sell them at P20/piece which is 50% more expensive than what the other concessionaire was selling, but this is justified because my batch is home made and authentic due to the cream patissiere. The P10–cream puffs do not have a filling (which would probably shock the French – cream puffs with no cream?!)

One good thing about this divine pastry is that you dont need any special equipment to be able to make them, just a cookie sheet and an oven. The choux pastry is also versatile as this is the same recipe you use for making Spanish churros and dip in thick, hot chocolate or profiteroles.



Choux Pastry

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened and cut into cubes
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs

Creme Patissiere (Cream Filling)

1 can evaporated milk or fresh milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Sugar Syrup

1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar

Procedure:
1. Make Choux Pastry: Heat water and sugar in a casserole until you reach a rolling boil. Add flour and mix it in immediately with a wooden spoon until it forms into a ball.
2. Take the pot out of the heat and beat in eggs one at a time until each egg is fully incorporated into the batter.
3. Spoon the batter into balls and place in ungreased cookie sheet. Place the choux pastry in the oven which has been preheated to 350 degrees or gas mark 6. Bake for 40 minutes or until pastry is cooked and golden on top. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, slice into the pastry half way through the middle and set aside.
4. Make the Cream Filling: Boil milk and sugar in a pot over low heat while stirring constantly.
5. Once sugar is mixed well, add the flour and continue to stir allowing the mixture to boil, and thickened slightly into a cream consistency. Remove from heat.
6. Add half the cream mixture into the beaten egg yolks until mixed together, then pour the egg mixture back into the remaining cream mixture in the pot and put back into a low fire, stirring constantly, until it reaches to a boil once more.
7. Remove from heat and add vanilla flavoring. Set aside to cool.
8. Make the sugar syrup: Melt sugar in a separate pot over low fire until it turns brown.
9. Slowly pour the hot water while stirring constantly and continue to cook in low fire until thickened. Set aside.
10. Assembly: Fill the cream filling into the middle part of the choux pastry, as in a sandwich, and repeat with remaining pastry. Line them up on top of wax paper sheets. Pour the sugar syrup over each cream puffs and serve.

This recipe makes 1 dozen cream puffs.

Dinner in a Hurry

Its been quite a few months since I have not even peeked at any internet site. And that includes this site too. However, now that I am able once more to go to these pages, I thought it only apt that I share a few of the dishes I have prepared for my family considering the busy busy hours at the office. While I sometimes fall back on certain familiar Filipino dishes, and thank God, I have someone I can rely on to cook these dishes when all I want to do is sit back and relax, there were times that I felt that there should be something healthier and faster presented at the table even if I’m already at my wits end or would just rather raise my feet and watch pre·dinner tv.

After noting that I have a tray of pomelo sections in my fridge, and there were really fresh, succulent shrimps available, I thought of preparing a Thai style salad to accompany our pork dish. It’s quite easy to prepare.



Shrimp Pomelo Salad

pomelo sections from 1/2 fruit
1/2 kilo shrimps
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
handful cilantro sprigs, chopped
Dressing:
2 tsp. white sugar
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (or patis)
juice from 5 calamansi (Philippine lemon), seeds removed
1/4 cup toasted peanuts, crushed, for garnish


1. Peel half a kilo of shrimps of their heads and shell, leaving the area of the tail intact, sprinkle & toss in a dash of rock salt.
2. Poach in vegetable broth for just a few minutes, or as soon as the shrimps turn pink in just boiled broth.
3. Take the shrimps immediately out of the hot water and dip in ice cold water to stop them from overcooking. Drain the water and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, tear the pomelo sections into bite size chunks and place in a bowl.
5. Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together in a smaller bowl. If you dont have calamansi, you may use 3 Tbsp. lemon juice. You may adjust these ingredients according to preference.
6. To assemble, add the shrimps and chopped cilantro in the bowl of pomelo chunks and toss with the fish sauce mixture until all flavors are incorporated.
7. Garnish with additional sprigs of cilantro and sprinkle with toasted peanuts.

It took me around 15 minutes to assemble the ingredients and prepare the salad, so it’s a real time saver. The salad can be a refreshingly light meal on its own or can be a side dish to balance any fried or saucy meals.

Another time saver is this quite popular Japanese beef soup, the Beef Sukiyaki. There were occasions when we would eat out in Japanese restaurants and I thought how complicated this dish might be. Then I thought of trying to make my own when I came across a recipe for this in a local cooking magazine and saw the multiple steps that are necessary to go through to get to your sukiyaki. But when it was time for me to cook it, I lost the copy of the recipe and so decided to just go with whatever is on hand instead and just simply guided myself with how the picture looked like from memory for the list of the ingredients. Two things that saved me were the packets of hondashi soup base, which is essential, of course, and my bottle of Kikkoman Tempura & Noodle base, which is my impromptu ingredient. These can be found in the Asian/Imported section of supermarkets.



Beef Sukiyaki

1 white onion, sliced in strips
2 stalks onion leeks, sliced in match sticks, light green to white part only
250 grams beef, cut sukiyaki style (or beef belly sliced thinly)
250 grams fresh shitake mushrooms, whole or sliced, stems removed
1 tub Japanese silken tofu, cubed
200 grams vermicelli or rice thread noodles
1/4 cup carrots, sliced into coins
2 cups cabbage, sliced roughly
3 packets hondashi soup base
200 ml Kikkoman Tempura & Noodle Base
2 liters beef broth
1 egg

1. After assembling the ingredients, soak vermicelli noodles in water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a casserole or deep saute pan, saute white onion followed by onion leeks in 2 Tbsp. cooking oil until fragrant.
3. Add the beef broth, hondashi and Tempura & Noodle Base and let boil.
4. Lower heat and add carrots. At five minute intervals, add the mushrooms, noodles and slowly add tofu to prevent breaking.
5. When noodles are almost cooked, add the cabbage leaves then the beef. Season with pepper and salt according to taste.
6. Just before serving, add one raw egg into the casserole while still cooking and slowly distribute the egg into the soup.
7. Garnish individual bowls with sliced onion leeks.

Well, my little diversion had really good results, considering that I was in a fix as to what to serve my family. The assembly of ingredients, from a look on the list, would seem too many, but its actually quite easy to have them all together. The actual cooking didnt even take too much time (the benefit of a one pot dish) and we were able to have it for dinner in less than 30 minutes. If you ever decide to take this up as part of your menu plan, this can served by itself but some would prefer eating it with plain rice regardless of the presence of the noodles in the pot.

However, if all energy fails, there is always the reliable sandwhich and potato chips. I took a bit more effort by adding greens in the bread for added bite and less guilt especially since I am trying to make healthy choices. A cup of tea also helped freshen my palate.

In Between Wolfing and Snacking

For the past few weeks, I've been more in tune to dining out. Some are old haunts that are worth coming back to, and some new ones that really deserve a visit.

1. The steaks at Hollywood Steakhouse located at the Seven Suites Hotel Observatory along Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City.

2. Persian Grill's Beef Kebab and Lamb Chops (Valero Street, Salcedo Village)



3. The Smoked Salmon and Mango Salad at Le Bistro Boheme (Blanco Bldg., Leviste Street, Salcedo Village)

4. People watching with Eggplant Chips at Pazzo Power Plant

5. Coffee at Alexandre (Bonifacio Global City in front of the SBDA)


But in the end, if you want some healthy snacking, try making Brocolli and Cauliflower Au Gratin : )


brocolli florets removed from 1 head
cauliflower florets removed from 1 head
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 stick of butter
2 Tablespoons or more of flour (depending on consistency desired)
1/2 cup of evaporated or full cream milk
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

- poach brocolli & cauliflower florets in a casserole of chicken stock for 15 minutes or until crisp tender
- drain vegetables from stock and keep stock for other cooking purposes. meanwhile, set vegetables on a shallow dish
- in a separate small pot, spray a little cooking oil to prevent the butter from being overheated and melt butter
- gently whisk in the flour to form a roux, but it should still be runny and not creamy
- pour in milk while stirring continuously until creamy
- season with salt & pepper to taste.
- pour white sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese followed by the parmesan cheese
- bake in an oven toaster using top & bottom heat sources for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and browns
- serve alone as a snack or as a side dish to your own steak or fried chicken

This is a great dish to serve the kids - its colorful, creamy, and flavorful. You can also mix in canned corn kernels after baking to make it even more irresistible.

Comfort Food a la Francaise

Ooh la la! Another French restaurant in Makati caught my attention during one of those times that I was in Salcedo Village. It had an inviting homey facade, and so I towed the first few people who were available to try it out with me - my brother and daughter. Both were willing companions for my food samplings especially since for my daughter, we are always in search of alternative providers of her favorite dessert - the chocolate souffle.


La Cuisine Francaise is located at the ground floor of Paseo Parkview Condominiums, which building is just across the Paseo Uno commercial center. Upon entry, we were greeted by a polite staff in a very cozy ambiance filled with flowers and well-set tables. We settled ourselves in one of the tables lined against the wall and the seats were plumped up with French toille pillows. We were instantly served with a small plate of amuse bouche and our glasses filled with water to whet our appetites.


An examination of the menu told us that they are quite proud of their terrines, so we tried the Duck al'Orange which was served with a side of salad. It arrived in a serving that was good enough to be shared between two people together with a basket of hot baguette slices and rolls of creamy butter. The terrine slice (Php245 per) was served thick and taste nothing but of fresh, clean ingredients. This was accompanied by a tangy mustard dijonnaise. On another day, I would take this as a light meal on its own. But I'm here to try and get a taste of everything. So, in the spirit of everything la nourriture confort, my daughter had the Normandy Porkloin with apples (Php475). This is normally served with mashed potatoes but the kitchen was very accommodating when she preferred it with plain rice. While normally, it is quite hard to expect a porkloin to be tender, this one was, oh so almost melt-in-your-mouth, but not quite, so you can enjoy its meatiness. The apple sauce wasn't heavy either and the natural fruitiness just came out to complement the pork. Truly comforting.


My brother, on the other hand, ordered the Roast Chicken Provencal (Php350) which is a quarter of a spring chicken, all perfectly roasted together with the cloves of garlic, served with a gratin of potatoes, and a side of greens clothed in home-made French dressing (what else?). Chicken may be the usual "safe" choice you make when you are in a new restaurant, but the freshness of the ingredients just takes centerstage and you'd suddenly wonder why not take the "safe" choice?


For my part, I was hoping that my Moules Mariniere (Php615) will be that equally simple stew I was expecting. However, I was surprised that it came in a saffron-based broth with a generous sprinkling of minced vegetables. While the mussels stew was indeed flavorful, it was my preference that it be simply braised in the mussel's own broth, white wine, and garlic. I think I prefer Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara's version (at Cuillere, Serendra).

The Chocolate Souffle was another disappointment. It wasn't completely cooked so it came out like a chocolate egg - solid on the outside, but liquidy on the inside. I don't know, but this isn't how I know a souffle should be. So I suppose, for my daughter, the chocolate and vanilla souffles of Zuni (Greenbelt) still reign supreme in Metro Manila.

Nevertheless, La Cuisine Francaise is a place I'd like to come back to, but maybe when I get my bonus. It's homey and welcoming atmosphere, their very attentive waitstaff and well-timed kitchen has its price, of course, but will certainly feed le corps et l'ame.

Go Fish!

Well, what do you know...Lakbay Mesa's first anniversary came and went (!)

While I try my best to put in entries as regularly as I could, handling my food business while at the same time keeping my day job has proved quite challenging. Admittedly, one of them had to suffer (just a little). But for those few people out there who've read one or two of any of the entries here, I'd like to thank you for taking the time. I regret that I wasn't able to make an anniversary entry here but I'll have to forgive myself for this since the recent typhoon "Basyang" blew me over, including our electricity connection for over a week! Thank God that our water supply wasn't affected. I suppose counting one's blessings is still in order...



To mark a more frugal situation such as the rise of gasoline prices, electric bills, and other basic commodities, a simpler menu would probably be welcome. But instead of reaching for the nearest burger joint, I recommend eating fish instead. I suppose at present, one of the cheaper kinds of fish in the supermarket would be the cream dory. While I do remember this particular chain email I received about the supposed truth behind cream dory farming or what is called the Panggasius fish in Vietnam or some other Asian country, maybe for our purposes, I'd like to recommend buying cream dory that is farmed from our native waters like the ones produced by Saranggani Bay, which sells at competitive prices alongside the imported ones. Check your friendly supermarket.

Actually, this recipe is quite easy to make and makes the fish very tasty. It's a great idea for a weeknight dinner, just like the one we had this Tuesday.

Chinese Style Fish Kebabs

Recipe:

1 kilo cream dory fillets, cut into chunks of 1 in. by 1 in.
3 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. ginger, sliced into thin strips
1 Tbsp. sliced spring onions
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Procedure:

1. Skewer fish chunks into thin barbeque sticks that have been submerged in cold water for a few minutes.
2. Mix the other ingredients together and marinate the fish sticks for 15-20 minutes.
3. Heat a grill pan that has been coat thinly with corn oil in medium fire.
4. Cook the fish sticks 3-4 mins. on each side, while brushing it with remaining marinade to keep the fish moist.
5. Serve while hot with noodles or rice

Eating Italian in Oxford

For this entry, I've invited my sister to be a guest blogger and share her experiences in her recent travel to Oxford. Here are her views:



Having lived in Rome for a little more than seven years now and having lived la dolce vita for all those years, it was not my intention to try Italian food in England when I went to visit there the second time in February early this year. After all, I get my fill of authentic Italian cooking in Italy. The boyfriend is also a good cook and he never cooks anything else but Italian.

But when my sister learned that I was going not only to London, but to visit – for the first time – Oxford as well, she told me not to miss Jamie’s Italian. She had never gone to this restaurant since her last trip to the UK was some years back when the Jamie brand had not yet infiltrated the British scene, but she had heard about it. She wanted to know from me if it was worth the entire buzz it was getting. Jamie is of course Jamie Oliver, the well-known British chef and restaurateur and now a media personality because of his television shows and cookbooks. I’m no food blogger nor restaurant/food reviewer, but I promised to send her my thoughts about the place. So this is just a simple tourist’s account of her experience at Jamie’s Italian.

It was raining when I arrived in Oxford. After checking in at the hotel (Ethos Hotel, 59 Western Road), I thought I’d ask my hotel receptionist where would be a good place to dine even if I had already made up my mind before arriving where I would be going. The receptionist immediately and proudly, I might say, recommended Jamie’s Italian. I guess she has every reason to be proud because I learned that Jamie and his partners carefully chose locations that are based in university towns that lack mid-market restaurant options. The Oxford site was the first one that opened for this chain and I learned too that the arrival of the restaurant in this prestigious university town was much anticipated by the locals.

So when dinner time came and after touring a bit of Oxford, I walked to George Street, a busy high street filled with other trendy restaurants. First thing I noticed upon approaching were the sacks of rice displayed on the window sills with legs of prosciutto di San Daniele hanging on hooks (incidentally, I’ve always slightly preferred the San Daniele hams for its sweeter taste over the more famous Prosciutto di Parma). There is a no-bookings policy at Jamie’s Italian so walk-ins are always welcome. I was lucky that there was no long queue when I arrived. Normally this was par for the course, as I was told by the hotel receptionist.

The look inside the restaurant is a bit industrial, but chic. The general feeling is urban and modern. It has second and underground floors, but I didn’t get to explore them. I came to dinner quite early. It was only getting on 7.00pm, and although the place was not yet full there were already some people who were well into their dinner. I find this surprising. I guess I had gotten used to Italians eating at 8.00 or 8.30 for dinner…

I was quickly ushered to a table and handed a menu by a young staff. I took a look around the place and noticed the originality of serving plates of antipasti on cans of tomato sauces. I smile to myself and think that I am definitely in for something quite pleasantly different to what I am used to in Italy.

It was a cold evening so I chose Pappa al pomodoro, which is one of my favorite Tuscan “peasant” meals. Whenever I see this on a menu, my instinct is to order it. I am based in Rome and this dish is not usually seen in the Roman trattorie or ristoranti. It is only when I am in Florence or other Tuscan towns that I usually get to taste it. Pappa al pomodoro is tomato soup made of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil, broth and unsalted Tuscan bread. The bread makes it a heavy meal, but I still ordered another dish, something light: Beef carpaccio with rucola salad and parmesan cheese.

The soup was naturally brought first. It was in a huge bowl. I am again reminded of the difference between British and Italian servings. I guess the British is closer to an American serving. In Italy, this dish would be in a smaller bowl.

The mixture of the smell of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil leaves already whetted my appetite. I couldn’t wait to dig in. I finished the bowl in just a few minutes. Suffice to say that it was good. The beef carpaccio arrived shortly after that and I was glad I chose the meal since the thinness of the beef didn’t make me feel as if I had eaten too much after that hearty soup I wolfed down. The carpaccio was finished in a few minutes as well. I may have ordered only two dishes (I was eating dinner alone so there was no desire to order more and hopefully share them with someone!) but they were, as well as the dining experience, definitely better than what I had gotten used to in Italy. I am now a fan of Jamie Oliver. I can now see that his passion for Italy and anything else Italian, were translated well into his restaurant and his food.

The staff tried to entice me with ordering dessert and much as I was almost tempted to do so, I’m sorry to say that I didn’t succumb to the pressure. Now I wish I had at least tried it so I wouldn’t have to wonder now…oh well, however, I can see that there will be a next time…☺