• 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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
What is your favourite Italian restaurant in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!
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)
May 19, 2011
10
I wouldn’t go so far as to call it an Italian ristorante though. The dishes that you reviewed were slanted towards French more than Italian.
It’s a pity that they served french baguette in their complimentary bread basket instead of the standard focaccia which is a traditional Italian flat bread or the Pane karasau, a thin crispy biscuit like bread from Sardinia. I can think of many more authentic Italian breads that OSO could have served. Then, that’s just me!
As a rule, Foie Gras is a French delicacy and never served in authentic Italian restaurants. Those that do serve foie gras tend to yield to the pretentious side. :)
But all said, the pictures were beautiful and the crab looked very palatable indeed. That I would try when in Singapore.
Thank you for your review.
May 20, 2011
3472
Oh my, I noticed the foie gras, but totally missed out on the fact that most of the items are more French than Italian. In hindsight, I probably should have reviewed one of the pastas :P Anyhow, it just shows how multicultural Singapore is. Every other restaurant serves some sort of fusion food and varied cuisines.
Here’s another Italian restaurant in Singapore that you may wanna try. Have you heard of Forlino? They serve the focaccia flat bread :)
May 20, 2011
2
Have you been to Italiannies at Somerset? Their Prawn Pesto is to-die-for! They recently introduced their new Ravioli menu which allows you to create your own ravioli dish by choosing the type of ravioli(stuffing), and the sauce you would like with it. Loved it! Plus the tiramisu is, amazing. Check it out!
I’d recommend the corner booth by the window, pretty nice for a quiet romantic evening:)
May 20, 2011
3472
Wow, Rajes, that’s an awesome comment. You recommended a restaurant, and even included the mains, dessert, right down to the table to pick! That sure makes things much easier for us when we pay a visit to Italiannies!
P.S. I featured Italiannies on the Sparklette Facebook Page recently. Feel free to join in the chatter over there :)