so so sad

Last month, I invited Mother-dear to Greenbelt 5 for some chow. We really take advantage of these times when Father-dear is not around to be adventurous with our food choices. My father is not one to experiment. He'll "discover" a new restaurant, and if he likes it, he will eat there everyday for a month straight. And of course, we have to join him.

But my mother is more open to trying new things. And the best part? She pays for everything.

We ate at the very expensive Lusso, winner of this year's Gold Spot best new restaurant award.

My first gripe: This restaurant is so super un-photogenic! Yez, I'd read about the fabulous chandelier, the luxurious furniture, the white-coated waiters... but why, why is it so hard to take a picture of the place?

Anyway, we were there for the food. I decided to forgo the foie burger which had received mixed reviews. Some people say you can't taste the foie gras. Instead, we started with a salad with thinly sliced lamb.

I was not amused. The lamb was overcooked and very gamey. The roast beef version of this salad at Cibo is much, much better, and cheaper, too. Both Lusso and Cibo are owned by Margarita Fores, and one would think that the high-end edition of essentially the same dish would elevate the palate.

We ordered salmon with caviar foam.

The fish was cooked well-- a relief after that lamb. The sauce was tasty, but I felt that it needed more caviar.

And since everybody seems to love the luxe mac and cheese, we ordered that.

It was OK. That's it. Just OK.

I was extremely sad after this meal. Was there something wrong with me? Why is it that everyone was raving about this place? How come I couldn't see what was so special about it? Were my expectations too high? I was prepared to love Lusso.

Whatever. I was unfulfilled. It was a waste of money, and more importantly, a waste of calories.

To console ourselves, Mom and I went up to Pia Y Damaso for some dessert.

The rich but not too sweet Sisa's Dementia in front and the lovely light Salvi's Canonigo in the background. Both great pick-me-ups. We were energized and chipper after eating them.

These little touches make for a lovely dining experience.

Verdict: Lusso? Been there, done that. Pia Y Damaso? Still a winner. We've tried four of their desserts already, and so far, so good.

Read my previous review of Restaurante Pia Y Damaso here.