Set Lunch at Cenacolo

Date of visit : 26th June '10

Cenacolo @ Soho, Central

So the non-stop pouring ruined our original plans to visit Orchard Garden in Causeway Bay, and we came here as a back up as my friend requested for western food. Remembering I had a very good dinner experience here (love the extensive a la carte menu for such a small restaurant), I suggested this place for lunch... Little did I know the lunch menu would be so boring!


There was a set lunch menu ($88) (this place offers brunch - i.e. egg items on Sundays I believe), with a choice of soup or salad for starters, fish / chicken / beef / pasta of the day for mains, and either dessert of the day or coffee/tea as final course.

For starters, I had the pumpkin soup (soup of day) which came with two garlic croutons... Whilst the soup was great with a sprinkle of cheese (mozzarella?), I didn't enjoy the croutons as they were quite soggy.

M's salad of apricot and orange segments looked very tasty and colourful...she seemed to enjoy it as every bit of this place was gone! =))

For my main I chose the Fish of the day with tomato-basil sauce, rather than the menu-prescribed lemon butter sauce, which the waitress gladly changed for me. The fish turned out to be a very boring but well-seasoned (therefore tasty) piece of sole fillet. Underneath was some standard grilled veggies - carrots, eggplant, broccoli etc and potato mash. The sauce was good - tangy as it was rich with stewed tomatoes (not ketchup, yayy) and I love basil so I was happy. 

M chose the grilled chicken (breast used, but she didn't realise) which arrived with the same tomato-basil sauce on top, and grilled veggies + mash underneath. Apart from the protein I am guessing it was quite similar in taste to my main? M thought the chicken was quite dry though... 

As an ending to our meal I chose to have coffee as I was already stuffed....I was engaged in a good conversation with my friend so I forgot to really taste it =P I just remembered "not bad" crossing my mind, but nothing to write home about. 

My friend chose dessert of the day - tiramisu, which came with a scoop of ice cream. Whilst I think the addition of ice cream is not necessary for most desserts (save for chocolate fondant and apple crumble), I'm not complaining that Cenacolo chose to provide a scoop with their dessert! This was clearly a slice from a large batch. I had a bite of the tiramisu - very light, like commercialised tiramisus, but the sweetness was just right. Portion was good for a set-lunch, and a small sweet ending to a meal. 

Perhaps I shall visit for their a la carte menu, but won't be returning for their set lunch (too boring!)...But for our engaging conversations (a lot on food), doubt I would have sat through lunch wide awake like I did in this hot humid rainy weather, so thank you, M! 

Food: ♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥

Price: $$

Cenacolo

No. 45-53 Gramham Street, Soho, Central
tel: +852 2525 2430