Italian expletives always sound prettier to non-native ears than their English equivalents, but just because they sound nicer doesn’t make their meaning is any less vulgar.
One can equate the same logic to food: it may sound fancy on a restaurant menu or when said out loud, but that doesn’t necessarily entail good taste. In fact, we believe that the more you swear after a bite, the better the food must be. If you’re silent and your eyes wander, it can only mean one thing.
We tested our theory at Xingsheng Lu’s most recent Italian venture, Vigor. This smallish restaurant next to Bangkok Bar has all the trappings of something great: a well-decorated bar in swirly shades of gold and black; comfortable garden furniture; a young, pretty singer/guitarist belting out ballads in a noticeably apparent Yankee accent; attentive staff and a seemingly inexpensive menu with eye-catching pictures.
Our Vigor-ous journey started off with a cappuccino black truffle mushroom cream soup (RMB38), a frothy, well-blended mix. Although pleasant, it lacks seasoning, so be prepared to tap away at the salt and pepper shakers. Catalonian shrimp salad (RMB48) is a heap of mixed greens over vinaigrette dressing, with two tiger prawns perched on top.
The signature truffle and mushroom pizza (RMB68) is just satisfactory, and while it has all the makings of something solid, the crust is a tad thick, giving it a biscuit-like texture. Other options on the pizza menu might be more enticing, like fruit, seafood or chicken. Pasta also seems lackluster, and the descriptions are misleading – the stewed Italian rolled noodles with seafood and tomato (RMB58) would be more aptly named pesto pasta with shrimp (pictured above).
Mains are more satiating. The baked lamb amine and mashed potato (RMB98) delivers, with crunchy bits of potato, bread and herbs encasing the lamb chops. The fried sole fillet (RMB58) comes out golden brown, with a side of roasted vegetables and pesto jam. Extra points for presentation, although again, one doubts the difficulty of pan-frying a piece of fish.
Vigor may be beside the point at a location where creativity and independent brands are touted. But judging by the crowds and the number of times you will hear “happy birthday to you,” it seems to have figured out that some people would rather just sit silently, smile at their food, chow down and pay when asked, rather than swear like a sailor and shout from the rooftops about what a damn tasty meal they’ve just eaten.
Price: RMB120
Who’s going: Ravenous folks seeking good deals
Good for: Ostensible Italian fare
// 105 Xingsheng Lu, Tianhe District 天河区兴盛路隽峰苑105号 (3802 9199)
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