It was someone’s birthday. I wasn’t planning to eat that evening being on my after-6 diet but this friend of mine wanted to celebrate and called me last minute. I was actually at the gym trying to work out and tire myself so I can just go right to bed afterwards. I seriously didn’t want to eat supper (so informal!) but I didn’t want to rain on his parade so I conceded. He has ruined my diet twice after this initial salvo saying that there’s no after-6pm diet when he’s around. Sigh, it’s so hard to say no to friends… and by that, I mean the food.
I’ve been to Detalle once to grab a late-night drink with ST and JM. I’ve been meaning to eat here but it’s closed during lunch hours. Detalle occupied the building that Taverna Verde vacated, which I used to frequent. The industrial-style redesign is heavy on wood elements and steel.
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It’s a chill place to hang out and bond with friends. The enclosed area on the ground floor is calmer compared to the open 2nd floor, veranda-type with loud chatter, booming music and fresh air.
On the Table
Arancini P250
Risotto balls, aioli, mozzarella
I initially found it slightly weird to be eating stuffed rice balls, carb on carb but the one I tried in Rome made me change my mind. It was just at a small open-air restaurant at a block near where we stayed at.
Our Rome Home in 2011. Ate arancini and pasta on my first night. and 2nd night.
The golden domes encrusting the rice were nicely fried without being too greasy. Inside was soft with a bite rice cooked like risotto, embraced in sweet tangy cloying tomato and gooey stringy mozzarella. It sold at 1.5 euro each but I would’ve paid double. It was so good.
Detalle’s version of arancini had a similar texture and taste. It is one of the better arancinis in the metro and I wouldn’t mind ordering it again.
Basque Fried Chicken P280
Peperade sauce, mint yogurt
Detalle’s Basque Fried Chicken is chicken meat similar to chicken tenders with crispy skin bits giving hither and thither crunches. A spicy tomato-pepper profile glides on your palate pointing out a lovely mellowed spicy paprika.
This was one of my favorites on the table. The mint yogurt dressing on top sedates the dish with its cool creaminess.
Shish Kebab P280
Skewered beef, Mediterranean spices, Madras yogurt, pita
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Gobbets of meat threaded on a skewer and roasted in open fire. The marinade on the meat is evident of Mediterranean spices with strapping hints of garlic, curry and cumin. I barely touched the pita and focused instead on the beef. But the pita was nicely toasted and very thin.
Squeeze a bit of lemon to add acidity and spring up the flavor.
Recent Table Guest