By Aubrey Buckingham (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-26 10:05

The time has come once more when perfectly sensible men go absolutely ga-ga over fungi. Truffle season is back in full force, and on December 1 Mediterranean restaurant Otto is hosting a dinner featuring bubbly from GH Mumm and the tasty white tuber.

With white truffles in short supply in Italy, the price of the fungus has skyrocketed and, as a result, fetch better prices on this side of the globe. This willingness to indulge the delicacy was aptly demonstrated last week at a charity auction in Hong Kong when for the second year running, the world's most expensive truffle was snapped up by Chinese businessmen.

Guangzhou property magnate Lim Sze Lim, together with two fellow developers, forked out HK$1.63 million (US$200,000) for an Alba specimen weighing 750 grams. Single whole truffles attract the highest prices.

Once sniffed out and dug from the ground by pigs, truffle hunters now scour the woods in which they grow with dogs instead as man's best friend is less prone to chomping down on the scavenged delight.

Local fans of tuber magnatum can also splash the cash next week and treat themselves to a delicious champagne and truffle dinner. For 1,008 yuan (US$136), five courses can be enjoyed matched with Mumm sparkling wines and Geofoods truffles from Umbria.

Truffles are best when raw as they lose taste and odor when cooked, and the dishes at Otto will take full advantage of this fact. The Fumin Road restaurant will serve tuna carpaccio on aragula with Mumm de Cramant; raw beef tenderloin with poached quail egg served with a glass of Cordon Rouge; foie gras ravioli with Vintage 1998; roast veal tenderloin for main also with the 1998 Vintage and for dessert, hot chocolate cappuccino paired with Mumm Rose.

Address: 85 Fumin Road
Tel: 021-6248-9186