Alma by Juan Amador can be found next to the main building of Goodwood Park Hotel, just a couple of steps away. You won’t miss the eye-catching sign of this one Michelin Star restaurant that serves European food with an Asian twist.
The interior of the restaurant looks chic and classy, as expected of any fancy restaurant. What we liked was the simple colour scheme of red, white, and black that made it all the more elegant and modern, especially with the pop of colour.
When you arrive, you’ll be served some freshly baked potato bread with truffle butter. The bread is served in a sack filled with hot rocks so you can enjoy the bread warm.
Dig in as you check out the restaurant’s 3-Course Lunch Menu ($39++), which is really worth the price given the quality and complexity of the dishes. You have to choose from several options for each course, and here are some of our favourites.
The Artichoke Soup (3-course set lunch, appetiser, supplement of $8) was a real winner. We were served a Manchego souffle, a shaving of black truffle and a piece of crab meat with the soup on the side.
The soup resembled more of a veloute, with a strong milk flavour to it. The other ingredients mellowed out the milky taste and added other dimensions like sweetness and umami to the dish.
The appetiser that we enjoyed the most however, was the Crispy Tofu (3-course set lunch, appetiser, supplement of $7). The tofu had a crisp exterior and the wild mushrooms were soft and earthy, pairing nicely with the black garlic.
The foie gras emulsion which served as the sauce, was the element that truly elevated the dish, adding a depth of flavour and a rich, silky coating to the tofu.
For your main course, try the Boston Lobster (3-course set lunch, main). When it hit the table, we were smiling at the sheer amount of lobster given. I’d trade half a lobster tail for more chunks of lobster any day!
The angel hair pasta was done aglio olio style and was perfectly al dente. It was savoury, with a slight hint of spice.
What we enjoyed the most was the lobster; the pieces of succulent, tender lobster were polished off the plate before we knew it.
Another must-try main is the Iberico Pork Cheek (3-course set lunch, main, supplement of $6). The dish comes with two pieces of Thai-BBQ glazed pork, over a chestnut sauce.
The pork alone was sweet and savoury, a European version of our beloved char siew. It fell apart easily and was more tender than we anticipated.
Together with the chestnut sauce, each bite was made richer and more wholesome, and the crispy quinoa on top acted as a fun textural element with an interesting taste.
For dessert, we had the Pina Colada (3-course set lunch, dessert). It’s a modern interpretation of the famous cocktail, translated into a small and elegant dessert.
With every bite, we were able to taste the tropical flavours of pineapple and mint, along with a hint of rum from the granita. Mix the pineapple gazpacho with the chantilly cream on top to really get the best out of this dessert.
To jazz up your fancy meal, consider getting The Great Flyte ($16 per glass, $53 per bottle), which is a Cabernet Sauvignon from California. The wine was fruity and slightly acidic, with hints of cherry, and had a good depth of flavour.
The set menu changes according to the ingredients in season, so don’t be surprised to see a different set of dishes the next time you visit. For a fantastic lunch at a such reasonable price of $39++, visit Alma by Juan Amador today!
Expected damage: $39++ per person
