Bacchanalia, Hong Kong Street

We rarely have time for date nights and these days, even our ice cream dates have been hijacked by the kids. Having the last 2 weeks of the year to ourselves was great; I am sad just thinking about going back to reality. ANYWAY, to make the best out of holidays, KW and I treated ourselves to a nice meal at Bacchanalia, a restaurant that we would like to try but never had the impetus to for some reason. 

I am happy to report, Bacchanalia moved to Hong Kong Street some time in August this year, and with that, spots a pleasantly neutral decor that is shades less distracting than their former outlet. For those of you who love food porn and open kitchens, strap in for the ride, my friend. 

Unlike most restaurants, the bread and butter isn't complimentary. You pay $8 for bread and butter but it money well-spent. House-made sourdough with a crispy crunch and bouncy insides, paired with savoury mushroom butter. I am still thinking about that mushroom butter. AHH! Then, I realised it reminds me of one of my childhood loves - Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup. 

scallops, borlotti beans, cacao ($7 supplement)

cauliflower, aligot of white truffle and cheese, herb gremolata

The starters were lovely - KW's scallop all plump and precious, while my cauliflower "aligot" was luscious and dreamy. My trusty mate, Wikipedia, shares "aligot" is cheese blended into mash potatoes, which explains why it tasted soo good.

grass-fed, dry-aged beef striploin steak, romanesco, black lime, cabbage buds, charred spring onion purée ($12 supplement)

barramundi, soy beans, kohlrabi, salsa verde

Mains-wise, I enjoyed my perfectly-poached barramundi, and the unusual pairing of pickled kohlrabi and salsa verde. KW's striploin was good but not mind-blowing. Well, it 's tough to beat the steaks he prepares at home these days so he only has himself to blame for the disappointment. 

pre-dessert: basil marshmallow, candied lemon peel and basil

heirloom pineapple poached in caramel, pistachio and white chocolate crumble, Tahitian vanilla ice cream

dark chocolate ganache, grapefruit jam, pecans, assam tea ice cream 

I would say I was less enamoured with the desserts, but maybe because I prefer traditional combinations so I felt there was quite alot going on, without the eventual climax of what dessert should bring.

Nonetheless, it was a great meal, complimented with friendly service. Thank you for the memories!