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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 Aura
the page has enjoyed quite a few visits from Italian friends in recent weeks, so a big shout-out to and grazie to all. in the spirit of Italian fare, we had the opportunity to visit Aura at the National Gallery recently. established by the ilLido Group under renowned Italian restaurateur Beppe De Vito, Aura adds to their profile of quality Italian restaurants in Singapore.
Aura's brass and bronze colour theme brings about a sophisticated and elegant feel to the restaurant, and probably blends in well with the atmosphere of the National Gallery. we went for dinner and decided to try their degustation set menu. probably the best way to check out some of the chef's best interpretations in bite-sizes. before the courses was served, dinner came with complimentary Focaccia bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. the bread is really unique, very spongy in texture with a smooth skin crust drizzled with black olives. from the picture, it looks like traditional Chinese pastry. 
dinner itself was a 4 course meal that started with this Hokkaido Scallop Tartare served with sea urchin and Sevruga caviar. raw dishes are always tricky but Aura passes splendidly with fresh scallops that were soft and chewy, well accompanied by the explosive bits of caviar. this was followed up with a tasting portion of Fettuccine pasta with spanner crab, Prosecco and pollen. personally, i'm a big fan of authentic Italian pasta and i found the texture of this just right, with good spices and a reasonable portion of crab meat. 
there were a couple of choices for mains and we selected this Smoked Duck with Foie Gras, young spinach and Marsala Wine Sauce. Duck meat is probably one of the tougher poultry types to bite through and we found that the dish could be made a tad more tender. so we were a little torn with this one as the first impression with the wine sauce, the dash of hummus and first bites were great, but it somewhat became a jaw-bone exercise as we laboured to bite into the whole slice of duck. Our other main selection of Chilean Seabass with spicy Broccoletti and lemon potatoes was certainly a much safer choice. the fish was fresh, meat was tender and very easy to lap up. 
we kinda liked the dessert very much, this Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart served with Whisky Cream and Amarena cherries is just tops. and coming from someone who isn't a big fan of chocolate pastries, this is a huge compliment. post dinner activity for the romantics can adjourn to the sky-lounge bar where this is a fantastic view of the Padang and the Marina Bay skyline. in all, a hefty price tag for semi-fine-dining but a great experience of quality Italian food with good ambience. 
Aura 1 St Andrews Road #05-03 and #06-02 National Gallery Singapore Singapore 178957 Opening Hours Daily: 12 pm to 2 pm; 6:30 pm to 10 pm Skylounge is open from 11.30 am to 1 am daily an elegant and modern multi-concept dining destination... Labels: #aura, #degustationmenu, #illidogroup, #italianfood, #nationalgallerysingapore, #scalloptartare, #sgitalianfood In Piazza
with many restaurants in Singapore staking claim to produce authentic Italian fare, one would really need to be "in the industry" to know who is for real. a new series of F&B outlets opened up at The Pines, an extension of the new Hotel Mercure Singapore on Stevens, of which this restaurant opened up by a group of Italians seemed serious about getting their Italian cuisine right.
located within a glass-house with the hotel as its backdrop, the interior boasts a spartan setting with high ceiling and spacious seating. Operations manager Daniele is often present to greet all patrons and introduce the signatures of the place. together with two Italian chefs, the team enjoy vast experience cooking Italian food across Europe before deciding to bring their interpretation of the dishes to Asia and Singapore. 
The signature of this restaurant comes from their oven grilled pizzas, and even more so by show-casing the most simplistic pizza of all, the Margherita pizza. named after the historic queen consort of Italy, the simple dish garnished with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce is a specialty here. nonetheless, we found that a tad too simple and went to try the recommended Diavola pizza instead. This pizza comes with Italian tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and pork salame. we added anchovies for good measure which the Chef readily agreed to and true to good authentic pizza, the dishes is extremely flavourful despite its ordinary outlook. 
we have always said that good Italian food is tested through its Risotto (most places can whip up decent pasta). we tried the Risotto Allo Scoglio which is essentially Arborio rice served with fresh mussels, prawns, clams and squids. there was good aroma all round and every bite was rich with the taste of spices, herbs and a generous serving of seafood. It is notable to also share that In Piazza has a wide selection of Antipasti (starters) to choose from and a good range of pastas, including vegetarian options. the dishes are often introduced by the town in Italy that it originated from and it gave further context to the food that was being served. 
it was somewhat impressive (and also amusing) that the service staff are trained to memorize the wide selection of wines and desserts, having them share the options with us was somewhat of an incredible recital. We ordered an Aperol Spitz, an orange based soda cocktail and a glass of red wine, after receiving good advice from the crew, certainly good choices to wash down the mains. some sorbet ice cream to cap off the first experience there encapsulated the Italian experience. As we share our visit to In Piazza, we hope that this largely undiscovered restaurant gains further popularity as we think it is authentic enough to stand amongst the local institutions. we wish Daniele and his team all the best as they make their way into the Singapore food scene. 
In Piazza The Pines 30 Stevens Road #01-04/05 Singapore 257840 Opening Hours Daily: 10.30 am to 10.30 pm a touch of Italy to your neighbourhood.. Labels: #hotelmercuresingaporeonstevens, #inpiazza, #italianfood, #margheritapizza, #risotto, #stevensroad 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 Blend It Up
Homely Italian restaurants with a story charm behind it will often be popular amongst its converts turned loyal supporters. many of whom have a slightly longer history and are located within private residential areas to create that rural, rustic feel. Blend it Up along Upper Paya Lebar Road caught our eye on a random drive home. through a quick check online, it turned out to be the restaurant with the highest ratings in the Paya Lebar/ Tai Seng area.
Opened by celebrity chef Peter Neo (who opened Pietro Ristorante Italiano some years back), this restaurant revolves around fuss free Italian food and fusion creations adapting Singaporean flavours into some of the dishes. Despite its off-the-beaten-track location, the place can be pretty crowded during dinner times and parking around the area could be a challenge due to limited lots. more importantly, given its pretty extensive menu, Blend It Up maintains a good quality for all its dishes, encouraging repeat visits from its regular customers. 
the wide selection of pizzas at the restaurant are served piping hot when it comes to the table. we tried the signature Blend It Up pizza that is made up of feta cheese, ham, mushrooms and a sunny-side-up egg in the middle. the crust is crispy with a soft dough and right amount of flavour, making this dish popular among the adults and children. we tried it together with some specialty chicken wings, which came with a its own blend of curry sauce. 
the pastas here combine some Italian classics and others with a local twist. many customers gave good reviews for its Spaghetti prawn paste Aglio Olio and we could understand why. the blending of the pasta with homemade prawn paste makes the dish really fragrant, coupled with fresh prawns and dory fish slices to complete the dish. other pasta dishes that are worth a try would be their Spaghetti Vongole, which has a generous serving of clams immersed in a white wine sauce, as well as their crabmeat and lobster Ravioli which albeit a smaller portion, came in a very zesty tomato based sauce. 
popular desserts here include a selection of gelato scoops, which included some special local flavours such as durian. although the lava cakes make a good Instagram choice, our Pistachio lava cake fell short as the souffle disintegrated when we tried to cut into it for the lava to flow. the vanilla gelato was a saving grace as we had an ice-cream craving that day. in all, Blend It Up makes a cosy family restaurant serving a wide selection of quality Italian fusion food. the ambience makes the restaurant suitable for a date night as well, so long as your date isn't put off by the parking situation. 
Blend It Up 325 Upper Paya lebar Road Quemoy Building Singapore 534946 Opening Hours Daily: 11.30 am to 3 pm; 6 pm to 10.30 pm blend the Italian tradition with a twist of Asia.. Labels: #blenditup, #italianfood, #italianfusion, #spaghettiprawnpaste, #upperpayalebarroad Otto Ristorante
Nestled in a quiet corner of the refurbished Maxwell Chambers building, Otto Ristorante provides the Italian option for corporate lunch within the CBD of Singapore. not quite a Zafferano, even though this institution has been around since it was originally located at the nearby Red Dot building, only moving over to this new premises in 2015. In all, Otto makes it a convenient place for business set lunches within the Tanjong Pagar area..
placing quite abit of emphasis of liquor to go with their meal offerings, the new design of the restaurant comes with a wine bar that carries a good selection of wines and spirits. the set lunch menu appears to be extremely popular amongst the office workers within the area as it comes in a 3-course set at very reasonable prices. 
kicking off the set lunch menu, popular choices would be their crab meat with avocado salad, or the daily soup. we had cauliflower soup on the day of our visit that turned out just right, freshly prepared and served warm to accompany a wide selection of bread that formed part of the starters. 
the choice of mains come in very ample portions, of which the lamb shank and the grilled Japanese squid came out as regular preferred choices. the grilled Japanese squid comes with Borlotti bean and onion salad, the texture of the squid is grilled well to ensure it is not overly chewy and seasoned to make it really flavourful. the lamb shank came with mash potato and seasonal vegetables, though the meat could have been a little bit more tender and the rich taste of lamb better masked. 
the desserts were pretty good with their very own interpretation of sorbet served with white chocolate and jelly a very popular choice. judging from the daily turnout especially during weekday lunches, advanced reservations should be made before visiting the restaurant. overall, Otto Ristorante whips up pretty good Italian fare and its set lunch menu would be a good choice to assess some of their main dishes at a very reasonable rate. 
Otto Ristorante 32 Maxwell Road #01-02/03 Maxwell Chambers Singapore 069115 Opening Hours Mondays to Fridays: 12 pm to 2.30 pm; 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm Saturdays: 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm (closed on Sundays) quality Italian food and amicable service in a sophisticated environment.. Labels: #italianfood, #maxwellchambers, #ottoristorante, #setlunch, #sgitalianfood |
..ThE lEgEnD..
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