The restaurant is actually smaller than I expected, with half of it carved out for the bar. However the walls of the restaurant was shaded in lovely red and blue colours, which combined with the locals hanging out at the bar for a drink or two, gave a relaxed and casual feel to the restaurant.
The Tapas' Tasting Menu consists of 7 tapas courses, which looks quite small to my greedy eyes. Although I must admit I was quite full by the end of it (or could it be the wine? :P). I was starving and immediately attacked the bread when it landed on our table. It was soft and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
The first course was the sliced Serrano Jamon and Kingfish Ceviche with Pickled Watermelon and Coriander. My eyes were wide open when the Jamon came out on two sticks with a stand! I was like a little kid eating rolled lollies, holding the Jamon stick and carefully rolled out the Jamon as I indulge in the explosion of flavours in my mouth and the rich aroma from the fat on the Jamon. Afterwards, my palate is refreshed by the kingfish and pickled watermelon. And come on, how cool is that spoon!
Next up is the Smoked Eel Parfait with White Soy and Seaweed Salad. This was actually my favourite course for the entire lunch. I didn't know what to expect when I read 'eel parfait' on the menu; the texture of the parfait is almost like a rich mousse and it was full of the smoked eel flavour. The second surprise in this dish was I have never seen pink seaweed before! Although it tasted just like ordinary seaweed, I certainly wouldn't mind a bit of pink goodness in my dishes!
The third course was Calamari with Squid Ink Rice and Green Chilli. Again, squid ink rice was something that I haven't tried before although I love squid ink pastas. The rice did not disappoint and the calamari was also very tender, although the green chilli sauce didn't taste much like chilli. This was also the dish that we had most fun eating as we tried to stuff the rice into the calamari haha!
Then came the Cucumber & Herb Gazpacho with Crisp Potato and Chorizo with Harissa. According to Wikipedia, Gazpacho is a cold Spanish tomato based raw vegetable soup. It was very refreshing and definitely helped to cut the oiliness of the fried chorizo. The chorizo itself was also very good, making us wanting for more.
When the next course, Pullet Egg with Pork Bubble, landed on our table, I felt like I was staring at my breakfast! A nicely poached egg sat on top of a bed of green pea crumbs. It's an unusual combination which was okay.
Next up is the Pressed Lamb Shoulder with Tagine Sauce and Chickpeas, together with the Chickpea Chips. The chickpea chips were delicious, although they were prone to breaking in half when being picked up with a fork. The lamb shoulder was a bit on the dry side but tasty nonetheless.
For dessert we had Chocolate Ganache with Camomile. The ganache was rich and thick, which a pinch of salt to bring out the chocolate taste. The camomile fragrance was unmistakable and helped to cut through the richness of the ganache. A lovely way to finish a long leisurely lunch!
Bentley Restaurant & Bar
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