After over a dozen visits to @ottoemezzobombana_macau , I was still surprised by a very different experience last night . A moment of undecidedness on my behalf propelled chef @riccardolaperna to offer to cook a tailored degustation menu . Over 10 courses , a kitchen tour ( which included tasting a ton of various sauces/ infusions ) , I developed a new found understanding of the backbone of the kitchen philosophy here . Flavour , lightness , respecting tradition , precision .
The menu started with Spanish tuna Akami and chutoro crudo with calamari, kaluga caviar and a Mediterranean inspired dashi. The seafood was delicate but it’s the “dashi “ that really took my attention . Smoked eggplant and dried seafood paste is used as the katsuobushi style ingredient and the balance of umami , smoke and acidity is spot on .
My questions then prompted the kitchen tour where I learned that all stocks and sauces are made here on the basis of infusion , usually from dehydrated ingredients . No stock is boiled and reduced . This was a definitive answer as to why the food here can be light yet still pack plenty of flavour .
Brittany lobster with puntarelle ,lobster consommé infusion and lobster bisque foam continued the menu . The lobster was soft and tender and the consommé very well rounded .
My favourite dish of the night followed. Deceptively simple, undeniably delicious. Fassone beef tenderloin “Milanese” style , the protein is not fried hard and is a perfectly set rare. The white truffle complimented the meat beautifully and then it turned out the green salad with herb dressing was so perfectly balanced and seasoned, that it somehow stole the show.
A liquified foie gras and Parmesan ravioli had amazing mouthfeel with the Parmesan luxuriously coating the palate , the accompanying beef and chicken infusion again had plenty of body .
The simplest dish followed , egg Taglioni with a touch of Parmesan cream and a generous amount of very fragrant white truffle . This simple dish was all about aroma .
Continued in the comments ….
