Sparklette Magazine » Italian

Spizza – Wood-fired Italian Pizzas (Plus, ever seen a boat-shaped pizza?)

Melissa Koh — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:25:45 +0000

Spizza restaurant at East Coast Road

Spizza recently unveiled its latest outlet along East Coast Road. It is located in the bustling Katong heritage precinct where rows of shophouses offer a diverse range of cuisines.

Sporting a modern and minimalistic look, the Spizza East Coast outlet is slightly dim with a cosy vibe. The expansive full-length glass windows allow natural light to illuminate the restaurant in the day — great for people-watching too!

Cosy up in the sofa seats, or sit near the open kitchen to watch the pizza chef in action. The wood-fired pizza dough is freshly baked daily!

On each table, you will find a pot of fresh natural herbs that are associated with Italian cooking, such as thyme and oregano.

Spizza signature cooler
S$4.50++

Lychee quencher
S$4.50++

To quench your thirst, the Spizza signature cooler is concocted with fresh passion fruit and soda. This zingy and refreshing beverage really helps beat the heat.

The lychee quencher is a personal favourite, as it is a sweeter option compared to the passion fruit cooler. It even comes with a pair of large lychees!

Funghi
S$8++

For something that will warm your tummy on a cold rainy day, the cream of wild mushroom soup is a vegetarian choice that is served with a generous portion of toasted bread. The large bowl of soup is ample for two or three to share.

Portobello al forno
S$12++

For starters, the portobello al forno is highly recommended. The palm-sized portobello mushrooms are topped with bolognese sauce and taleggio cheese and baked to a golden sheen.

The minced beef drenched in the delicious sauce goes beautifully with the huge and juicy mushrooms.

Isabella in gondola
S$19++ for medium / S$23++ for large

The Isabella in gondola, a Venice-inspired boat-shaped pizza, looks inventive and alluring, but turns out slightly disappointing. The parma ham is a touch chewy for my liking. For those who love carbohydrates and prefer a dense dough, you will enjoy this. There is also a surprising element of tomato sauce and cheese within, which adds moisture and flavour to the dough.

When it comes to regular pizzas, you have a choice of 26 flavours, each one creatively named after classic Italian females. Every month, there is a “Star” pizza that consists of either a specialty dough with distinctive flavours such as spinach, squid ink and whole wheat, or unique pizza toppings. You can also customise your pizza with the large variety of toppings and olive oil-marinated spices.

Rebecca
S$18++ for medium / S$22++ for large

Rebecca is a white pizza with mozzarella, gorgonzola, cooked ham, rucola and sun-dried tomatoes. I like the fact that the pizza base is rendered crisp and thin, charred without an unpleasant burnt odour.

Ursula
S$19++ for medium / S$23++ for large

Ursula is a worthy pick; I highly recommend it to salmon lovers. The thick pieces of smoked salmon go perfectly with the blobs of creamy and smooth mascarpone cheese on a tomato-base sauce.

Those who love a good amount of greens will be delighted with the generous topping.

Gnocchi
S$17++

The gnocchi is another highlight. It is handmade with a highly appealing chewy and starchy texture. Immersed in full-flavoured gorgonzola cheese, you can choose to have it with either cooked ham or the vegetarian option of peas.

Squid ink taglierini
S$17++

Apart from pizzas, you can also customise your own pasta. Choose between dry and fresh pasta, and select a sauce to pair with your favourite type of pasta. There’s an option of “flavoured pasta of the month”, which is squid ink taglierini during our visit.

The mixed seafood tomato sauce goes perfectly well with the squid ink pasta. The tangy sauce brings a nice balance of flavour and coats the black pasta beautifully. The seafood is fresh and well-executed; the prawns are crunchy while the squid is soft and not chewy. This is probably the best dish in our meal.

Oliva E Vanilla
S$7++

To end your meal on a sweet note, check out the Oliva E Vanilla dessert, composed of a dense chocolate cake — made in-house with extra virgin olive oil — served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The taste of olive oil is subtle and the dark chocolate masks the scent nicely. This is less fattening compared to the conventional cake that is made with butter.

As for the service standards, we are pleasantly surprised to receive such professional service in a pizzeria, where the highly efficient waitstaff are donned in smart attire. Spizza makes a good dining venue for various types of gatherings. If you don’t have time to head down for a meal, there is also a delivery service that you can make use of.

Have Your Say!

Where can you enjoy the best pizza in Singapore? Share all your thoughts via Facebook or Twitter or by leaving a comment!

Spizza
- 29 Club Street, Tel: +65 6224 2525
- 217 East Coast Road, Tides #01-01, Tel: +65 6440 8300
- 271 Bukit Timah Road, Balmoral Plaza #01-09, Tel: +65 6333 8148
- 269 Jalan Kayu, Tel: +65 6481 2453
- Take away only: 22 Havelock Road #01-677, Tel: +65 6377 7773
- Take away only: 207B Pandan Loop, Tel: +65 6778 2246
- Delivery: Tel: +65 6377 7773
Website

Dine-in, take away and delivery: 12noon – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10:30 daily

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Saizeriya Ristorante E Caffe – Shockingly Cheap Japanese-Italian Food

Veron Ang — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:04:08 +0000

Saizeriya Ristorante E Caffe is one of those dining establishments that I feel a little guilty to be sharing. For one, if you are looking for great food, you probably won’t find it here. But for those days when the economic outlook isn’t looking so hot, you can have your fill here without breaking the bank. Where else in Singapore can you get a glass of red wine for $3 and a ribeye steak for $12?

The Saizeriya Italian restaurants first opened in Japan in 1967 and have since expanded to 800 branches in Japan, China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, there are 3 Saizeriya restaurants at Liang Court, City Square Mall and Bukit Timah Plaza. Perhaps due to the affordable food, the restaurants are generally quite packed and popular with teenagers. The ambience is super casual with booth seating and efficient staff that don’t hover around.

Chicken wings
S$3.90 for 4 / S$7.70 for 8

Appetisers include the likes of sausages, chicken wings, grilled potatoes and even escargots. The chicken wings are served on a hotplate. They are crispy on the outside and quite delicious.

Cheese chicken fillet
S$6.90

For main courses, take your pick from a good selection of pizzas, spaghetti dishes and more. The cheese chicken fillet tastes a little under-seasoned and is rather dull overall. Like I said, don’t expect great quality.

Squid ink spaghetti
S$5.80

One of the more interesting items on the colourful menu is definitely the squid ink spaghetti. The few tables surrounding ours had all ordered the same black mess of spaghetti. The only seafood you would find in it are a few overcooked squid rings. It’s quite hard to spot them because everything is just, well, black. And that will be the colour of your lips, teeth and tongue after this meal. Black like Medusa’s!

That glass of red in the background is the cheap wine mentioned. You get a full glass of it too.

You can add on S$3.90 to get a garden salad and free-flowing drinks — a very good deal if you ask me. Help yourself to all the hot and cold beverages you want from the self-service drinks bar, which has Pepsi, Mug root beer, Mountain Dew, H-TWO-O, lemon tea, lemon barley, coffee and tea. I hear there was even Milo at one point, although we did not see it this time round.

So if you are on a budget and wish to dine Japanese-Italian style with appetisers, mains, desserts and even wine, there’s still one place you can go. That’s Saizeriya Ristorante E Caffe!

(Also from Japan, but at the other end of the spectrum, there are fruits that cost more than S$100. We think these are the most expensive fruits in the world.)

Have Your Say!

Do you know of any other place to get shockingly cheap food in Singapore? Share all your thoughts via Facebook or Twitter or by leaving a comment!

Saizeriya Ristorante Menu

Salads

Chef salad – S$3.90
Grilled pork salad – S$5.80
Smoked salmon salad – S$5.80
Shrimp cocktail salad – S$4.90
Tuna & mushroom salad – S$5.80

Soups

Minestrone soup – S$2.40
Seafood chowder – S$3.40
Special mushroom soup – S$2.40

Focaccia

Original – S$1.90
Garlic bread – S$2.20
Garlic butter – S$2.20

Appetisers

Grilled potato – S$1.90
Lamb steak – S$5.80
Smoked salmon – S$3.90
Spinach oven grill – S$4.90
Escargots oven grill – S$5.80
Sautéed spinach & bacon – S$3.90
Black pepper smoked duck – S$4.90
Italian style scallop oven grill – S$6.20
Chicken wings – S$3.90 for 4 pieces / S$7.70 for 8 pieces
Chicken sausages – S$4.90 for 4 pieces / S$9.60 for 8 pieces
Home-made spicy sausage oven grill – S$4.90 for 4 pieces / S$9.60 for 8 pieces

Spaghetti

Seafood spaghetti – S$7.40
Squid ink spaghetti – S$5.80
Spaghetti carbonara – S$5.80
Asari clams spaghetti – S$7.40
Peperoncino spaghetti – S$3.90
Salmon cream spaghetti – S$7.40
Bacon & tomato spaghetti – S$5.80
Tuna arrabbiata spaghetti – S$5.80
Mushroom cream spaghetti – S$7.40
Spaghetti chicken bolognese – S$3.90
Peperoncino bacon spaghetti – S$5.80
Mushroom & chicken meat sauce spaghetti – S$5.80

Doria

Chicken doria – S$5.80
Seafood grain – S$6.80
Doria with shrimps – S$5.80
Chicken meat gratin – S$4.40
Doria with chicken meat sauce – S$4.40

Pizza

Beef pizza – S$7.80
Salmon pizza – S$7.80
Spicy sausage pizza – S$7.80
Double cheese pizza – S$5.80
Pineapple & bacon pizza – S$7.40

Risotto

Mixed seafood risotto – S$7.40
Mushroom & bacon risotto – S$5.80

Hamburger

Grilled pork – S$6.40
Pork & hamburger steak – S$8.90
Cheese hamburger steak – S$7.40
Mushroom hamburger steak – S$6.40

Steak

Ribeye steak – S$11.90
Cheese chicken fillet – S$6.90
Vegetable chicken fillet – S$6.90

Desserts

Tiramisu – S$4.90
Coffee jelly – S$3.90
Panna cotta – S$3.90
Chocolate cake – S$4.90
Truffle ice cream – S$4.80
Oreo cheese cake – S$4.90
Cassata ice cream – S$4.80

Saizeriya Ristorante Liang Court

Liang Court Shopping Centre
177 River Valley Road #02-22
Singapore 179030
Tel: +65 6337 9001

Opening hours: 10am – 10pm daily

Saizeriya Ristorante City Square Mall

City Square Mall
180 Kitchener Road #B2-55/56
Singapore 208539
Tel: +65 6834 4878

Opening hours: 11am – 10pm daily

Saizeriya Ristorante Bukit Timah Plaza

Bukit Timah Plaza
1 Jalan Anak Bukit #02-24C
Singapore 588996
Tel: +65 6467 9239

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Pizza Memoirs – You Will Remember the Pizzas

Melissa Koh — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:00:11 +0000

Pizza Memoirs, situated along Mohamed Sultan Road, specialises in creative pizzas with unique themes.

Under The Foundry, an open-air concept that houses four different restaurants — The Better Burger, Tiffin North Indian, Tomatillos Mexican and Pizza Memoirs — you can enjoy western, Indian, Mexican and Italian cuisines all under one roof. Its entirely alfresco seating allows you to wind down and relax after being cooped up in the office all day.

What better place to enjoy good food coupled with live telecast of football games? A nice cold beer in one hand, and a slice of pizza in the other is just the perfect way to chill out with great company.

Other than the three specialty pizzas, Pizza Memoirs offer a selection of classic pizzas (S$15, S$20 and S$35 for 9-inch, 12-inch and 21-inch respectively), pastas (S$10-15), salads and soups (S$4-10).

You cannot leave this place without trying the specialty pizzas. They only come in the regular 9-inch size, but you may request for extra toppings for an additional S$3. With such creative names — Sweet Dreams, Taboo and Nightmare — they sure pique one’s curiosity!

For those who enjoy bolder flavours, Taboo and Nightmare would suit your taste buds. But for those with a lighter palate, you would enjoy the healthier option, Sweet Dreams.

Sweet Dreams pizza
S$22

Fresh from the oven, the humble looking Sweet Dreams resembles the classic Hawaiian pizza, comprising fish bak kwa (fish jerky) and sweet pineapples on a special miso mayo sauce base, topped with caramelised onions and mozzarella.

The dough is made from scratch daily with extra virgin oil, ensuring a fragrant and firm but light pizza base. There is a good contrast between the texture and sweetness from the crunchy pineapples and the savoury fish bak kwa.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the texture of the bak kwa. Unlike the typical bak kwa, its texture is more similar to otah.

Even though Sweet Dreams is the best seller among the three pizzas, I am slightly underwhelmed, possibly due to the high expectations I had. Perhaps the simplicity of this dish is meant to showcase the restaurant’s specialty product, the fish bak kwa, without overwhelming the entire pizza with other ingredients. It is definitely still worth a try.

Taboo pizza
S$18

The Taboo pizza comprises masala curry sauce, curry chicken, red chilli, mozzarella, sprinkled with fresh coriander and drizzled with fresh yogurt. The spice-loaded fragrance is temptation in itself, and the presentation very much appeals to my visual appetite.

Upon the first bite, I enjoy the crispiness of the crust, the intensity of the flavours followed by the creaminess of the cheese. Unlike other curry flavoured pizzas I’ve tasted in the past that are pretty dry, Taboo is moist with tender slices of chicken that did not dry out during the baking process. Tamed by the fresh yogurt, the heat is just right without being overly spicy.

The thickness of the pizza base is ideal. Although indicated as a medium crust, it is thin enough that I can still fill my stomach with more. I love how the crust remains crispy despite sitting on our table for some time.

Nightmare pizza
S$20

Do not be startled by the blackness of the Nightmare pizza. It is not burnt; the colour comes from squid ink! Nightmare comprises of squid rings, red chilli, a special black pepper sauce and mozzarella over a squid ink dough, sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Every bite is a burst of exotic and delicious flavours. The squid rings are tender; for those who tend to avoid squids due to their chewy texture, this would probably ignite your love for squids. The black pepper sauce ups the oomph factor, and the fragrance from the coriander makes the pizza so appetising.

This is one well-executed dish that I strongly urge you to try. A nightmare it certainly is not!

While the seats here may not be the most comfortable, the food and ambience is definitely good enough to keep you staying here till nightfall. It is a great dining experience and I am looking forward to more intriguing pizza creations.

Have Your Say!

Where can you enjoy the best pizza in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Pizza Memoirs
The Foundry
18 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 238967
Tel: +65 6733 3102 | Website

Opening hours:
Sun – Thu 11am – 11pm
Fri & Sat 11am – 2am

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Casa Tartufo – The House of Truffles

Jasper Aston Lim — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 03:00:30 +0000

Ever since Casa Tartufo (Italian for “House of Truffles”) opened in 2010, I have wanted to try out this Italian restaurant. It promises authentic Italian flavours based on fresh produce of the finest quality — and truffles, of course.

Located at the heart of Forum The Shopping Mall, it is quite easy to miss Casa Tartufo with its boutique-like store front if you are visiting for the first time.

Once you enter, it feels as though you have been transported to an entirely different country. The classic Italian chic décor with soft chandelier lighting and characteristic wooden furniture gives the place a classy, yet homely and warm feel.

The menu here changes regularly depending on the produce and truffles available for the season, which makes Casa Tartufo great for revisits. You can also take advantage of the weekday set lunches and weekend brunch.

Delicious soft bread, along with a choice of garlic or rosemary butter, is served while we peruse the menu. Both choices go very well with the bread, which is promptly replenished by the well-mannered service staff.

House salad
S$22++

What makes the house salad special is the burrata, an Italian cheese with a solid mozzarella outer shell and a mix of mozzarella and truffle cream inside. The interesting blend of textures and artful plating help this salad stand out.

Fettuccine Carbonara
S$26++

The use of a truffle and egg yolk-mix sauce transforms the usual carbonara into a dish that is much creamier and more flavourful. A must-order for cream-based sauce lovers!

Risotto Amatriciana
S$30++

The Risotto Amatriciana, with its base of dried pork cheek, pecorino cheese and tomatoes, is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine. An interesting mix of ingredients, although I find the dish a bit too salty, probably due to the use of pancetta (Italian bacon).

Ravioli
S$28++

Packed to the brim with parmesan goodness, each mouthful of ravioli is a burst of flavour with its rich and thick mushroom and truffle sauce.

Truffle Tiramisu
S$15++

Presented in a curved martini glass, the truffle tiramisu boasts a subtle truffle flavour in its mascarpone cheese filling.

Apple Millefoglie
S$16++

Filled with a generous amount of sweet, soft apple chunks and teamed with a scoop of rich vanilla custard ice cream, the apple Millefoglie puff pastry is a great way to end your meal here.

From start to finish, dinner at Casa Tartufo has been a winner on all fronts. The service is impeccable and the ambiance, lovely. It is the perfect spot for truffle-filled Italian cuisine, and a wonderful place to enjoy candlelight dinner with that someone special.

Have Your Say!

Where are the best Italian restaurants in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Casa Tartufo
Forum Shopping Mall
583 Orchard Road #01-17
Singapore 238884
Tel: +65 6836 4647 | Website | Facebook

Opening hours:
Lunch: 11:30pm – 2:30pm daily
Dinner: 6pm – 10pm daily

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OSO Ristorante – It’s, Oh, So Good

Veron Ang — Tue, 17 May 2011 03:00:09 +0000

I have stumbled across a few reviews that waxed lyrical about OSO Ristorante, describing it as “Singapore’s Best Italian Restaurant.” While I’m not sure if I’d go that far, I have indeed recommended it to friends who were wondering where to have great Italian food in Singapore.

Presided over by the same restaurant group that runs the Baretto bar and lounge downstairs and French restaurant Absinthe next door, Oso is housed on the upper floor of a double storey colonial-style building along Bukit Pasoh Road. An easily identifiable landmark is the New Majestic Hotel opposite.

At Oso, you can dive into a range of creatively presented Italian cuisine, from pastas and risottos to seafood and meat dishes.

Spider crab meat with mixed vegetables

You enter Oso through Baretto and head up to the second floor where you are greeted by immaculately dressed waiters. The dining room exudes a classy elegance, courtesy of candlelit tables and use of brown and grey tones in the décor.

An interesting sight: Look out for someone cutting cheeses and cured meats in a little standalone room made of glass!

Bread

The complimentary bread comes in three types: French baguette, thin bread sticks and sun-dried tomato bread, accompanied by olive oil dotted with balsamic vinegar. Don’t get too carried away with the breads though; the antipasti are going to be good.

Starters

Spider crab meat
S$20++

For appetisers, seafood lovers must not miss the excellent spider crab meat. Paired with crunchy mixed vegetables, it arrives in dramatic fashion in a crab shell, sitting within a woven basket. The presentation is certainly memorable, a prelude to the beautiful plating of the dishes to come.

I love how easy it is to eat this thing. No pincers to wrestle with a la chilli crab. The crab meat is conveniently de-shelled so you can enjoy it with maximum pleasure. And what pleasure it is. Sweet, succulent and amazingly fresh, every bite brings on raptures of delight. Totally transporting.

Pan fried foie gras
S$26++

The foie gras arrives on a large white plate kissed by Marsala wine sauce and a smattering of pepper. The lavishly decadent liver is slightly crisp on the surface, velvety on the inside. You get a rather generous slab too!

Mains

Braised veal shank
S$34++

If your preferences run more to meat, the braised veal shank is a good bet. Drenched in a hearty and savoury sauce, the milk-fed veal is so melt-in-your-mouth tender that it falls off the bone easily.

Roasted cod fillet
S$34++

Not all dishes are aces though. The lightly roasted cod fillet in Balsamico sauce is teamed with rosemary potato resting on a thin layer of olive oil. For its price, the portion is minute for an overall forgettable dish.

Dessert

70% hot dark chocolate tart with milk ice cream
S$14++

A perfect closure to an evening at Oso is the sensuous and satisfying dark chocolate tart. Once you break the outer ring of tart shell, molten chocolate oozes out. Fans of lava cake would find this totally familiar. The brush stroke-like embellishment of chocolate sauce on the side adds a very nice touch of detail too.

I hear the tiramisu here is one of the lightest versions out there. If you get to try it, do let me know if it’s that good.

If you are planning to take someone out for an Italian meal, do place OSO Ristorante on your short list. The food is oh, so good, and the service is professional, somewhat formal, but not overbearing. Do make reservations in advance though; this is a hotspot amongst expatriates, and for good reason too.

Have Your Say!

What is your favourite Italian restaurant in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

OSO Ristorante
46 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore 089858
Tel: +65 6327 8378 | Website
Service:

Opening hours:
Lunch: 12noon – 2:30pm (Mon – Fri)
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sat)

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Giveaway: 4-Course Meals for Two from Hotel Re! [Ended]

Veron Ang — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:00:19 +0000

Update: Contest has ended. The winners have been announced. Find out who won.

The chic and retro-themed Hotel Re! on Pearl’s Hill has a fabulous dining deal going on. At its flagship restaurant Re!Fill, the four-course “Re!Cess” set meals are going at just S$20.80++ each. Every set comprises of an appetiser, a soup, a main course and a pretty dessert platter, with free-flowing bread, coffee and tea thrown in to boot.

Depending on which day of the week you pay the restaurant a visit, you can enjoy one of these 6 cuisines, namely oriental, Italian, Japanese, western, Thai and Nonya.

Read the review of the Hotel Re! set meals.
Here’s the set meal menu.

Set Meals Giveaway!

This week, I am partnering Hotel Re! to give away 3 pairs of the “Re!Cess” set lunch/dinner for dining in at Re!Fill restaurant. That’s right, the prize is for a pair worth S$41.60++. Here’s how you can win:

Temptation Delight dessert platter from set meal

This contest is only open to members of the Sparklette and Hotel Re! Facebook pages. So if you haven’t, “Like” both pages now. (Yes, just click the Like button!)
Leave a comment here using your Facebook name and a valid email address, along with the answer to this question:
- Out of the 6 cuisines available for the Re!Cess set meal, what is your pick?

Giveaway Details

This giveaway ends on March 21, 2011 (2359 hours Singapore time).
The 3 winners will be randomly selected by an SQL query.
Please leave a valid email address when filling out the comment form so that we can contact you if you’ve won.
Please only comment once.
Please note that all comments are moderated. Hence your comment may not show up right away.
Please also note that comments that do not follow the instructions on how to participate (mentioned above) may not be published, or may be removed later on.
The winners will be announced in a separate post and you are advised to subscribe to Sparklette (Email, RSS, Facebook, Twitter or iPhone) so that you can be quickly notified when the announcement post has been published.

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Hotel Re! – Indulge in Your Favourite Cuisine at Re!Fill Restaurant

Veron Ang — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 07:35:46 +0000

Hotel Re! occupies the unique location on Pearl’s Hill formerly inhabited by a primary school. Boasting a retro theme, the refurbished boutique hotel offers a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of urban life. If having a meal in a serene environment sounds good, you would want to check out the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Re!Fill, which presents a number of diverse dining choices. Oh, did I mention there’s free parking too?

One huge draw is the four-course “Re!Cess” set meal (guess how the name came about) available daily through lunch and dinner. The price is a comparative bargain at $20.80++. Not bad considering it buys you an appetiser, a soup, a main and a dessert platter, plus free-flowing bread, coffee and tea.

The theme rotates daily. From Mondays to Fridays, the cuisines served are oriental, Italian, Japanese, western and Thai respectively; Nonya sets are served on weekends. All sets include two options for main courses. Here’s the menu.

Oriental Set

In the case of the oriental set, your journey commences with egg Foo Yong, taro fritter, seasoned baby octopus and sweet potato, arranged neatly on a rectangular plate.

Egg Foo Yong, taro fritter, seasoned baby octopus and sweet potato
Rating:

The egg Foo Yong in particular has a distinct home-cooked flavour that reminds me fondly of mom’s cooking. This is followed by the soup.

Braised shark’s fin soup with crab meat
Rating:

With swirls of crab meat and mushroom shreds in a golden broth, the braised shark’s fin soup is a surprise find, certainly not something I would expect in a $20.80 four-course meal. Since shark fin by itself is flavourless, I do wonder if there’s actual shark meat in it. While I would never order shark fin on my own and don’t want to encourage anyone to do so, I do enjoy the delicate flavour and texture of this one.

Wok-fried duck breast with olive vegetable
Rating:

For the main course, you may have either the salted egg prawn or the wok-fried duck breast as seen here. The duck breast is cut into thin, succulent slices. Both choices are embellished with sautéed asparagus and served with palate-pleasing garlic fried rice.

Temptation Delight
Rating:

Now comes the best part — desserts. Escorted to the table on a platter drizzled with chocolate syrup, the Temptation Delight comprises strawberry ice cream, a shot of tiramisu, a cream puff, and a delightfully decadent mini brownie.

Western Set

If you’d prefer to go the western route, you may try either the Italian set or the western set.

Smoked salmon Caesar salad
Rating:

The Caesar salad comes with lettuce, strips of smoked salmon, hard boiled egg, croutons and a smattering of bacon bits. It is salty, creamy and has a tangy bite to it. I wish there were more of those crunchy croutons instead of just the sprinkling amount.

Crab bisque scented with chervil
Rating:

Apart from the salad, the savoury pool of crab bisque would also perk up your appetite.

Crayfish and crab meat thermidor
Rating:

For the main course, you have a choice between poultry or seafood — barbecued spring chicken or crayfish and crab meat thermidor. Both are served with corn on the cob and potato wedges.

Nuzzling in creamy cheese are shreds of crab meat and generous chunks of crayfish. The plating would have looked better if the crayfish shell was included in the dish, like the way lobster thermidor or prawn thermidor is done. That being said, it is apparent that the chef has taken care to add a dash of colours using the tomato, corn and salad.

And finally, there’s the dessert platter and free-flowing coffee and tea to put a sweet ending to the meal.

Apart from the oriental and western sets, there are three other cuisines available such as Italian, Japanese and Muslim. If you fancy a satisfying meal inclusive of appetisers, soups, mains and desserts at a price that is super friendly on your wallet, then you definitely do not want to miss the Re!Cess set meals at Hotel Re!.

Sparklette Giveaway!

I am giving away 3 free pairs of the Re!Cess set meals. You can enter the contest here.

Have Your Say!

Aside from Hotel Re!, do you know of any other place where we can enjoy a four-course meal at an affordable price? Tell us in the comments!

Re!Fill
Hotel Re! @ Pearl’s Hill
175A Chin Swee Road
Singapore 169879
Tel: +65 6827 8226 | Website | Menu
Service:

Available daily from 11am – 10pm

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Christmas Dining 2010: Celebrate Christmas at COVA Pasticceria, Italian Style!

Veron Ang — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:05:59 +0000

Since its establishment in 1817, the COVA confectioneries and pastries have stood the test of time for more than 190 years.

This Christmas, you can enjoy a very Italian Christmas with your loved ones at COVA Pasticceria. The elegant café at Paragon, Orchard Road has made available for order an array of Christmas goodies including festive cakes, gourmet gifts and hampers.

If you are looking for holiday gifts for your family, friends and business associates, this would be a good place to start.

Christmas cakes

These beautiful Christmas-themed cakes would grab anyone’s attention. Check out the Santa Claus Panettone, a unique creation featuring jolly old Saint Nicholas himself.

Santa Claus Panettone
S$78 for 500g
S$138 for 1 kg

Much attention to detail is paid to this work of art, complete with the gold buckled belt and button, and even snow on his soles! The Panettone is air-flown to Singapore from Milan, where it is handmade with butter, dried raisins and candied orange peel. Due to its complex design, a 2 day advance order is required.

Chocolate & cherries log cake
S$48 for 1 kg

When it comes to Christmas cakes, the traditional log cake never goes out of style. The COVA log cake is made with Italian chocolate and pitted cherries.

Santa car
S$58 for 1 kg

Debuting this season is the Santa car cake, made with chocolate sponge, butterscotch and gianduja cream. The design is inspired by Santa’s sleigh.

Christmas gourmet gifts

You can also choose from handcrafted sweets, chocolates and confectionery items such as Pralines, Gianduiotti, Marron Glacees (candied chestnuts), Milanese cookies and the COVA Christmas Tea (a blend of Chinese black winter tea, red safflowers, rum, vanilla and spices such as star anise and cloves).

Gianduiotti (hazelnut milk chocolate)

The Gianduiotti (hazelnut milk chocolate), handmade in Milan with milk chocolate and hazelnuts, is packaged in a dazzling gold box.

Christmas hampers

For something luxurious, a selection of Christmas hampers is available in various sizes.

Il Natale in Scatola (Christmas in a box)
S$128

The Il Natale in Scatola (Christmas in a box) comes in a beautiful cube box adorned with ribbons and wrapper, packed with these goodies:

- Panettone
- Gianduiotti gold box
- Assorted cookies
- Sugar Bon Bons
- Chocolate-covered Torroncini

Natale Stellare (Christmas star)
S$188

The Natale Stellare (Christmas star) is presented in a basket with the following:

- Panettone
- Gianduiotti gold box
- Assorted cookies
- Moka / Espresso coffee tin
- Jams
- Sugar Bon Bons
- Chocolate-covered Torroncini
- Christmas fruitcake

Have Your Say!

Have you begun your Christmas shopping this year? What gifts do you usually purchase? Share with us in the comments!

COVA Pasticceria
Paragon
290 Orchard Road #01-20A
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6733 0777 | Website

Opening hours: 9am – 9:30pm daily

Last order date is January 1, 2011.

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COVA Pasticceria – Mooncakes, Italian Style

Veron Ang — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:00:01 +0000

The mooncake may be a traditional Chinese pastry. But these days, western cafés and bakeries also impress with their dazzling mooncake creations. COVA Pasticceria is one of them.

Established in Milan circa 1817, COVA arrived at our sunny shores in 2008, bringing along its coffee, pastry and chocolate specialties. This Mid-Autumn Festival, the open concept café at Paragon has brought back its popular Torta Della Luna (literally ‘cake of the moon’ in Italian) collection.

These Italian-style snowskin mooncakes are available in four flavours (below, clockwise from top centre):

- Peanut and chocolate
- Sweet potato and pumpkin (new in 2010)
- Rose and vanilla
- Mocha (new in 2010)

Torta Della Luna collection
S$38.50+ for a box of 4 (S$34+ each when you buy 3 boxes or more)
Rating:

All four mooncakes have a velvety snowskin with the same lovely patterns, topped with a slice of delicious milk chocolate. My favourite is no doubt the peanut and chocolate.

What is it about peanut and chocolate in the same sentence that spells awesomeness? The moment I saw this flavour I knew I was in trouble. This mooncake comprises chocolate sponge cake with a chocolate feuillentine (chocolate cream mixed with cereal) layer and a peanut butter cream layer. The addition of chopped peanuts gives a nice crunchy texture that literally makes me go nuts!

The newcomer mocha snowskin mooncake is made with COVA’s very own premium coffee and chocolate. As a coffee fanatic myself, I love, love, love this harmonious combination.

If you prefer strong flavours, you may find the new sweet potato and pumpkin mooncake a tad mild for your palate.

Another flavour that has returned this year is the pink rose and vanilla. Encased within the rose-scented snowskin is light vanilla sponge cake layered with chocolate and pastry cream. Pair this with rose tea and you’re all set!

The packaging is simple but elegant, with bright red ribbons and the logo in gold.

Mooncake Festival Hamper

Credit: COVA Pasticceria

Mooncake Festival Hamper
S$98

If you are planning to pamper someone this Mid-Autumn Festival, the Mooncake Festival Hamper may fit the bill. This special package is filled with the mooncakes, the signature Gianduotti chocolates, freshly baked butter cookies and a tin of premium COVA tea leaves. Just the stuff to show someone you care!

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What do you think of mooncake creations with a western twist? Have you tasted any other western mooncake? What would you recommend? Share with us in the comments!

COVA Pasticceria
Paragon
290 Orchard Road #01-20A
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6733 0777 | Website

Opening hours: 9am – 9:30pm daily

Last order date is September 20, 2010.

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Borgata Trattoria Osteria – Italian Dining at the Quay

Veron Ang — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:00:50 +0000

Clarke Quay is one of the first choices for party animals when it comes to a night out in Singapore. But let’s face it, when you want good food at affordable prices, the place is nobody’s first choice. Or so I thought.

The Italian restaurant, Borgata Trattoria Osteria, at The Cannery, offers decent food at decent prices. Take your pick from the menu which offers familiar Italian favourites such as pizzas and pastas, as well as a selection of main courses.

Alfresco seating allows for people-watching along the river, or you can sink into the cushy indoor seats, too.

Portobello
S$16++
Rating:

Our choice for the starter is the Portobello which, as an ingredient, never seems to go wrong. Stuffed with vegetables and ladled over with cheese sauce, juices ooze out as you bite into the succulent mushroom. And that’s not even the best part. The sauce is a winner — rich, creamy and delicious with mushroom bits. Oh, Mama Mia!

Borgata
S$22++
Rating:

As for the pizzas, there are classics like the Margherita (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil) and the namesake pizza that comes with a United Colours of Benetton mix of toppings (mozzarella, ham, capsicum, Porcini and Parmesan cheese). The pizza is excellent, with a thin crust so crispy that you will have no problem finishing everything up — all 8 slices of them!

You may wanna go easy on the red chilli pepper flakes though. They are flaming hot! Just a few specks are sufficient to make you wanna reach for that sparkling San Pellegrino. I kid you not!

Fusilli Porcini Gamberi Con Salsa Alla Zucca (sampling portion)
S$20++
Rating:

The fusilli with prawns and Porcini mushroom usually comes in pumpkin sauce, but the chef would be happy to switch it to tomato sauce if you prefer. The sauce is a tad tangy for me, although the sweetness of the plump prawns (neatly sliced along the sides so that the shells come off easily) helps to alleviate the tartness.

Tiramisu and profiterole (sampling portions)
S$9++ for each
Rating:

Do save some room for desserts. What kind of an Italian meal would this be without Tiramisu? The cake here is so light and airy, it practically melts in the mouth!

The profiterole is a delightful pastry puff, with chocolate coating on top and creamy milk chocolate at the centre.

Lava cake
S$9++
Rating:

The chocolate lava cake arrives in dramatic fashion. It is served in a ramekin, one of those porcelain cups used for baking. The staff would pour rum on top of it, then set it on fire. How’s that for a wow factor? Apart from the flaming drinks like Lamborghini and Waterfall, and the seafood platter at the Manhattan Fish Market, can you think of any more flaming drinks and dishes?

Unlike the regular chocolate fondant where only the core is filled with molten chocolate, the entire top half of the cake is gooey chocolate goodness! The portion is really ample, too. Throw in a cappuccino and I’m done!

Have Your Say!

What are the other restaurants worth checking out at Clarke Quay? Share with us in the comments!

Borgata Trattoria Osteria
Clarke Quay
Blk 3C River Valley Road, The Cannery #01-02
Singapore 179022
Tel: +65 6305 6723
Service:

Opening hours:
Mon, Tue & Thu: 6pm – 11pm
Wed, Fri & Sat: 6pm – 1am
(Closed on Sun)

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Forlino – Dining with a Scenic Waterfront View

Veron Ang — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:18:13 +0000

If you’re looking for a restaurant to celebrate an anniversary or Valentine’s Day, Forlino at One Fullerton is just the place for you.

Picture this: The two of you are enjoying a wonderful dinner. The panoramic view of the illuminated skyline, the Singapore Flyer and the Marina Bay Sands integrated casino resort are spread out before your eyes. Soft ambient music plays in the background while you and your sweetheart sip on red wine into the night. Picture perfect?

This is why we feel Forlino is one of the most romantic places to dine in Singapore.

Credit

Designed by JP Concept, the same interior design firm behind eateries like il Lido and Claypot Fun, the decor here is done in the quaint Victorian style. Walls in baby blue with gold rims line the corridor leading up to the dining area.

Credit

Floor-to-ceiling glass panels offer a stunning view of the surrounding Marina Bay and Esplanade area, undoubtedly Singapore’s most photographed skyline.

Valentine’s Day Dinner

Check out their Valentine’s Day dinner promotion for 2010.

Valentine’s Day dinner
S$128++ a person
February 12 – 14, 2010
2 seatings: 6pm – 8:15pm; 8:30pm onwards

View menu

The Valentine’s Day dinner comprises 6 courses, including a choice of main course. We food-taste all the dishes and here’s the scoop on what you can expect.

Focaccia

The Italian flat bread Focaccia is first served, lightly salted and brushed with olive oil.

Amuse-bouche (Scallop carpaccio)
Rating:

The Amuse Bouche (love the way it’s pronounced!) is a dish of razor-thin slices of scallop soaked in a tangy and salty sauce, topped with Osetra caviar and a hot pink berry sauce on the side. This one really wakes up your taste buds for more to come.

Jumbo crab salad
Rating:

One of my favourite items on the menu is the Jumbo crab salad. Shreds of succulent crab meat sit on a bed of rocket leaves with cantaloupe sauce around. It should easily become a crowd favourite.

If you love crab meat, you can check out another restaurant’s take on the Alaskan King Crab in the form of Chinese Yu Sheng.

Beetroot cake with Robiola cheese fondue
Rating:

What follows next is beetroot cake. Our first thought is, oh how cute! The texture is dense and rich, thicker than mousse. Nice colour, too. The little yellow flower on top provides the icing on the cake. This is one of the few edible flowers around. Does anyone know what is the name of this flower?

Interestingly, the moat of Robiola cheese fondue is made from the milk of three animals: sheep, goat and cow.

To be frank, this is rather heavy on the palates and I’m surprised it is served so early in the meal, especially with a pasta following right after.

Squid ink tagliolini
Rating:

I am most looking forward to the squid ink pasta, which is perhaps the most novel item on the menu. Squid ink gives me a little high. Whether it is pasta or pizza, squid ink lends it that unusual look and actually tastes good at the same time, even if it makes your mouth as black as Tia Dalma‘s from Pirates of the Caribbean.

The squid ink pasta here is served with tagliolini (made in-house) with sea urchin sauce and the sweetest cherry tomatoes. Praba, the assistant manager, explains that the squid ink is added while the pasta is being made rather than after. This way, the ink does not stain the teeth, and you will still look attractive to your valentine. The downside is that the natural seafood flavour is somewhat diminished.

Black cod fillet with asparagus and Sicilian Blood Orange sauce
Rating:

For the main course, you get to choose between fish or beef. The fish comes in the form of a chunky black cod fillet, served with asparagus and Sicilian Blood Orange sauce. The sauce is light, almost foamy, with a sweet and mellow taste to it.

Angus Prime beef tenderloin with goose liver
Rating:

The other option is the Angus Prime beef tenderloin. This comes with goose liver on the side, and a wonderfully sweet and rich red Port Wine sauce. Personally I feel it is quite a waste to serve this dish to someone like myself as I can appreciate neither good beef nor foie gras. I really like the sauce though.

Strawberry & yogurt mousse with peppermint chocolate sauce
Rating:

Mamma Mia! Look at that! The strawberry and yogurt mousse dessert is the highlight of the meal. Every part of it is meticulously done up to look gorgeous. And there’s that edible flower again. What’s its name?

Scattered around are little pink and chocolate candies that taste like Nerds candy. The two intersecting hearts perfectly sum up what the night is about. Of course, we spend about ten minutes oohing and ahhing over it before wolfing it down, nerds and flower and all.

Coffee & petit four
Rating:

To round up the sumptuous and very filling meal, coffee and petit fours are served.

Have Your Say!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

What is your ideal way of spending Valentine’s Day? Share your romantic ideas in the comments section!

(Hint: If you’re celebrating Chinese New Year, you may wish to check out the festive dishes at the seafood restaurant, also at One Fullerton.)

Forlino
One Fullerton
1 Fullerton Road #02-06
Singapore 049213
Tel: +65 6877 6995 | Website | Regular menu | Valentine’s Day menu
Service:

Bus services: 10, 57, 70, 75, 97, 100, 107, 10E, 128, 130, 131, 162, 167, 196, 700, 97E, NR2, NR5, NR7, NR8, 196E
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place

Opening hours: 12noon – 2.30pm, 6:30pm – 10pm daily

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Sapore Italiano – Welcome to Gourmet Paradise

Veron Ang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:25:02 +0000

Sapore Italiano has opened on our island with style. Whether it’s espresso coffee in the morning, a pizza for lunch, or a nice after-work aperitivo (with a free buffet spread!), you can enjoy gourmet food all day long at the Raffles City Shopping Centre caffé-bar. Welcome to gourmet paradise!

Update on November 15, 2010: Sapore Italiano has moved to the National University Of Singapore along Bukit Timah Road.

With over 20 outlets worldwide, their goal is to spread Italian culture and provide diners with a true Italian experience. There are specially imported Italian beverages and authentic Italian food. Many of the staff are Italian. Even the flat-screen TV screens show Serie A football!

A meal here comprising various gourmet food reveals that this is so much more than just a bar.

Pizza

Order pizza! That is my first advice to any customer here. You can’t go wrong with the house specialty of Pizza SI SI, which is the squid ink pizza.

Pizza SI SI
S$22++

I’ve had black pasta before. As for black pizza, that’s definitely a first.

The pizza is smothered in a succulent tomato gravy with a good spread of seafood such as octopus, squid and prawn. The marvellous seafood flavour that fills the mouth bite after bite easily makes this the most enjoyable pizza I’ve ever had. Mmm… And that’s not all.

Check out how thin the crust is! Minimal carbs! Yes, you can indulge in this pizza without taking a guilt trip or ditching that Atkins diet.

Pasta

Tagliatelle Dello Chef
S$19++

The chef’s special pasta of tagliatelle with a mild-flavoured sauce comes with slices of chicken breast meat. The accompanying cheese wafer is crispy and delightful, and adds much taste to the dish.

Soup

Asparagus soup
S$12++

The chilly days ahead are the perfect occasion to warm up to some cream soup. The zuppa di asparagi is good comfort food. Instead of the usual bowl, it’s served in a tall glass! While the texture is mostly creamy smooth, some small chunks of asparagus remain intact, providing that characteristically tender chewiness.

Next, we sample the house brand coffee and specially imported cocoa, as well as the designer gelati.

Coffee

“Your cappuccino with one litre of milk and a bit of coffee — this is not cappuccino, it’s café latte,” says founder Pietro Mazza.

Well, I have to agree. I can’t really tell the difference between the cappuccino and café latte we get at most coffee chains. Can you?

Here, coffee addicts enjoy a wide range of fresh coffee from the house brand.

Marocchino
S$6++

The marocchino, not available elsewhere in Singapore, comes in a delicate glass cup. This is basically a shot of espresso coffee garnished with frothed milk and a light sprinkle of cocoa powder on top. The fresh coffee aroma certainly makes this a nice morning pick-me-up!

Gourmet Chocolate

For cocoa connoisseurs, a wide range of gourmet chocolate beverages from the Italian gourmet chocolate brand Cioccoliamo is available.

Gourmet chocolate
S$7-9++

There, cocoa in a cup! These come in 12 exquisite flavours including White Chocolate, Gianduja Chocolate and even Chocolate with Chili Pepper!

Gelati

Aside from the pizza, what I find most impressive on the menu is definitely the gelati that are made in-house. It’s not only the common gelato scoops that you can get here, but entire sculptures of culinary arts! Adorned with fruit slices or rocher, these look more like elaborate floral displays!

Chock-full with low-fat gelato and assorted fruits like kiwi, orange and strawberry, this is certainly more healthful than your typical ice cream dessert. Perfect for sharing with someone close!

Coppa Della Casa
S$20++

If you look closely, the pink gelato in this bowl of colourful delights has been shaped to resemble spaghetti. It reminds me of the spaghetti with meatball ice cream at Icekimo!

For more gelato art, check out these restaurant menu designs:

If we aren’t already stuffed, we would have gone for the Coppa Rocher, too. Filled with Rocher candies, it is every chocolate lover’s dream!

Aren’t these awesome? Every one of these gelato sundaes is so huge and impressive!

Abbondio soda drinks

Have you ever seen these cool soda drinks? They are from the Abbondio Vintage range, with soda labels featuring beautiful pin-up girls.

Colourful! And totally appealing to at least half the population in the world.

Aperitivo

One huge draw of Sapore Italiano is the free buffet spread of appetisers and finger food at Happy Hour (6-8pm daily). Feast on mini pizza, raviolis and fruit cocktails for free with any purchase of an alcoholic drink.

Now you know where to go for an authentic Italian experience!

Sapore Italiano
National University Of Singapore (NUS)
Li Ka Shing Building
469B Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 259771
Service:

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Pasta Inc – A Taste of Italy

Veron Ang — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:33:57 +0000

I’m going to try not to use words like “whoopee!” and “yowza!” to describe how I feel after a sumptuous meal of gourmet food at Pasta Inc. Let’s just say that if you’re ever having a craving for gourmet pasta, this is one Italian restaurant that is definitely worth checking out.

The restaurant takes up a spot along Keong Saik Road. It is run by chef-owner Keith, a boyish-looking entrepreneur who worked at other restaurants for many years before striking out on his own.

The vast experience has certainly provided him with a firm grasp of the cuisine. Our meal here comprises of well-executed Italian gourmet food, including the exquisite squid ink pasta, that do not disappoint.

Portobello mushroom
S$12.90++
Rating:

We start with Portobello Al Forno, a large-sized baked mushroom that is topped with mixed cheese and a dash of tomato sauce. It is very fresh, oozing juices and flavour with every bite. Oh, they also serve bread with olive oil before each meal.

Crayfish pasta in tomato based sauce (Cartoccio style)
S$21.90++
Rating:

As a huge fan of crayfish, or seafood in general, I must give a thumbs-up to the crayfish pasta. It is done al cartoccio, a technique of cooking gourmet pasta that involves wrapping it in paper and baking it. Not only does the end product look mighty impressive, there is also that sense of anticipation as you watch the waiter carefully unwrap it before your eyes.

The tomato based sauce is dreamy, with none of the tartness you get from inferior sauces that come in a jar. The baking also helps lock in the moisture and flavours, resulting in a pasta that is succulent and delicious. I am most delighted at the generous serving of crayfish. There is not one, not even two, but altogether three crayfish halves! Magnifico!

Fresh assorted seafood pasta in squid ink based sauce
S$18.90++
Rating:

Your experience here is not complete until you have tasted the house speciality — squid ink pasta. This dark and mysterious dish is served chock-full with clams and prawns, and topped with a mussel, all of which help lend extra seafood flavour. That said, the most appealing (or perhaps unappealing to some) quality of this pasta has to be its dramatic appearance.

Black as sin itself, the squid ink sauce is surprisingly pleasant and mild, with none of the pungency that I had prepared myself for. It is cooked al dente with a hint of tomato flavouring. A must-try for squid ink fans, as well as the people who are curious about squid ink but have yet to muster enough courage to taste it.

Tiramisù
S$8.90++

I always feel that the mark of a good Italian restaurant can be measured not only by the pastas, but the tiramisù as well. Perhaps the most famous Italian cake, a trip to an Italian restaurant or café should always end with this dessert. Here, new batches of tiramisù are freshly made in-house everyday.

My verdict? It is one of the lightest versions I have ever had. The intersecting layers of creamy mascarpone cheese and airy sponge cake are so light and smooth, the cake seemingly melts in the mouth. This is a stellar example of the Italian dessert.

Creme brulee
S$9.90++

There is also the creme brulee that is off the menu for now, but I reckon it wouldn’t stay that way for long. The crack of the hard, burnt caramel top layer releases the wonderful aromas of the rich custard base. It is silky and creamy without being too heavy and sweet. I love it!

Aside from the food, one thing that I must commend about Pasta Inc is the excellent service. Our waiter is dedicated and furnishes useful information about the dishes. He also offers to split our pastas into smaller portions for sharing. I find such attentiveness and product knowledge a rarity in Singapore restaurants.

A promotion for Sparklette readers!

I have worked out an agreement with Pasta Inc for all Sparklette readers. If you are visiting the restaurant, look for Keith and let him know that Veron recommended you. This way, you get your second pasta at half the price! I am not benefiting from this, but I know a promotion like this definitely sweetens the deal for many of us that would like to try out good gourmet pasta at friendly prices.

Pasta Inc
35 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089142
Tel: +65 6297 7515 | Website
Service:

Opening hours: 12-2pm, 6-10pm

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Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry – Decadent Desserts

Veron Ang — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:57:08 +0000

Here’s one dessert that I love most in the world — chocolate lava cake. Not even a bellyful of pork ribs and buffalo wings can keep me from wanting it once the craving kicks in!

It just so happens that we were in the vicinity of Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry, a deli that serves home style Italian food and, more importantly, a superb selection of desserts. It’s the perfect place for some sweet delights, with a view of the Singapore river to boot!

Soffiato
S$8.90++
Rating:

Everyday the pastries are freshly baked by the in-house chef. Soffiato is the name of their chocolate lava cake. Sprinkled with icing sugar and decorated with chocolate syrup, the warm cake is served with a scoop of vanilla gelato.

Update: On another trip to Ricciotti, we ordered the Soffiato again. This time round, they served cookies and cream gelato. It seems that the gelato flavour isn’t fixed.

With a long spoon, I push through the thick wall of cake into the moist centre, expecting to unleash a flood of molten dark chocolate. While most of it has been absorbed by the cake, you can still taste most of the warm, rich chocolate. Simply satisfying! We recommend popping by the deli early in the day when the confectionery is fresh out of the oven.

Morbida
S$7.80++
Rating:

Chocolate mousse takes the #2 spot on my dessert chart. It seems that not many places have it, so I’m delighted to see it on Ricciotti’s dessert menu in the form of the Morbida!

This is a chocoholic’s dream come true. Scraping the mound from top to bottom in layers reveals the rich and silky smooth mousse. Yum!

And that’s not even the best part.

Isn’t the Morbida just one spectacular dessert?

Nearing the centre of the sponge cake, that’s when luscious liquid chocolate starts oozing out! Now THAT is a surprise!

There are even little pieces of hard chocolate scattered within the sticky chocolate goo. So you get chocolate in various textures and forms all in one pastry! Wow!

Latte
S$5.80++
Rating:

Of course, we have to wash down all that sinful but oh-so-good chocolate with water and coffee. Mmm… I like the latte. Creamy, velvety and not too milky. Throw in some coffee art and it’d be perfect!

Alternatively, you can have your pick from the well-stocked timber shelves of wines. Doesn’t the colour scheme of dark brown and white enhance the mood of enjoying the chocolate bliss?

Don’t forget you can also buy the desserts as take-outs. Share them with your family! (there’s an outlet at China square, too.)

Addiction cures, however, are not included.

Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
The Riverwalk
20 Upper Circular Road #B1-49/50
Singapore 058416
Tel: +65 6533 9060
Service:
www.ricciotti.com.sg

Bus services: 51, 61, 63, 80, 124, 145, 166, 174, 197, 851, 961, 961C
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay

Opening hours: 10am – 11pm daily

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Ambush – Fuss-free and Good Italian Food

Veron Ang — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:53:45 +0000

One of my favourite places for pasta is Ambush. It is tucked within the gourmet section of the Takashimaya basement food court. Not only are the pastas affordable, they are super yummy too. In particular the seafood dishes, which I have a soft spot for.

I like to call this the Japanese pasta place because the menu consists of several Japanese-inspired dishes. Dining here is pretty much fuss-free. You queue up to make your order while the waitstaff find you a table. There is no service charge.

Clam chowder
S$3+
Rating:

The clam chowder is pretty bland although the taste of the clams do come through.

Seafood Paella
S$10.80+
Rating:

The baked seafood risotto fares slightly better. They call it the seafood paella because it is served in a paella (large, shallow frying pan), although it should not be confused with the Spanish rice dish that goes by the same name. This arrives with juicy prawns, mussels and squid.

Slipper lobster spaghetti in Arrabiata sauce
S$13.80+
Rating:

Being a big fan of crayfish pasta, I find the slipper lobster spaghetti in Arrabiata sauce! It is perfect, and comes with a generous amount of crayfish! Look!

I don’t think I have ever had that much crayfish in a single dish before! For almost the same price, I certainly get much less for the crayfish pasta at the Pastamania restaurants! To top it all, the shellfish flesh is extremely tender.

I slurped down every last bit of the delicious arrabiata (spicy tomato sauce) sauce almost without looking up once. Hahaha I had no complaints!

Swedish meat ball linguini in Marinara
S$6.80+
Rating:

The Swedish meat ball linguini in Marinara (tomato sauce) reminds me of the popular meat ball dish from IKEA, as well as the spaghetti ice cream from Icekimo.

The Marinara sauce tastes almost exactly like the arrabiata sauce, just without the spice.

Ahhh… Can’t wait to have more of that crayfish goodness! There are many more dishes that seem interesting too, such as the cod fish in Rustico sauce, wild salmon fillet in Thai basil sauce, and queen scallop in wasabi mayonnaise. Whoa, yumminess overload!

Ambush
Takashimaya Shopping Centre
391A Orchard Road
Ngee Ann City Tower A #B204-2-1
Singapore 238873
Tel: +65 6735 9311 | Website

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http://sparklette.net/food/ambush/ | 22 comments

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Da Paolo at Rochester Park – Bar & Bites

Veron Ang — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:52:35 +0000

Having had such a wonderful and memorable Christmas dining experience at graze, I returned there on a different occasion barely a couple weeks later. Unfortunately it doesn’t open for lunch so Da Paolo, its adjacent neighbour at Rochester Park, played host to us instead.

Comparing Rochester Park in daytime and night time, there is a stark contrast. In the day, this place seems almost lifeless with few customers even during lunch hours. The alfresco dining areas at graze and Da Paolo are not even open, with chairs flipped over and tables blanketed with canvas. My advice is to visit Rochester Park only at night, because that’s when it becomes much sexier and livelier.

But for now, let’s just take a look at Da Paolo Bistro Bar.

This isn’t the first Da Paolo restaurant. It has a few other branches including Club Street and Holland Village. But the Rochester Park branch definitely has the winning design. Like the other restaurants at Rochester Park, it is housed in a restored colonial bungalow. The courtyard has been converted into a charming alfresco dining area, and the old swimming pool is now an outdoor bar!

Besides the huge expanse of space dedicated to outdoor dining, the bungalow itself offers indoor dining with its own bar so that people may wine and dine in comfort.

Bruschetta con Melanzane e Acciughe
(Braised eggplant, garlic and anchovies on grilled bread)
S$10++
Rating:

We had a few appetisers, with this bruschetta con melanzane e acciughe being the most interesting one. The bread had been grilled just right and the eggplant, garlic and anchovies combined to form a nice topping.

Melanzane alla Parmigiano
(Eggplant layered with mozzarella, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and basil)
S$14++
Rating:

Okay I’m pretty sure I got the name of this dish wrong, but it looked and tasted pretty much like lasagna. It was very flavourful and rich in cheese.

Calamari
S$17++
Rating:

As for the fried calamari rings, I feel that it is a staple dish in all Western meals. This particular one was unfortunately too chewy and rubbery in texture. And to add salt to the wound, the miserly portion of calamari cost a hefty $17! It was more expensive than most of the main courses in the menu! What’s up with that, da paolo? Were those famous squids or something?

Lasagne alla Bolognese
S$15++
Rating:

The main course I ordered was the lasagna bolognese. This is one of those dishes that can’t go wrong. (no wonder it’s garfield’s favourite food!) but because of the generous amount of mozzarella cheese, I felt full pretty quickly. And yes, I know it’s minced beef and all and I’m no longer eating beef. But I couldn’t find any vegetarian, chicken or seafood dish that I liked on the menu. This is the first time I had eaten beef in a year, or perhaps even longer.

Tuna Spaghetti (fish of the day)
S$?++
Rating:

The fish dish of the day was tuna spaghetti. Now, I’m extremely picky when it comes to fish, and the only ones I eat are cod, salmon and dory. Tuna has never been a personal favourite. So it was rather surprising that I actually kind of liked the tuna spaghetti.

Cannelloni con Spinaci e Ricotta
(Home made pasta rolled with spinach and ricotta)
S$16++
Rating:

Okay this is another dish that I’m pretty sure I got the name wrong. I apologise but I really struggle with long dish names especially when they aren’t in a familiar language. Anyway when it was served we all commented that it looked like one huge tofu with gravy! Also, it kind of looked like my lasagna don’t you think?

Fusilli con Pancetta e Pepe (Short pasta with bacon, sweet onions, black pepper and parmesan cheese)
S$19++

The fusilli pasta turned out to be the most pricey dish of the day. Who would have thought?

Tiramisu
S$10++
Rating:

After an ensemble of starters and mains, it’s time for desserts! The tiramisu was a little on the bland side.

Torta al Cioccolato (Flourless chocolate cake)
S$10++
Rating:

But fortunately, the flourless chocolate cake fared way better! The flourless part sounded rather intriguing — great news for all the atkins and South beach dieters! As it turned out, this chocolate cake was marvellous and for me, it was the best part of the entire meal.

So the food at the bistro bar didn’t fare exceptionally well, which is understandable since it appears to be more of a bar than a restaurant. For those who want a reprieve from work, over some nice wine and candlelight, this would be the perfect place. But if you’re looking for a good and satisfying meal, any of the other da paolo restaurants would probably be a much better option.

Da Paolo Bistro Bar
3 Rochester Park
Singapore 139214
Tel: +65 6774 5537
Service:
Website

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http://sparklette.net/food/da-paolo-at-rochester-park/ | 17 comments

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Prego – Chunky Garden Italian Sauce

Veron Ang — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 14:00:28 +0000

For more than a week, I have been eating my own home-cooked pasta everyday! And I’m still totally loving it! I never knew I would enjoy cooking so much. Besides, pasta seems to be a pretty healthy food.

Of course, I’m not the greatest cook in the world and I certainly do not know how to make my own pasta sauce from scratch. But who needs that when we’ve got instant delicious pasta sauces from prego?

Photo by paulocesar

My favourite choice of sauce is their chunky garden series, or more specifically, the tomato, onion and garlic sauce!

Photo by Prego

Prego’s Tomato, Onion & Garlic Italian Sauce

Servings: 4-6

One serving of the chunky garden sauce is equivalent to one and a half cups of vegetables, consisting of vine-ripened tomatoes, sweet onion and garlic. In addition, I would put in my own herbs and ingredients to make it a delicious plate of yumminess!

The only thing I dislike about pasta is the part where I have to cook the spaghetti. In fact, as I am blogging now I am also waiting for the spaghetti to cook at the same time!

On the package it says it would take just 8 to 10 minutes. But my friend chup and I both agree that it takes at least double that time for the spaghetti to be al dente. Last I heard, he has given up on cooking spaghetti altogether!

But that’s besides the point. Next time you’re hungering for some good pasta without having to visit a fancy Italian restaurant, stock up on prego instead!

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