Biomedical science practitioners must appreciate good food, judging from what we found tucked in a corner of the Chromos (a geek reference to multicolored lithographic prints) building. Infuzi styles itself as a modern French restaurant, and the place certainly looks chic with its floor to ceiling glass panes and minimal, white decor. We mistakenly opted to dine alfresco and had to suffer the noise from construction nearby. The chef presumably rotates the menu, because the offering was limited—we went with a set lunch, an order of scallops, and a cepe mushroom and vegetable risotto. The set lunch consisted of corn soup, grilled sirloin steak and a filo pastry of banana. The corn soup was the perfect blend of sweet and savory without being overpoweringly corny. Our scallops (all four pieces) were fresh and spongy, and seared to seal in the juicy goodness. Seasoning (balsamic and mixed herbs) was very light, which allowed for the scallops’ flavor to be fully appreciated. The counterpoint to this dish was the Endian salad, which we found sharp, crispy and refreshing. Before we knew it, our mains were before us. Our sirloin steak was already sliced, served on top of braised vegetables and dribbled with Pommery mustard sauce (which the French kings enjoyed in the 1700s). The steak was still pink, which gave it a soft but chewy texture. The risotto had a generous serving of mushrooms and vegetables—the combined flavors were well-blended and packed a punch. Dessert was chocolate and banana wrapped in thin pastry, served with custard, chocolate and strawberry sauces, and slices of kiwifruit and strawberries. Yes, we were tempted to take a picture. Unfortunately, the pastry wasn’t as crisp as we expected, though the dish itself was a tasteful game of mix-and-match. The entire meal was, well, French: Beautiful presentation, small servings that had us cleaning out our plates, and an inversely proportionate price tag—but more importantly, great food.
When the weather is good, eating outside can be a truly enjoyable dining experience. These joints with charming open air areas are just the place to dine on breezy evenings.
