A Gourmet Night Out

I can't believe just how incredibly humid the weather's gotten lately! Think Singapore on a post-rainy afternoon, and double that. There are days when you can almost see a film of fog in the air, heavy with water particles that stay on you when you walk through them. And because it's humid, no amount of shedding of clothes would ease the situation. The air still presses down and threatens to drown you in your own perspiration. And this when you're sitting and immobile!!! Not good for someone who overheats pretty easily. Thank god the nights are cooler and more bearable.

I'm just glad to note that the damn weather didn't stop me from having a fab Saturday night, despite the very real possibility of the evening not taking off at all! Armed with an invitation to a wine tasting, I'd asked JJ to come along (mainly because he would've appreciated the event much more than I). But just as I was about to leave the heavens decided that the earth needed a little washing and dumped a torrential amount of rain on us, which first of all made JJ late getting home coz of traffic, and then made it impossible to get a cab (not surprising). It was more than 45 mins into the tasting and we'd still not left the house so we decided to just skip it and treat ourselves to dinner at Finestre on the Bund (hunger pangs were beginning to set in, and there is NEVER any argument when my tummy starts grumbling). Rain stopped just as we arrived allowing us the beautiful view of the twinkling lights of the surrounding buildings from within a cupola, 11 stories up.

Dinner was awesome... We had the duck confit with salami and proscuitto ham, and a Ceviche for starters, both of which were simply gorgeous; the meats not too salty and hence didn't leave your mouth dry (and you thirsty), and the cerviche had just the right amount of tang and sourness that complemented the oh so fresh seafood (prawns, squid and scallop.... SLURP!!) perfectly! For the main course I had skewered swordfish with courgettes. The portion was pretty generous - 5 sizeable pieces of meat and about 5 large golf ball sized courgettes. Unfortunately the swordfish came overdone and hard so we sent it back (me feeling guilty the whole time for making them do it, with JJ reprimanding me for feeling such :p I know I can be quite the idiot sometimes). Anyway the second serving came and it was delicious! Succulent and tender! No regrets with sending it back :p Had the diced strawberries in a syrup of balsamic vinegar for dessert, which was divine when followed with the white wine we were having YUMMY!!! Was so stuffed by the end of dinner
I didn't wanna move, but still managed to drag myself about a block to De La Coast for an after-dinner cocktail (BELLINIS!!!) It wasn't very cold though, which marred the taste a little but what the hell, the view made up for it. ;-)

Finestre


De La Coast