Scusa: Exclusive Chef Table Set Menu by Chef Gianluca Visciglia

It was always a pleasant day when I got a chance to revisit Intercontinental Jakarta Midplaza Hotel. Several night ago, I came for welcoming the new executive chef of Scusa, one of Intercontinental Jakarta’s best restaurant. This Italian restaurant appoints Chef Gianluca Visciglia who spent many years of his life through the culinary hierarchy and worked primarily in Italian restaurants. Before heading back to Jakarta, he was responsible for the kitchen and staff of Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa in Oman, Shangri-la Mactan Resort & Spa in Cebu and Shangri-la Boracay Resort & Spa.

Now, at Intercontinental Jakarta, Chef Gianluca has taken charge of culinary sevice for all restaurant outlets. He is focusing on revitalizing menus with a distinct emphasis on using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Well, nufsaid, let’s see how Chef Gianluca revitalize the menu at Scusa.

As usual, before starting the dinner, Scusa presented the signature walnut bread, but now in a different shape. It always be my favourite here! After that Chef Gianluca provided us with a complimentary cheese & salad.

Antipasto misto di pesce

Then, come the super unique appetizer, Mix seafood appetizers platter served in white plate with four holes to place the four appetizers which consist of fish carpaccio with rosemary, octopus terrine with citrus, tuna tartare with fennel sauce and seared scallops with orange-mustard sauce. Wanna know which one the all participants’ favourite? THE SCALLOPS! It came in a jelly-like texture with a fresh flavour of orange-mustard sauce. Really want to chewy more!

Cappuccino di castagne con praline di foie gras in crosta di pistacchi e croissant tiepido

Well, kinda amazed with this following appetizer, since Chef Gianluca made it – again – in a unique way. It’s chestnuts cappuccino pistachio crusted foie gras praline and warm croissant. The foie gras was presented with a lollipop stick, so yeah its look like a lollipop. Know how to eat it? Just dip the lolli-gras to the chestnuts cappuccino. Since I’m not into the foie gras, I just touch it a lil bit. I love the chestnuts cappuccino more by dipping the warm croissant on. 

Italian cuisine is never separated from the pasta, but hey the genius Chef Gianluca was not playing with something usual. Look at the picture below.

At first I thought it’s a real crab, but when I looked it closer, it’s spaghetti tossed with crab. Oh God, uber genius idea! Well, of course you don’t need to crack the crab, Chef Gianluca only use the crab’s shell as a garnish. The crab’s meat was already chopped and mixed with the pasta. The spaghetti was cooked al dente with crab’s flavour dominated the whole spaghetti. Simply love it.

I could say that this following main course is the star of tonight’s dinner.  It’s porcini mushroom crusted veal tenderloin apple and potato mashed, black truffle sauce and sautéed vanilla carrots. The meat was super juicy and tender with pampering creamy-flavour from the black truffle sauce and vanilla carrots. Suppa duppa love it!