One Rochester

One Rochester is truly enchanting. From twilight, when the day slowly fades into the night, the sky turns from the palest shades of blue, to violet streaked with amber, and then to the deepest velvety indigo. Lush trees and palms gently sway and rustle in the breeze, fairy lights strung from the tree branches transport you to a magical grotto, while the musical twinkle of water in the background and flickering candles slowly lull your senses into a state of almost hypnogogic relaxation.

Dinner here with friends, to chill out and talk about important things in life. By sheer coincidence E was also at a place called Rochester - although some 15,000 km away in Minnesota, on a work trip. I opted to have the cappellini with sakuri ebi and grilled scallops in scampi oil ($28), which called out to me as soon as I flipped open the menu (it must be memories of that Iggy's dish) A great pick, very tasty and moreish, in a generous serving size. If they had used fresh sakuri ebi instead of dried, and cut down a little on the oil, it would have elevated the dish into the realm of the very special. The desserts were lacklustre (we shared a dessert platter at $20 for 4 types), which is somewhat of a shame since this place would be great for hanging out with friends over shared desserts.

Come for the ambience, which is worth the out-of-the-way location and frustrating parking, but the food is more than decent, at prices that wouldn't break the bank.

One Rochester
1 Rochester Park
www.onerochester.com