The Food
Ristorante Bologna serves up a buffet of antipasti and dessert. Create your own salad by selecting from an array of fresh leafy vegetables, and a variety of dressings such as tangy vinaigrette and creamy Thousand Island . The Salmone Fumigato is thinly sliced with a piquant smoky flavour, while the Seafood Salad contains juicy prawn and mussel in a mild yet appetizing sauce that brings out the flavour of the sea in every bite. Extremely fresh, every bite is indeed a delight.
The restaurant offers a mind-boggling number of main courses, and to help the discerning diner narrow it down, its Menu of the Day is available on weekdays, showcasing its specialties. One of the choices offered on this special menu is the Squid Ink Pasta ($25), and is a good introduction for diners who have not tried dishes made with squid ink before. Patrons need not worry about their lips and teeth being stained with the unsightly black ink, as is the case with other squid ink pasta dishes, because it is the pasta itself that is made with squid ink. Served with generously sized pieces of succulent lobster bathed in a tomato-based basil sauce, the dish contains a slight hint of squid , while the aromatic basil herb adds a refreshing flavour to the thick ragout.
If squid ink pasta sounds too exotic for one's tastes, also available is the Fresh Pappardelle with Prawns ($24). Made with flat and thick ribbon-like pasta, this dish is well-flavoured with oregano and saffron sauce. While the herbs and spices may be a little overpowering for some, the prawns are juicy and will surely satisfy any seafood-lover. This dish is a good alternative to the less common dishes on the menu, which might present something of a challenge to those unaccustomed to traditional Italian cuisine.
Those not in the mood for a heavy pasta meal may order the Sea Bass Baked in Puff Pastry ($30). Served with sweet cherry tomatoes and briny olives, the pastry shell is flaky, fragrant and wonderfully buttery, wrapped around a generous serving of sea bass. The entire pastry comes apart easily, giving diners a peek of its delectable filling. A rather unconventional method of cooking sea bass, perhaps, but the chef's willingness to experiment has yielded a reward for the diner. What results is a delicious main course that will both fascinate and enthrall the senses.
Last but not least, do save some space for dessert as the buffet offers a range of fresh fruit and cakes that will satisfy one's sweet-tooth. Be sure to try the Strawberry Shortcake, where the addition of sliced strawberries tempers the sweetness of the cake, and the Green Tea Cheesecake, which is light and well-flavoured with zesty green tea. Both are not overwhelmingly sweet, and go very well with that after-meal tea or coffee.
