BlackboardEats strikes again! I remember checking BBE's website a while ago and seeing that their Shiro coupon had just expired. Why had we not claimed this!?! Shiro was on my list of San Gabriel Valley area restaurants for a while now. But that's when having other foodie friends comes in handy. D found a way to "borrow" the coupon from a friend (thanks Steph!) and we were on our way.
Shiro is located on a small street in South Pasadena. A street lined with small shops and restaurants. It wasn't until stepping inside that I realized that I'd been there before. Not remembering much about my first trip, we proceeded, excited with anticipation for some yummy fusion cuisine.
1. roasted baby artichokes with parmesan - Simple and tasty. Always a fan of artichokes, the incorporation of parmesan added some complexity. Good, but not spectacular.
2. truffled ravioli filled with shitake and ricotta - These truffles had a little more "umph" than the ones we had at Andrea. The shitake and ricotta filling were a nice pairing. Probably the best dish of the night.
3. new zealand lamb chops with mint and garlic - Tender with the slight gaminess customary with lamb. The mint and garlic flavors were subtle, but came through enough to add some sophistication to the dish. Overall, it was just "OK". However, not much "fusion" about this dish.
4. whole sizzling catfish with ponzu and cilantro - Quite an impressive looking dish. The words "fried" and "catfish" typically inspire a salivary reaction. I was disappointed that this dish did not come out "sizzling". The amount of flesh yielded by a two-pound catfish was also pretty disappointing. After portioning out the fleshiest parts to our dining companions, I was left to forage through bits from the head and tails to really get a mouthful. The ponzu sauce was mediocre. The Thai version stands head and shoulders over this preparation.
5. chocolate torte souffle, coffee ice cream - The "souffle" that wasn't really a souffle. More of a flourless chocolate cake. Just "OK". But I guess this dessert made quite an impression on others as it was submitted to the LA Time's Culinary SOS.
6. profiteroles, vanilla ice cream - A step above the frozen boxed ones you get at Costco. However, not at chewy, which is a plus.
7. apple tart, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce - The best dessert of the night. The tart was flakey, vanilla was tasty and the apples provided a nice contrasting tartness. (Funny how the tart didn't add any "tartness"). Besides the truffled ravioli, the only other dish worth ordering again.
Maybe there's a reason I didn't remember my first trip to Shiro's- there isn't much that stands out. Nothing great, nothing terrible. The kitchen was very slow in getting our food out. Our party of five had the equivalent of a three course dinner which took over two hours. And we're not the type to overly savour our food or chit-chat for long stretches. Service was decent and, with the BBE coupon, prices were reasonable. Another miss for fine dining in the SGV.