Thursday, May 15, 2008

Italian Asian Cuisine @ Buko Nero



What happened in April 2008...

1st attempt on MONDAY:
'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are closed until FRIDAY. For reservation please try your luck again this Friday.'

2nd attempt on the next MONDAY:
'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are closed every MONDAY. For reservation please try your luck again on Tuesday.'

3rd attempt on TUESDAY:
'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are only opened for dinner. For reservation please try your luck again at 6.30 pm.'

4th attempt at 6.30 pm:
'Reservation is full for April. The earliest available date is 14 May 08 (one month later).'


Tell me.

Numerous good reviews bout this italian asian fusion place + Fantastic rating on their food + Reservation to be made ONE month ahead + Numerous attempts to make reservation. How tempted are you in trying out this place? I admit all these factors motivated me to go thru all the hassles just to pay it a visit.

Counting down the days...30 days to go....and finally tonight it is...

I was so excited and had my camera ready in hand. Angle, checked; Lighting, checked; Presentation, checked; Macro setting, checked... 'Kee-Chak'...'Excuse me, no photo shooting is allowed'. *Sulk*

Too bad I was being refrained from snapping pix. Guess I have to switch to altenative mode then...my discreet handphone with 2 megapixels blurry pix. Better than nothing lor.

The bread basket with balsamic vinegar came with surprisingly strong aromatic smell. The texture was as lovely as the taste. I even requested for more balsamic vinegar to go with the buns.


For full course, I had their 5-course-set-dinner, priced at $ 48.

1st course:
Smoked salmon tartar with beetroot dressing.

Interestingly stacked up in 2 layers of minced smoked salmon and unidentified fish, paired up with tad sourish beetroot dressing.



2nd course:
Brocolli, basil and crab meat soup.
Served in a chinese soup bowl, the soup did taste like chinese shark fin with crab meat soup. Decent taste with a hint of sweet crab broth. Too bad it lacks the 'wow' factor.



3rd course:
Blood orange sherbet.
The refreshing sherbet is used to cleanse the palate before sampling the ultimate main course.


4th course:
Rigatoni with braised cod, trout and brinjal ragut.
Thanks to the rich tomato base with fresh cod and trout, I quite enjoy this dish that came with big fat rigatoni.


5th course:
Milk chocolate and coconut cake with gula melaka coulis.
The surprise element was the wonderful texture of the milk chocolate and coconut cake. Crispy outer layer with soft, warm and near molten texture in the inside. Pair it up with the can't-go-wrong-one-lah gula melaka coulis. True bliss is all I can say.



My only regret was being refrained from snapping pix of the food and the ambiance with a proper camera. Although most of the food lacks the very 'wow' factor, somehow this place 包涵了我最初的梦想. Since young (I'm talking bout my childhood days), I have always wanted to own and run a small cosy restaurant like this. Warm lighting with Lisa Ono's music in the background.


Buko Nero reminds me that I still have a dream that I have been keeping to myself all these years. And the dream goes on...


Location:
126, Tanjong Pagar Road.

The real HOT line:
(+65) 63246225

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, for the age of camera phones! Kinda like espionage work, no? Taking those secretive pics of them lovely dishes... :P

Precious Pea said...

Wahh.....one month of advance booking? Hmm..shall I make a booking here first or Airasia first. But then again, no photo shooting wor. Hahaha..but need not worry, am good in sneaking in camera to shoot silently...shhhh!!

Anonymous said...

whoa..so babai one ar? the food better be good..and bravo to u for taking pic with all the restraints!

HairyBerry said...

hmmm, me thinks me will review this one also lar...got idea liao...now waiting in line...wonder if it'll take longer than the reservation...hehe...

Anonymous said...

Em.. I might just give up on the 3rd attempt.

Why why? Why no picture taking!?

Xiu Long Bao said...

kenny:
lol...espionage work? Still prefer crystal clear pix :p I felt like an idiot actually, hiding the phone and taking pic discreetly.

precious pea:
Am sure it is more challenging to secure bookings with this restaurant. Sure or not? How to sneak the camera and shoot??

citygal:
Yalor, very babai. Advance booking + hotline + not so cheap food + cannot take pic. Wat more can you not ask for?

nic:
Changed your mind ah? Must be inspired by my post. Cut the queue la, good post cant afford to wait.

jason:
No no no...I was in fact more determined to secure a booking with them. Yeah, i was abit frus, after all the hassles n wiv the hefty price...no pic taking???

Simon Seow said...

Maybe it's time to change to a 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens mobile phone.

Kok said...

xiu long bao,
This restaurant not bad leh. Business seems so good. One month reservation? Or maybe, too much holidays for them. Everyday close. haha!

You should tell them you wanna write a post for them for free! Then they'll let you snap photos liao. kekeke.

wmw said...

Such determination! Such passion! Muah ha ha....

Anonymous said...

Crazy restaurant ! And nowadays for us foodies to do free advertisement for restaurants also so difficult huh, I guess we need to resort to spycam or something more discreet.... sigh.

Cokeworld Citizen said...

hahaha after so many attempts...no pictures??? *gasp* At least ur food no wow factor but still edible....unlike my Yut Kee experience...

Anyway, ur dream sounds to my cousin sister's...she always wanted to own a small cosy cafe....wonder if her's still on...

But at least you have a dream right?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Xiu Long Bao said...

simon:
yeah, till i change to 5 figure pay job :p

kok:
I think their business is way too good leh. Can afford to rest for whole week.

wmw:
Long live floggers' spirit-die die must take photo!

timothy:
that makes it interesting mah. the more u stop me from taking photos, the more gatal i am to take photos of the food!

cokeworld citizen:
dats y i was abit frus at first. Waited for month and now no photos? I guess we foodie are putting sky high expectation on food lah...dats y we always get big disappointment?

Anonymous said...

I can only say I admire your patience.

Yes the pictures didn't do justice..but then again...the menu was that impressive to being with huh?

Try again and tell them that you are blogging...maybe can let you shoot???