We dropped by Hamilton House last Friday for lunch, something we should have done earlier maybe. (Actually, we had headed over on Thursday but the restaurant was closed for a private wine tasting event.) So there was a decent lunch crowd – enough to make you want to enter yet not too many people to make you wonder if you’ll need to wait all day to get served – and the lunch menu seems quite a bargain, RMB 90 for 2 courses or RMB 120 for 3.

We were game to try tête de veau, unfortunately it was unavailable as the restaurant had concluded it was too much work satisfying the occasional foolhardy patron's palette is in the midst of changing to its Spring/Summer 2008 menu. We picked the Hamilton House salad, oysters and mackerel and sorbets in the end. The oysters and mackerel was delicious in spite of the wait staff’s repeated hesitation to take the order – “The portion will be very small.”, “Just to let you know, it will be served cold.”, “It may not be enough for some people, but there are also others who like it. It depends on you.” And this was what we got:

Maybe she was trying to warn us about something, albeit in a discreet way? Nevertheless, we liked it even though there was only one oyster – slippery soft goodness, at the right degree of coldness more than made up for it. For something a little more filling, one can perhaps opt for Pasta of the Day like our co-worker did.

This was our first time tasting pappardelle in lemon-infused light cream sauce and… we love it. We’ll be sure to order it next time before they take it off the menu and since it’s something as vague as Pasta of the Day, one will probably have to call to check in advance. Our pleasant set lunch came with a choice of tea or coffee though we chose to wash it down with a glass of Hamilton house white (there you have it, alcohol junkies are el cheapos). Well, can Friday afternoons get any better?

Hamilton House, 137 Fuzhou Lu, near Jiangxi Lu 福州路137号，近江西路, 6321 0586