Extra Virgin Pizza, Singapore…..kind of like a cafeteria pizza

Boy, am I going against the flow here with my review of Extra Virgin Pizza. I really think the broadness of one’s experience with pizza tells the story here. I’ve have traveled a lot and had loads of pizzas in various parts of the globe. The best pizzas I’ve every had were in NYC. Unfortunately most pizza chains just don’t have the flavour of individually owned shops, which are often holes in the wall that have been in a family for years. So I took the chain pizza into account when we went Extra Virgin Pizza.

The bad news is that this was a negative pizza experience even for a chain. The pizza was just edible but not something you’d want to repeat. Nothing about it was outstanding or even middle of the road. The pizzas were lukewarm, not hot, a surprise for me. The sauce left the pizza crust very soggy and chewy, kind of like a cafeteria pizza.

The service was pleasant but average. The wait staff was pleasant and would ask if everything at the table was okay but I won’t be returning anytime soon for any of the soggy, chewy, spongy pizza. This is the true truth as I say it as it is….

Auntie Sweet, Hong Kong…sweet indulgence

I generally have a hard time discerning a good Hong Kong dessert place versus a bad one, despite how many I have been too. If I had to venture a guess, it should be like any other dessert place, satisfy your sweet tooth without putting you into a diabetic coma. To keep it sweet and simple, no pun intended, Auntie Sweet was refreshing, seemingly fresh, slightly undersweetened, but overall solid dessert spot. My only call out is that they have far too many options leaving me to wonder how is this even possible?

Mango duet sago soup is, as its name suggests, an explosion of delicious mango. For those who have not heard of sago before, it is an edible starch that is obtained from tropical palm stems. The durian pancake is an eggy crepe enveloping a thick layer of durian pulp and fresh cream. It tastes exactly as it looks – delicious and enticing – ever so light and not overly sweet, just right. The strawberry yogurt sago soup is light, refreshing and it’s super yummilious. The almond tea with egg white was a different and savoring taste….kind of like flan.

We didn’t eat anything mind-blowing, yet we appreciated the diverse offerings at Auntie Sweet. Perhaps there are hidden gems on the menu we missed. This place is small and very social. Perfect for drunkie munchies or just pure craving, like myself. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…..

 

Bocca, Shanghai… all about the view NOT the food nor service.

From high-end Bocca, the awe-inspiring skyline views of the Bund twinkle in the darkness. Getting the positives out of the way, I will admit if you have to eat at a fake Italian restaurant, Bocca does a good a job as any in making you feel welcome and comfortable. The tables and chairs are big, spacious, well-appointed. Dark wood gives everything an old-world feel, and the place settings and stemware are also a notch or three above other similar restaurants.

Bocca is very overpriced for the quality of food served. The food here was okay, but nothing great. Was expecting some Italian goodness. Not to be found. From the double smoked Scottish salmon with grappa marinated salmon roe, horseradish cream, asparagus and cucumber sauce to the beef carpaccio arrostito – handcut Australian grass fed roastbeef with mixed herbs oil sauce and micro rocket seeding, they were the same….mediocre at best. The seared diver scallop with porcini mushroom, Italian bacon and cranberry saffron potato and broccoli was very salty and there was no mussels in the home made thin noodles with clams and mussels, smoked with applewood.

The service by distracted, inattentive, inept or unfriendly waitrons was very much a mess. The incompetent waiter couldn’t even suggest desserts for though we asked for recommendations. When we wanted more water, the waiter simply told us “the bottle you ordered is empty already.” Seriously?

I highly recommend Bocca to those who want to eat Italian food the way it will taste when they are 90 years old, at death’s door, and being spoon fed by a minimum-wage orderly who also changes their diaper. Bocca is all about the view NOT the food nor service. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…