Even though @lumbre.sg has classed their Charcoal Octopus & Ibérico Pork Belly with Chorizo Foam ($38++) as a main dish, it definitely feels like a perfect appetiser to share. The Spanish are renowned for grilled octopus, and Lumbre certainly lives up to that reputation.⠀

It’s no surprise that the grilled octopus is the leading man here, and deservedly so. The fantastically fresh octopus is grilled impeccably, singed lightly on the outside and achingly tender in the middle. Thanks to the octopus getting licked by the flames on the grill, the tastefully chewy octopus is sensually smoky, adding a deeper satisfaction to the salty flavour.⠀

The Iberico grilled pork belly was also blessed by the same flame grill, and boasts a superb smokiness in addition to its fatty, juicy and meaty magnificence. Turning the chorizo into a foam seems to have sapped most of the expected saltiness of a chorizo right out, and the foam is more spicy & smoky than anything else. Texturally, it felt like a thinner, more aerated gazpacho, which does aid the ease of application onto the octopus & pork belly.⠀

The reason why I believe the Charcoal Octopus & Ibérico Pork Belly with Chorizo Foam to be the ideal sharing appetiser is just how titillating this combination is on fresh bread. Get yourself a couple of friends, this dish, and a basket of Lumbre’s bread, and you have all the makings of a legendary starter.

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