Champagne @ Giraffe (22 May 2006)

I met up with Grace and Jennifer for dinner at Giraffe at the Istana Park. I never even realized there is a new establishment there. It is a 2-storied glass building, with indoor and outdoor settings. It was raining earlier, so we moved indoors. It has been over a year since we last saw each other, and we have known each other since 2001. Long time, eh?

The ambience is nice, very relaxed atmosphere, a bit at odds with the decor though. The wait staff is dressed in very casual togs, similar to those Thai-styled massage/fisherman trousers and a casual top. The place is all glass and chrome, with glass plates, square-handled cutlery which are very heavy. I imagine it will be a very hot place to be when the sun is shining, due to the "greenhouse" effect of the glass.

The food is mediocre - I ordered the seafood tom yam pasta. Very bland and not spicy at all. Jennifer's reaction when she saw the angel hair pasta was that it was "mee kia" (a type of noodles in Hokkien). Lol. She had the chicken schitnzel which was ok. Grace said her seafood jambalaya was nothing fantastic either. The cheese platter starter was alright, guess one can't really go wrong with that.

Verdict: Probably better to go there to chill out and have a drink.

The highlight of the evening was the champagne, compliments from Enrico. Grace met up with him in Germany and he brought 6 bottles over. In the end, Grace took back 2 bottles (gold-foiled and silver-foiled; not sure what is the difference). The champagne (or Prosecco) was nice, ticklish bubbly. It is from his family vineyard in Italy. You can read more about it here:
www.zucchetto.com

They do not export to many countries outside of Italy. You can always contact them via the website if you are keen to import it into Singapore or elsewhere.

I believe this is what we had:
2003 VALDOBBIADENE BRUT "PUROFOL"
From the heart of historical Prosecco landmark, Follo or Fol as locals call this pitoresque little town, here's a severe selection of 100% Prosecco grapes.This elegant brut is characterized by inviting aromas of citrus fruit, especially tangerine and grapefruit, fresh vegetation and a note of rustic mint. The mouth is wide, creamy-full of fresh fruits, with a firm acidity that provides a crisp, lingering finish of lime, mineral and almond.The "Naked King", as we friendly call it, because of its very low sugar residue, that reveals all superb Prosecco taste.

Main data profile
Composition: 100% Prosecco grapes grown in Fol Vineyards
Aging: eight months in stainless steel tanks, one month in bottle.
Harvest date: 10 September 2003
Release date: 25 May 2004
Wine alcohol: 11,5% by volume
Wine acid: 0,6 grams/100 ml (6‰)
Sugar residue: 9 grams/1000 ml (0,9 %)

The matches
Perfect on its own as an aperitif for any occasion, it pairs wonderfully with pasta, simple or elaborate fish and vegetable hors d'oeuvres, first courses of sea food and baked fish, or enjoyed throughout the entire meal.Serve at 43-44°F