Centro: So starts my week of gluttony...

I met a few friends for dinner tonight at Centro. We saw each other right around this time last year during Summerlicious at Corner House. For once, I didn't have to co-ordinate or make any of the arrangements - I just offered up a list of alternatives in case Centro was fully booked and waited to be told where and when to show up. A lovely change!

So, the food! There were four of us and 2 options for each course so we were able to sample the entire menu:

Ostrich carpaccio with shaved parmesan and Boston leaf lettuce in a citrus vinaigrette
or
Pan seared sea scallops in miso, micro herbs soy-ginger dressing

Roast breast of free range chicken with a sweet corn risotto, braised leeks and a truffle jus
or
Tilapia fillet with a roasted pepper and black olive salsa, parisienne potatoes and French beans

Lemon Pablova
or
Chocolate Torte with milk chocolate chantilly

I had expected the ostrich carpaccio to be a touch gamey but it wasn't at all. It was paper-thin red meat, super-tender and SOOOOO good!! The 2 scallops were a good-size and perfectly seared so that it was still a touch translucent in the centre.

I had the chicken which was was moist and tender with a perfectly seasoned crisp skin that was sweet from the truffle jus. I love me some risotto, but the sweet corn offering here was rather unremarkable and perhaps overcooked. The tilapia, too, was a touch overdone since it seemed a bit dry, and the parisienne potatoes reminded me of fried fish balls that could be found in the refrigerator aisle of the chinese market.

The desserts were yummy - portions were just right and super-light: the pavlova was light as air and the lemon custard the perfect balance of tangy-sweet. The chocolate torte was not as rich or heavy as I had feared - it really was as light as the server had promised despite coming topped with a heavy-looking mousse and the milk chocolate chantilly provided just the right hit of occasional crunch and sweetness.

Altogether, yum!

And, just for fun, balsamic vinegar that smiles back at you:

We had ordered an additional appetizer of the buffalo milk mozzeralla with heirloom tomatoes and aged balsamic reduction to share and it may have been the best variation of the caprese salad I've ever had. Mmmmm....