It's the season of the royal white asparagus - the spring delicacy is considered a king amongst vegetables for its refined, creamy texture and taste. With limited imported quantities every year, don't miss out on dining at these restaurants from April to May!

Senso
Senso celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and true to their authentic Italian origins, the restaurant has served white asparagus from Italy every spring since 2001.

New Executive Chef Yves Schmid is overseeing the kitchen's offerings of silky cream of white asparagus and morel mushroom with Senso Easter bread ($22) and classic insalata rossa ($24) - combining 18-month Parma ham, sun-dried tomatoes and white asparagus to enhance the balance of refined sweetness and heady Parma. Interestingly, he has also chosen to mix white asparagus with its green cousin in the dish of primavera-style carnaroli risotto ($28) and also in the classic Hollandaise style ($26). Says the chef, "It's quite common in Europe to serve both white and green asparagus in one dish. I find it more interesting this way as this allows the diners to taste the difference between both types." As for preferences, the chef professes to enjoy the green asparagus for its flavour and "crunchiness that adds a nice texture to any dish. Besides, it's easier to find good quality ones all year round."

Fans of the white and green asparagus may order from the a la carte menu, or choose from a 6- to 8-course set (from $138 to $158). The promotion continues to mid-May or until they run out of asparagus. 21 Club Street, 6224-3534.

Ristorante Bologna
From 25 May to 18 June, Marina Mandarin Singapore's venerable Italian restaurant Ristorante Bologna will be serving up eight a la carte asparagus creations from Chef Patron Carlo Marengoni. Flown in from Bassano in Italy, the large creamy spears will be presented in classic ways, such as stuffed in Parma ham with spicy mascarpone cheese ($28), and steamed with warm truffle butter sauce ($26).

Dishes are light but pay full attention to all the details. Homemade tagliolini pasta sautéed with chopped garlic, parsley, white asparagus and prawns ($26) is silky smooth as it glides into the mouth. The lobster sauce is a good complement that beefs up the flavour of the dish. Served up as cream of white asparagus with scallops and fresh thyme ($18), the natural sweetness of the scallop harmonised well with the delicate white asparagus.

Interestingly, Chef Marengoni also applies the white asparagus to dessert. The white asparagus sabayone ($20) is flavoured with grappa and served with a crunchy Italian biscotti found embedded in the frothy milky liquid.

4/F Marina Mandarin Singapore, 6 Raffles Boulevard, 6845 1111.

Gordon Grill
From Germany with love comes the sought-after local spargel - white asparagus. With spring celebrations that include asparagus festivals, Germans are serious about their "white gold". Continental steak restaurant Gordon Grill offers these juicy bundles from 1 to 31 May in a variety of styles. Executive Chef Gan Swee Lai has paired the asparagus with roasted Hokkaido scallops with black truffle vinaigrette ($26), light smoked Scottish salmon ($22), and organic egg confit with wild mushroom fricassee ($15), amongst other special a la carte items available during the month.

Far from being side dishes, the unique and complex texture and taste of white asparagus elevates it to the highlight of the meal in the hands of experienced chefs - hence for the purist, choose the blanched or sautéed asparagus served with Hollandaise or brown butter noisette ($38 for half dozen or $72 for a dozen). The asparagus would have been cooked in a special asparagus pot, where water reaches just halfway up the stalks so that the stalks cook evenly while the tender heads are simply steamed.

Gordon Grill is at Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road, 6730-1744.

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