Raquel’s — Spanish
11 Mar 2006 – In keeping with our tradition of doing an entry for “Makan Round the World” every weekend, Billie and I tried to make a reservation for Raquel’s once again – hopefully, it’s third time lucky. This place is hot – you practically have to make a booking one week in advance in order not to be disappointed. Not surprising since it’s located in the heart of Darlinghurst, right smack on the main Oxford Street. Luckily for us, this time we were in, we had a booking. Yipee!
And so that fateful Saturday, after a long day at work, hearty food in a cosy atmosphere was a welcome change indeed.
As we stepped into the restaurant, this was the sight that greeted us. We were early, the place wasn’t quite crowded yet. And while there wasn’t a flamenco show on nor people shouting out “Olé!” and “Agua!”, the place had enough odds and ends to evoke an Espanol air – copper pots and pans, brass armoured knights, black and white vinyl tiles. Then again, what do I know? Have never stepped foot on Spanish soil. This will do.
And before long, the people started streaming in, typically large groups of six, eight or more.
Amongst the partygoers was this group of girls having a hen’s night… I git the paper tiara and veil but the bunny ears?… well, perhaps with Easter just round the corner, it was a bachelorette cum Easter celebration. Or maybe just a bunch of Playboy bunnies on the loose.
But without further ado, let’s head to the food. The menu was massive and took us quite a while to get through. Just with the tapas alone, there must have been over a hundred to choose from! And then there was the choice between a set menu or a la carte or the tapas 3 for $25 special… decisions, decisions. In fact, the waiter had to come back thrice before he got our order. We finally settled on:
ESPARAGOS A LA PLANCHA – Fresh Asparagus Spears Grilled with Olive Oil and Rock Salt, and Topped with a Basil Pesto and Aioli. Billie’s very favouritest veggie, and why not when it is so beautifully presented and tasted so good. The freshness of the asparagus combined with the light, tangy flavour of the sauce was a definite winner.
RAQUELS SEAFOOD PAELLA – King Prawns, Mussels, Squid and Vongole Clams Slowly Cooked in Spiced Saffron Rice in a Traditional Paella Pan. Yes, how could we miss out on the paella, even with the written warning that it takes 45 minutes to cook. And no regrets indeed. If only you could smell pictures. Whoa! I’m not kidding, the seafood in this dish was so fresh I could literally smell the sea oozing from it. And the rice was so totally infused with the juices from the seafood that I could have had it alone! Absolutely delectable. Umh-umh!
GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA – Whole BBQ’d Prawns with Lemon and Chilli, Served with Spiced Rice Timbale. Yes, more seafood, who could resist? And in good ol’ Chinese fashion, we made sure to rip off the prawn heads and suck out the juices for all it’s worth!
CARNE MECHADA – Spanish Style Meatloaf Stuffed with Bacon and Egg and Topped with a Chilli Chutney. Our token “Spanish adventure” dish – and well, though I can’t really say I’ll order this again, it was definitely worth a try. Interesting combination and texture, it was springy and chewy, and surprise, surprise, there was a whole hard-boiled egg right in the middle of the meatloaf! The fresh-cut chilli added a fiery touch.
The best part of the meal was that every dish was served with a portion of rocket – Billie’s other favouritest veggie. And though I never did fancy it previously, tonight it complimented all the dishes perfectly, and I find myself being swayed in a positive direction.
Ooh, and before I forget, let me mention also that in addition to the half-litre we ordered, we got another half-litre of Sangria on the house. Yup, the guy who was waiting on us, Alvin, turned out to be a fellow Singaporean, and I guess he just couldn’t resist showing some good old hospitality to a 同乡. A mixture of orange juice and red wine, while Sangria may taste mild and easy to swallow, we were quick to find out that it packed a pretty punch! Oh well, all part of the fun. Olé!