Sensuous Lunch-Time Getaway at Aioli

Truffle fries - delicious

So as many of you know, I love food - good food - and so restaurant adventures, among other foodie outings, are always a great thing. So when friend extraordinaire, Leslie Ann invited me to Aioli again, having missed the first opportunity because I was chained to the corporate grind, well...I was certainly not going to be a fool twice.

My first outing to Aioli was fantastic and so I was very eager to see what was in store today. The good folks at Aioli are preparing to launch a new lunch menu, with brand new options, unlike anything on their awesome dinner menu, but just as fun and exciting. Food should always be fun and exciting. What is even more exciting is being among the first to test and taste the menu-to-be as guests of the Chef's Table. Small yaaay.

The menu supports quick lunches, which are perfect for those of us who have really busy days and short lunchbreaks. First there are french fries. French fries, you say aloud. Yes. French fries. But not every french fry is the same and this truth was confirmed the moment I sampled the truffle fries - "crispy truffle infused shoestring French fries", and my personal fave, the Tuscan fries - "Extra Crisp Baton cut French fries tossed in garlic chevril butter and shaved parmagiano reggiano". 

The Tuscan fries were my winner among the three, which also included classic french fries. I had most of those Tuscan fries, friends. I confess. The diet went on a break around 12.30 this afternoon.

Up next - pasta. I love my pasta, so I was eagerly anticipating the pasta options on this test menu, which the table shared. First up, a lovely Pasta alla Marinara - a wonderfully fresh combination of pasta, tossed with fresh garlic, Shallots, Marinara and cherry tomatoes and garnished with parmagiano reggiano and micro basil. I loved the freshness of the ingredients, with those cherry tomatoes being the most succulent gems ever.

Pasta alla marinara

Then there was the poulet y pesto. I love pesto but had actually never had a creamy pesto but I did enjoy the fussilli pasta tossed in a creamy pesto with moist cubes of chicken.

Poulet y pesto

My winner in the pasta competition was definitely the final pasta dish - Pasta di Funghi, which featured pappardelle pasta tossed with a sexy variety of exotic mushrooms, cream, parmagiano reggiano and truffle. If you are a mushroom lover, you have to have this. Your lunchbreak will never be the same.

Pasta di funghi

You may think it was over by now, but...it was not. We still had to taste the sandwiches on the proposed lunch menu. I had actually planned for today with a regular 5am workout, and a bowl of watermelon for breakfast.

So, the sandwiches. These were all taste sizes, mind you, and not regular sizes. I will admit, I am not a sandwich for lunch person, unless that "sandwich" is a wrapped roti. However, if you are indeed not averse to a sandwich for a quick lunch, then these three options were pretty damn good.

There was first, the Aioli Club -

The Aioli Club

...Aioli Club White Foccacia Bread layered with avocado, sliced turkey, sliced chicken, dehydrated bacon, Dijon mustard, Lettuce and tomato. That dehydrated bacon is the truth. It gave that sandwich a magic of its own - a really amazing flavour which I appreciated immensely.

Then, this was my favourite I think - the Reuben.

The Reuben

...Rye Bread layered with corn beef pastrami, swiss cheese, Saurkraut and dressed with Thousand Island. The dressing gave the sandwich a nice sweetness that complemented the savoury of the other ingredients.

And, the Louisiana Po Boy

Louisiana Po Boy

 ...Ciabatta Bread layered with Fresh fried Oysters, Cajun Aioli, Caper Remoulade, Butter Lettuce, Tomato and Pickle. Okay, this was awesome awesome awesome. The rest of the table thought it a bit too spicy but the kick I loved. Delicious.

Wicked LSJ also ensured we had dessert, and we shared a tiramisu cup, as well as a classic creme brulee and a Nutella brulee - delightful.

Creme Brulee times two

Lunch may never be the same again. The service as always was stellar so thanks to Marvin for being excellent. Apologies again to Jeremiah who let me call him Jeremy for about half hour without politely correcting me. And of course, LSJ for the awesome lunch experience and the power table of some of the amazing, beautiful women in my life.

And the cute chef for the eats and special care and hospitality afforded to us all. We had a great time.

And yes, I had to go back to work after all this. Isn't life hard?