And A Good Time Was Had By All

Smoot & Co managed to have a grand Christmas this year and this is despite the fact that no leave was taken - it was the rather lovely combination of Christmas falling just before a weekend and an official closure of The Firm on 26 December 2008, which resulted in a 4.5 day vacation for all in the House of Smoot.

A definite highlight of the Christmas vacation was the sudden discovery that my favorite chef in all the world has opened a food outlet not 5 minutes away from my home! This is the man who ruined bolognaise for me after he closed the Soul Kitchen and I couldn't get hold of his Tagliatelle with Ragu sauce anymore. No other bolognaise will do. For 3 years hence, I have walked the earth searching in vain for a pasta dish that would completely satisfy me in the same way and I have grown weary and a little bit desperate.

And now...

http://sgblogs.com/entry/grill-coffeeshop-kurobuta-wagyu-kobe/233171

Ta da!

http://www.soshiok.com/articles/10862

Oh happy day!

In typical fashion, I set out to renew my acquaintance with the great Ragu and of course overdid it and now the poor man thinks I'm a stalker.

First, I called him on his mobile on 23 December 2008 (it's not my fault - he gave it to the reporter) to check whether he is still selling the Ragu, and to check if I could come by on Sunday for lunch.

Then I showed up for lunch on 24 December 2008 with my ex-secretary. He was unable to serve us anything as his oven and fridge were packed with Christmas takeaway orders. Unfazed, I ordered 10 servings of Tagliatelle with Ragu for collection on 27 December 2008 at 11am - was having a house party so what better time to pass off his cooking as my own.

On 27 December 2008, I arrived at 11am to collect my perfect, perfect Ragu. I nuzzled the warm plastic boxes, put my cheek against the top one, opened the lid, took a long, deep sniff. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Asked the poor, terrified man if he was open for lunch on 28 December 2008, as I would be returning for the Kurobuta pork loin steak with homemade apple sauce.

On 28 December 2008, I returned for a long lunch with 3 young men aged 3.5 years, 19 years and 36 years. We checked out the Hungarian goulash, purple slaw and Kurobuta pork loin steak. Despite the background noise of a Malay wedding and the fact that the rotating ceiling fan did not quite reach us, it was a lovely meal, proving at least to me that when the food is sublime, my ears stop working.

I'm not sure when I can go back there again. I hope he does not recognise me as the person who ate at Soul Kitchen in its last month of operation so often and alone that he started calling me "Bolognaise Girl".