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Pastaria Abate
there are not many Italian family restaurants with a native chef operating in Singapore. the popular Italian restaurants based here are also likely to be rather damaging to the wallet. so for those who are looking for a no frills, authentic family-styled Italian fix, it is welcome news to discover Pastaria Abate that is located along Craig Road. Opened by an Italian chef and his Singaporean wife, the restaurant aims to bring the taste of home-cooked dishes to the local clientele at very affordable prices..
the restaurant is located within a shop house along Craig Road, the interior carries a very simplistic and homely fitout with shelving showcasing their various pasta sauces and wines that are up for retail sales as well. though the place is entirely packed, it has a cosy and vibrant atmosphere and it wouldn't be surprising to find the couple meeting up with patrons to introduce their best dishes and ask about their cooking. to keep costs low, the no frills concept involves requesting diners to collect their food from the kitchen window when their buzzer beeps, a small activity before enjoying quality home-style Italian food. 
before even going to the pastas, this appetizer dish is seen to be popular amongst the customers here. Fried Mozzarella that comes with an abundance of cheese and a crispy exterior served with a unique red sauce. We saw many younger patrons working on their Boomerang photography by taking a short clip of themselves stretching the Mozzarella cheese ball. the dish itself was great and it went well with the signature red sauce. 
Moving on to their specialty which would be their pastas. In particular, due to the owner's family history, the focus is on their red sauce or tomato based pastas. we tried this Linguine served with bacon and cherry tomatoes, it was splendid. as with good Italian pasta, the tomato based sauce was not overpowering, light but flavourful with a tinge of olive oil. the pasta itself was of a silky but harder texture which I personally liked very much, and it carried a strong savoury taste that many local pasta places cannot deliver. we enjoyed the pasta very much. 
Upon the owner's recommendation we also went for their Ravioli dish that contained mushroom and cheese filling. not a particularly heavy dish with an ample serving of Ravioli but extremely flavourful and certainly a good suggestion. we topped off our meal with Italian Spritz (soda water served with Prosecco and Aperol) and enjoyed a very hearty session for less than $20 per person. No fireworks or jaw-dropping food in a family-based diner afterall, but we felt it was good value-for-money and we would gladly come again. 
Pastaria Abate 43 Craig Road Singapore 089681 Opening Hours Daily: 10 am to 10 pm freshly handmade pasta in Singapore at prices that won’t break the bank.. Labels: #craigroad, #familyfriendly, #familyrestaurant, #italianfood, #mozzarella, #pastaplace, #pastariaabate, #ravioli, #redsaucepasta, #sgitalianfood Prego
The Italian restaurant at Fairmont Singapore is somewhat of an age-old family restaurant that is familiar with many. even if you haven't eaten there, you'd probably have passed by its store on the way to Raffles City and would have a glimpse of its pretty open concept bar counter, butchery and pizzeria. and while Singapore actually serves up many options for Italian fare, Prego has survived the test of time to prove itself as the ones who'd be here to stay..
the interior of the restaurant is typically always buzzing. and for dinners which run up to 10.30pm, the crowds including hotel guests do stream in till pretty late in the evenings. while Prego prides itself for its freshly made pastas, pizzas and cheese, the wine pairing selection is also something to look out for when you're here. another special mention are its bread that is served as an appetizer together with balsamic vinegar and hummus. very good. 
the key selling point of Prego would be their wood-oven grilled pizzas. their specialties are written on the chalkboards around the store, of which we tried the Prego Pizza that is essentially topped with mozzarella cheese, ham, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh cream. authentic Italian food is typically simple, unpretentious and rich in cheese; this pizza absolutely exemplifies that. other pizzas that are recommended would be their Parma Ham pizza and roasted pork belly pizza. 
we're a little bit uncertain about the pastas. the cream based ones that we went for, like this Penne Funghi was a tad too creamy, with the parmesan cream sauce taking away the freshness of the pasta and the sauteed mushrooms. similarly, while our Carbonara Linguine was very generous with good quality bacon and egg yolk, the cream sauce kind of took their taste away. we've seen good reviews of the tomato based and pesto based pastas, something that we'd come back to try next. 
if you're not topping off your dinner with wine, the dessert at Prego is also pretty good. their selection of cakes and sorbets are popular amongst their customers. We went for this Tiramisu which has a very mousse-like texture but very strong on the coffee and cocoa taste. On the whole, Prego is an authentic Italian family restaurant that is popular amongst local and overseas guests alike, their menu has a wide spread, including very good vegetarian options and would have something to offer for anyone. 
Prego 80 Bras Basah Rd Fairmont Singapore Singapore 189560 Opening Hours Breakfast - 6 am to 11 am (daily) Lunch - 11.30 am to 2.30 pm (Mondays to Saturdays); 12 pm to 3 pm (Sunday Brunch) Dinner - 6 pm to 10.30 pm (daily) one of Singapore’s favourite Italian restaurants that offer diners an authentic Italian family style dining experience.. Labels: #fairmontsingapore, #familyfriendly, #italianfood, #pizzaandpasta, #prego Brunches Cafe
this really came up randomly when we just searched for "brunch" and "rainbow cakes"; more interestingly the name of this eatery is pretty much in-your-face, they've called themselves Brunches Cafe. Located along Rangoon Road, where there's alot of competition from established local joints such as Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh and Lam's prawn and crab noodle, as well as ice-cream and cafe joints, Brunches Cafe stands out with its thematic vintage setup and story-book-like decor.
one highlight of this place is dining inside "the car". there's only one such table in the whole place, where up to four people can cosy up inside a vintage mini-cooper. do make a reservation if you'd like this to be part of your visit experience. the cafe also has some vintage collectible items that are up for sale, adding some character to the restaurant. besides an all-day brunch menu, they offer a unique high-tea set daily (limited to 10 sets per day) served in a very instagrammable bird-cage. 
i guess a visit to Brunches Cafe should come with at least one order of brunch food, so we went for this D.I.Y breakfast set called Pimp My Brekkie. consumers get to assemble their own big breakfast by selecting their choice of eggs, 2 breakfast mains - such as smoked salmon, bacon or sausages or even 1 large main dish like a ribeye steak. it'd then be accompanied by tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, potatoes and lettuce. 
moving on to the other main dishes, we tried this Moroccan Lamb Burger set, which was essentially a herb-infused lamb patty with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber sandwiched between a black-sesame bun. the dish comes with fries and salad to top off a very hearty meal. another popular main that people order was the Crispy Duck Leg Confit with Balsamic Glaze served with tomatoes, mashed potatoes and greens. the lamb was pretty good, though the duck confit turned out rather normal. 
i guess one of the highlights of this cafe would be their dessert spread. from their rainbow cheesecakes to pistachio cakes being signature choices, they have this 4-flavoured waffle combination topped with Movenpick ice-cream and fruits. i personally like the pairing of chocolate ice-cream with charcoal waffles. in all, Brunches Cafe is a very quirky and casual diner that makes for good photography and group catch-ups. the dessert and brunch menu is probably stronger, and if you visit, do make it a point to sit inside the car.. 
Brunches Cafe 96 Rangoon Road Singapore 21838 Opening Hours Mondays to Fridays: 10.30 am to 9 pm (closed on Tuesdays) Saturdays and Sundays: 9.30 am to 9 pm Everything with a price tag in our shop are for sale.. Labels: #brunchcafe, #brunchescafe, #brunchfood, #familyfriendly, #lambburger, #minicooperseat, #rangoonroad |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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