AsiaLIFE

The Sunday Prosecco Brunch at Bistro Romano is simply bellissima. A wonderfully dangerous affair, it includes a refined Italian buffet, complemented by a free flow of Prosecco sparkling wine, all for only US$25. A dream for the palate, a nightmare for sobriety.

There is more to Naga than initially meets the eye, and Bistro Romano is a good example of this. The décor, includes a wall full of mock-Venetian masks and rather large cherubs that smile at your from the ceiling. It’s a welcoming space with an open kitchen and seating by a glass wall overlooking Hun Sen Park. The brunch buffet is attractively presented, and service is assiduous assuming you arrive after 11am, when the feast officially kicks off.

Unsurprisingly, the highlight of brunch is the sparkling Jeio Bisol Prosecco Brut, straight from Valdobbiadene, Italy’s famous prosecco-making region. Light in colour, it has a fruity bouquet, with a hint of flowers and apples. The bubbles are beautifully small, making the fresh wine dangerously drinkable. Needless to say, it goes well with everything else on offer at the buffet.

Minestrone soup, foccacia bread, mozzarella and tomato salad as well as pizza are some of the more Italian dishes on offer, however it is the Nordic-style cured salmon and garupa that has diners raving. The soft salmon in particular simply melts in your mouth, though its delicate taste is best enjoyed without the suggested accompaniment of orange. Other highlights are the tender squid salad and the traditional combination of parma ham and melon, imaginatively served in a shot glass.

Hot dishes include on-the-spot prepared risotto and pasta. The former turns out very well with the rice almost mushy yet with a bit of bite, and the right creamy consistency of the dish attained with parmesan carved straight out of a massive wheel of cheese. In comparison, the pasta is disappointing. It lacks freshness due to being parboiled and left out until used. Though the re-heated grilled vegetables themselves are delicious, the whole doesn’t quite come together without a unifying sauce.

In addition to the all-you-can-eat buffet, diners are also invited to select one hot dish from a separate menu with six choices. Including an à la carte option when the tables are heaving with buffet foods seems slightly odd, but certainly ensures diners get value for money. Of the served dishes, the grilled salmon with tagliatelle, vegetables and Prosecco hollandaise sauce stands out, as does the sautéed tiger prawn in zucchini and tomato pesto, though both would benefit from a slightly shorter cooking time. You can however safely miss out on the grilled pork chop which turns out to be on the tough side, though after a few glasses of Prosecco you might not even notice.

Adorably presented, the colourful selection of desserts is a feast for the eyes. Garnished with strawberry and cream, the small nougat crème caramel is one of the less strikingly cute desserts on offer, yet definitely worth dipping your spoon into, especially if you’re a fan of custard. The three-layered chocolate mousse looks impressive in its tumbler, though the size of the dessert makes finishing it a true mission impossible. For fear of disappointment the almond macarons are best left alone, and unless you dream of becoming a singing fat lady you might as well stay away from the opera cake too.

Prosecco brunch at Bistro Romano is a great little hidden gem. It represents fantastic value for money, particularly as the waiters are incredibly prompt at keeping your glass filled with crisp and aromatic bubbly. Some of the dishes are however slightly compromised by the buffet setting, which makes them go cold, partly due to less than half of the tables in the restaurant being occupied. Nevertheless, provided you are able to tell when you’ve had enough of the sparkling to still make it out of the place on your own two feet, this is one brunch not to miss out on.

Bistro Romano, NagaWorld, Hun Sen Park, Prosecco Brunch Sundays 11am to 2pm, US$25