Trattoria Gallo D'oro

I had the pleasure of having quite a number of fantastic meals right before i flew off to Europe in early june. this post is obviously quite overdue, but i'm so excited to write about it! (the other restaurant was Shelter in the Woods, check it out if you haven't!)

started off with the amuse bouche, which was a simple bruschetta that whet our appetite for the rest of the meal to come.

because we were there for zhen's birthday, the lady boss/manager kindly gifted us with a glass of prosecco to kickstart our meal! the crisp wine cleansed our palate and went perfectly well with the amuse bouche.

we were really lucky that day because the restaurant had just flown in a fresh batch of scallops, and the waitress was so excited about this that we just had to order it! the Croccantino di Capesante ($32) was a row of plump scallops that were bathed in a balsamic vinaigrette and finished with a caramelised carrot/pumpkin (too long ago to rmb) that added a touch of sweetness to the acidity of the sauce. 

one of my favourite dishes has to be the Tagliolini Bella Vista ($48) which was a lobster meat squid ink pasta. the sauce was packed with flavour from the lobster juices and tomato base, finished off with a tinge of spiciness. there was a generous amount of meat from the lobster, and its fluffy texture complemented the springy al dente pasta.

perhaps the only dish we felt was a slight letdown was the Osso Bucco ($38), which is a very traditional italian dish. very typical of how italians prepare their food, the focus was on the natural flavours of the meat. the braised veal was stewed in the natural veal jus, and was so tender it easily yielded with a fork. perhaps because we had it after the pasta though, it felt as though the taste paled in comparison.

the Florentina ($120) was a whopping 700g slab of meat - bones excluded. which was really really HUGE by any standards. this, was the crowning glory of our meal. seared on the outside, with a light hand of salt and pepper, the chef deftly coaxed the essence out of the meat, allowing the quality of the meat to speak for itself. topped with a few sprigs of rosemary, this was easily one of the BEST florentine steaks i've ever had. 

What i really enjoyed about dining in this restaurant (and Shelter in the Woods as well!), was how they seemed to effortlessly fulfil the sacred trinity of ambience, service and food. it wasn't stuffily high-end by any means (albeit pricier than a usual meal), and had a wonderfully cosy interior, with the walls adorned by art pieces by the chef himself - and yet, the service was top notch. we had the most personal experience from the lady boss/manager herself (lucky for us because there were not many patrons that evening), who came by on a regular basis to check on us, tell us more about the restaurant and dishes and offer her recommendations on wine pairings. the waitress too, was very personable and attentive, and extremely well-versed with the dishes (she was able to identify and describe to us a very obscure tiny ingredient in the dish which we were curious about). the food? definitely satisfying. Trattoria Gallo D'oro had just undergone a change in management, and we were one of the lucky few to be the first to experience it! :)

Trattoria Gallo D'oro

Central Mall, Magazine Road #01-03

Tel.: +65 6438 8131

Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm 

Closed on Sunday