The whitening star

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I was stepping out of my office to grab a quick lunch when I got the call.  What am I doing for lunch?  Would I like to come to 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana for lunch?  Would I?  Is there another answer to that question?

Not wanting to keep two hungry ladies (or was it tigresses?) waiting, I placed my order over the phone, and picked up the pace as I headed to the restaurant.  This was going to be a simple affair.  While the ladies chose a multi-course lunch set and enjoyed some white truffles, I was interested in one thing only.

But I took one look and my heart sank.  The spaghetti carbonara looked very different from what I used to have here.  For starters, the color's all wrong.  Gone is the beautiful golden hue from the yolk of the Taiyoran eggs, replaced by a regular-looking whitish color.  Then the consistency also got a little more watery, instead of the thick and viscous sauce I remember.  The grease from the pancetta is clearly visible, separated from the cream.  This isn't the carbonara that I came for.

Well, at least the pasta was nicely done, with just the right amount of bite.  And the price was very affordable for a 3 Michelin star restaurant.  But on this day, I can't help thinking that the gap between this place and Spaghetti House narrowed a little...