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2010-10-25
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Haven't been to Sabatini for nearly 10 years. Too long, much too long .....Yes, Hong Kong is full of new and Michelin-starred restaurants but none of those can compare with my all-time favourite. Sabatini brings back a lot of memories - memories of times past, memories of good quality food at reasonable prices, memories of atmosphere unmatched in the newbies or claimed-to-be's, memories of classic dishes against the fusion of je-ne-sais-quoi, memories of substance over presentation, memories o
Yes, Hong Kong is full of new and Michelin-starred restaurants but none of those can compare with my all-time favourite. Sabatini brings back a lot of memories - memories of times past, memories of good quality food at reasonable prices, memories of atmosphere unmatched in the newbies or claimed-to-be's, memories of classic dishes against the fusion of je-ne-sais-quoi, memories of substance over presentation, memories of everything that Hong Kong once had .....
This restaurant also brings back memories of a period when Soho was still a quiet residential area, where catching a ferry to cross the harbour was THE thing to do, where the skyline of Hong Kong island at night was still a sight to behold, where history would stand still, where people actually took pride in working in the same restaurants for decades .....
Back to food ....
Bread - the freshness, the softness, the fragrance of home-made bread! A far-cry from those which use ready-made ones from the chain shops/factories or those that use microwave to reheat stale ones. Each piece was a brilliance in itself.
Antipasti - a great selection of dishes to whet the appetite. All classics, all well prepared - nothing would stand out, and yet nothing would feel out of place of one another. They were all there for a purpose - that being to complement each other. In the old days, I would get the waiting staff to choose for me but I have been away for too long so I decided to do it myself, only to realize that the sight of the plethora itself is a delight on its own. How could I have let such visual stimulation escape from me in the past, I wonder?
As I didn't fancy a main dish on this particular occasion, I opted for a pasta instead. Tagliatelle with prawns and squid with a dash of Parmesan. Oh, the aroma of the cheese, the texture of the pasta, the taste of the sauce all blended with each other so well, so seamlessly!
By this time, I was already filled to 80% of my capacity but both dessert and coffee at Sabatini are something not to be missed according to my recollection. No surprises there - Espresso, the Tiramisu and the Mascarpone cake are still the best way to finish any meal, not least a meal at Sabatini.
All the memories and food nearly brought a tear in my eye. Why and how has Hong Kong become like what we have today? Why does greed have to be written into every equation in this town? If Sabatini can do it, why can't the other (newer) restaurants do it?
Let Sabatini and its spirit live on!
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