I think sometimes in life, we shouldn't always walk the safe path. Walk a different path and see how the outcomes turn out to be and you'll be surprised that you have been doing the same thing everytime that you missed some of the surprises out there! It applies to almost everything and action but this time I want to talk about food!
Recently, I attended a dinner with some friends and instead of the usual opulent dinners that we have at Imbi Palace, my friend ordered a pot of white porridge and some dishes. It's like having teo chew style porridge except that this place here has air condition and good service!
The usual and "unsual" dishes served that night with the porridge includes the salted fermented black bean fish, the fried luncheon meat, stif-fried cabbage with roasted pork, prawn with eggs and some other accompanying dishes.
What was unusual with the dinner was the pairing of porridge with wines! The wines that we had that night were one of my favourite labels for Italian wines. There are actually a wide variety of wonderful wines from the Italian producers and my favourite is particularly the Barolo. Having tasted one of the very fine Barolo from Pio Cesare (here), I'm slowly but surely loving it. After all, it is one of the finest producers of Barolo in Alba.
Pio Cesare Barolo 2004 & Barbaresco 2003
Barolo is produced by a single grape variety, called Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region in Italy. It is rich and deep in colour. Nebbiolo grapes produce wines that has flavours of licorice, cherries, spices, roses and violets, tea, and anise. A young Barolo usually has fierce tannins, but when cellared properly, it can age well and soften the tannins and turning it into a real gem!
This is not my first bottle of Pio Cesare's Barolo 2004. Having tasted it on a few occasions from one to two years ago, this bottle is aging very well. Typically for a bottle of Barolo, it will reach its peak in about 10 years and afterall, this 2004 bottle is one of the historic vintages. Ranked at 6th spot in Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2008, this Barolo fascinates almost every wine aficionado with its bold and aristocratic personality.
It has a glossy garnet hue, almost like a Pinot Noir but the nose is very different. This one here has exciting aromas of black berries, cherries, and a wonderful bouquet of flowers that drifts smoothly in the glass. Since this is a 2004 bottle, the tannins has been softened due to the aging process, but it remains bold, full-bodied, lingering finish and it's definitely a robust wine with great opulence. 94 points by Wine Spectator
Guess what we had for dessert?!! Usually, in Imbi Palace, we are given a choice of coconut pudding, mango pudding, honey dew sago and also the "suit kap" but this time, my friend brought along his own dessert for us. It was the durian macarons.
Durian Macarons
When it was served, I thought they looked like the normal green tea macarons but when you bite into them, the durian puree oozes out and the aroma fills the palate. It was durians! I loved the creativity of the bakers and it was indeed a delicious product. Very impressive and the durian was full of flavour. Would definitely check out this outlet - Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie soon!
Enjoyed the night very much. It was porridge paired with Barolos and Barbarescos and durian macarons for dessert. Chinese, Italian and French in a melting pot!
Recently, I attended a dinner with some friends and instead of the usual opulent dinners that we have at Imbi Palace, my friend ordered a pot of white porridge and some dishes. It's like having teo chew style porridge except that this place here has air condition and good service!
The usual and "unsual" dishes served that night with the porridge includes the salted fermented black bean fish, the fried luncheon meat, stif-fried cabbage with roasted pork, prawn with eggs and some other accompanying dishes.
What was unusual with the dinner was the pairing of porridge with wines! The wines that we had that night were one of my favourite labels for Italian wines. There are actually a wide variety of wonderful wines from the Italian producers and my favourite is particularly the Barolo. Having tasted one of the very fine Barolo from Pio Cesare (here), I'm slowly but surely loving it. After all, it is one of the finest producers of Barolo in Alba.
Pio Cesare Barolo 2004 & Barbaresco 2003Barolo is produced by a single grape variety, called Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region in Italy. It is rich and deep in colour. Nebbiolo grapes produce wines that has flavours of licorice, cherries, spices, roses and violets, tea, and anise. A young Barolo usually has fierce tannins, but when cellared properly, it can age well and soften the tannins and turning it into a real gem!
This is not my first bottle of Pio Cesare's Barolo 2004. Having tasted it on a few occasions from one to two years ago, this bottle is aging very well. Typically for a bottle of Barolo, it will reach its peak in about 10 years and afterall, this 2004 bottle is one of the historic vintages. Ranked at 6th spot in Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2008, this Barolo fascinates almost every wine aficionado with its bold and aristocratic personality.It has a glossy garnet hue, almost like a Pinot Noir but the nose is very different. This one here has exciting aromas of black berries, cherries, and a wonderful bouquet of flowers that drifts smoothly in the glass. Since this is a 2004 bottle, the tannins has been softened due to the aging process, but it remains bold, full-bodied, lingering finish and it's definitely a robust wine with great opulence. 94 points by Wine Spectator
Guess what we had for dessert?!! Usually, in Imbi Palace, we are given a choice of coconut pudding, mango pudding, honey dew sago and also the "suit kap" but this time, my friend brought along his own dessert for us. It was the durian macarons.
Durian MacaronsWhen it was served, I thought they looked like the normal green tea macarons but when you bite into them, the durian puree oozes out and the aroma fills the palate. It was durians! I loved the creativity of the bakers and it was indeed a delicious product. Very impressive and the durian was full of flavour. Would definitely check out this outlet - Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie soon!
Enjoyed the night very much. It was porridge paired with Barolos and Barbarescos and durian macarons for dessert. Chinese, Italian and French in a melting pot!
