Seasons Bistro

I've been really privileged to attend a couple of tastings with Burpple recently! I can never resist heaps of food, and what's better than enjoying this in the presence of other food fanatics? ;) Always feel like I'm bursting at the seams at the end of each tasting (note: stretchy clothes necessary), and we really have the generous chefs to thank for this! Seasons Bistro was by far one of the most hearty meals we had. They nearly served us the ENTIRE menu :O Not that I'm complaining though ^^ thoroughly enjoyed the sumptuous feast we had! Because we tried so many dishes, I'll probably just feature those that I really liked.

Beginning with the starters, I really enjoyed all the salads we were served! We tried three in total, and this was the Superfood Salad ($18). Superfoods are all the rage now, and this was packed with goodness - quinoa, broccoli, avocado, baby spinach, blueberries, pomegranate and other ingredients! It was tossed in an appetising citrus vinaigrette and I really liked how they were generous with the sauce :) 

The dishes kept coming, and soon our entire table was filled with food! And these were just the starters!!!! Clockwise from the front: Pan Seared Foie Gras, Cajun Blackened Fish Taco, Season's Poutine, Popcorn Chicken and Chicken Caesar salad. 

The Pan Seared Foie Gras ($19) is among one of the best affordable ones I've eaten, and it was a hot favourite amongst everyone! Thick slabs of melt-in-your-mouth liver, perched on top of a brioche pain de mie, and that chocolate ganache/bacon jam was to-die-for!!!!

I didn't have much of the Fish Taco ($16) so I can't really comment on it, though I felt the fish could have been done better though. Preferred the one from Jewel Cafe! 

I'd never heard of such a thing as Poutine ($13.50) till I tried the one at Seasons Bistro and I can't believe how much I've been missing out!! It's essentially fries, topped with a delicious homemade sauce (which was reminiscent of my favourite bolognese) and gooey cheese. Ermygawd. It was soooo good!!! And when we were done with the foie gras, we dipped the fries into the remaining chocolate ganache/bacon jam. WE WERE IN SINFUL HEAVEN AND WE DIDNT CARE. 

The Popcorn Chicken ($14) we had here included an interesting twist, with the addition of real popcorn! I liked the spicy seasoning, but was disappointed by the soft texture of the popcorn. 

The Chicken Caesar Salad ($16) was also one of the nicest I've eaten! I'm typically not a fan of it, because I usually find it awfully unhealthy and that it completely defeats the purpose of eating salad. This was a rather refreshing take on the classic though - with avocados and a runny egg that was so yummy! The chicken was superbly tasty as well. I liked how the sauce was light, which made it feel a tad healthier. 

This was SO.DELICIOUS.

Move over all those lousy renditions of korean fried chicken in Singapore (Bon Chon Chicken in Singapore is just plain terrible btw...), because the Americans can do their chicken way better! The Seasons Fried Chicken ($25) was sooooooooo gooooooooood. Haha I'm drooling just thinking about it already. I'll be blogging about The Beast soon, and we had a pretty yummy fried chicken there too, but Seasons' version beat the other hands down in my opinion! This fried chicken was perfectly browned and crispy on the outside, piping hot and incredibly juicy within. I have no idea what spices were used for the chicken, but it was really flavourful!

The Deconstructed Salmon Spanakopita ($30) was quite a delicious dish. The drizzle of lemon perked up the fresh salmon, and the combination of different textures made this dish an interesting one.

The Beef Wellington ($39) was potentially one of my favourite dishes, but I was slightly put off by its gamey flavour. Perhaps that was due to the addition of goat's cheese which I hadn't realised at that point. The homemade jus was really tasty though! 

We were served all four of the items on the restaurant's pasta menu, which was a satiating amount of carbs, even for sharing! Surprisingly, I quite liked the Ben's Mushroom & Bacon Carbonara ($21), though I'm not usually a fan of it. There was a generous portion of mushroom and bacon in it, and just the right balance of parmigiano reggiano. My favourite pasta was the Southend Pasta ($22, not pictured) which was tagliatelle in homemade tomato sauce, with chorizo sausages, fennel, tomatoes, basil, chili and parmesan. This was a spicy pasta that was really tasty!

With all the good food that we'd had so far, we had high expectations for dessert. Unfortunately, that was where Seasons Bistro failed quite a number of times. We tried all eight dessert items on the menu, and out of that, six of them were either too hard or dry. Imagine Chocolate Mousse that is hard?! That simply doesn't sound right. Perhaps the desserts had been refrigerated for too long. But they were really quite disappointing. 

Thankfully, two items saved the day! One was the unassuming Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake ($12). Though it looked deceptively simple, it won our favour thanks to its fluffier texture (finally one that wasn't overly hard!) and I really liked the interesting flavour of pumpkin in a cake. Plus points were also given for the tasty cream on the side.

The Seasonal Pie ($12) was a pecan pie and I do hope they put it on the menu permanently!!! It was delicious, with lots of pecans and a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream on top that sealed the deal. Thanks SK for being my unintentional hand model ;)

The name 'Seasons Bistro' came about with the restaurant's desire to provide seasonal offerings for its customers by changing the menu every few months. It's only been 8 months since its debut, and the restaurant is on its 3rd menu for autumn. Hopefully the next menu will be in time for Winter/Christmas and I can't wait to see what's rolled out next! 

Seasons Bistro

TripleOne Somerset #01-11/12

Tel.: +65 6836 5841

Xin Cuisine Mid-Autumn Festival 2013

it's just about a month away from the mooncake festival, and i'm all in the mood for mooncakes already! ^^ especially since i've been seeing photos of mooncakes appearing all over instagram since one month ago already :O can you believe it?! the celebratory mood is starting earlier every year! not that i'm complaining ;) i love my mooncakes, both the traditional and snow skin versions :D and i feel super lucky to have the opportunity to indulge in the widest variety of mooncakes i've ever had, at the OpenRice Mooncake Tasting at Xin Cuisine! (:

to prep our tastebuds for the sweets ahead, we were served delicious bite-sized entrees that are actually the signature dishes of Xin Cuisine! I was delighted, first by their intricate presentation, and of course, by the flavours that exploded in my mouth from these miniature versions of the original dishes. 

i loved the deep-fried whitebait fish with salt and pepper which is the dish in the top picture in the kueh pie ti container! the taste was completely unexpected, with the crisp textures of the deep-fried fish enhanced by the savoury-peppery notes from the seasoning. 

the baked scallop with Japanese Miso Sauce and eggplant was a hit amongst all the guests at the event! the rate at which it was snapped up was evidence of its popularity ;) the scallop was succulent and tasted naturally juicy, and was complemented by the appetizing eggplant soaked in miso sauce. the homestyle roast duck with tea leaves was very simply presented, and yet, perfect in its simplicity. the skin of the duck held such a wonderful aroma that seeped into the meat as well. finally, Xin's crispy roast pork is a favourite as well, with just the right amount of fat and crisp skin. 

the entrees could have been enough to satisfy my appetite, but next came the highlight of the night! and i was completely unprepared (but very pleasantly surprised) by the onslaught of mooncakes that followed. i've never tried such a wide variety of mooncakes before, and never imagined the sort of flavours that were concocted by Xin Cuisine's chef.

i started off on a safe note with the most traditional of all mooncakes - the Single Yolk White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($52) was delicious in an understated manner - the sweetness of the lotus paste has been reduced, and this definitely makes health-conscious mooncake lovers (like myself) feel a little better about our indulgence :) those who aren't fans of egg yolks, or who are extra big fans of egg yolks will be pleased to know that there are the White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($48) and Double Yolk White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake ($56) respectively.

Xin Cuisine's Special Egg Custard with Egg Yolk Mooncake ($52) is one of its specialties, and celebrates its Silver Jubilee this year. this was definitely one of my favourites with its soft custard interior that that was rich and creamy, but not cloying.

the last mooncake in the tiered stand was the X.O. Sauce with Assorted Nuts Mooncake ($56). i'm honestly not a big fan of mooncake with nuts but this was quite interesting with a mild X.O. flavour in it!

I would think of mooncakes to be paired with chinese tea, but Xin Cuisine came up with a creative twist on this! they came together with two wine suppliers to pair their 2013 mid autumn festival mooncakes with both red wine and prosecco (sparkling white wine)! it was sooo fascinating, and i was especially interested since prosecco comes from italy! ^^ we were encouraged to try out each of the mooncakes with both the red and white wines to see what we preferred. it was recommended that red wines go better with the traditional lotus paste mooncakes, while white wines are better paired with snowskin mooncakes. but really, it's up to your personal preference! my favourite was the extra dry prosecco which was very crisp, without being too bubbly (i decided from italy that i don't like very effervescent wines) and it helped to cleanse my palate in between the various mooncakes, so that i had a fresh start with every slice ^^

 for the red wines, we had a Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. the Shiraz was slightly spicy, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was wonderfully full-bodied and was a great accompaniment to the mooncakes, by enhancing their flavour. so what i learnt from talking to the experts was that the type of wine you prefer to pair with the mooncakes is really a very personal decision! putting it simply, whether you prefer the wine or mooncake more ;) if you prefer the wine, choose something like the prosecco which freshens and refreshes; whereas if you like the lingering taste of mooncakes in your mouth, pick the Cabernet Sauvignon to preserve that lovely flavour.

then we had the snowskin mooncakes to try! :D on the far left was the Green Tea Lotus Paste with Chivas Chocolate ($50). i've always heard of the green tea-chivas combination as a drink, and since Xin Cuisine is located in such a close proximity to Zouk, it's no secret where they got their inspiration from! ;) i'm just kidding. but this was one of my favourite mooncakes! gotta admit, this combination cannot go wrong ;)

the pretty pink mooncake was the Soursop and Chocolate Crunch ($50), which was one of the most interesting flavours! what was especially fascinating was that the texture of the mooncake's interior was exactly like that of the soursop pulp! and the chocolate bits within it helped to balance our the acetic taste of the soursop.

the Passion Fruit Paste Snowskin Mooncake ($50) was very refreshing and was complemented with fresh mango! 

for fans of Reeses Peanut Butter chocolate cups, you would LOVE the Black Sesame Paste with Peanut and Chocolate Snowskin Mooncake ($50)!!! that ball inside the mooncake tastes exactly like peanut butter cups!! ^^ i'm definitely a fan ;) and the black sesame had a robust flavour that was absolutely delicious.

the Champagne Chocolate and Pandan Lotus Paste ($50) subtly lures you in with its gentle aroma, while having a burst of alcohol when you bite into the centre. yummy! :)

Xin Cuisine really has mooncake flavours for everyone!!! Durian-lovers, you cannot miss Xin's Mini Snowskin Peranakan Mooncake with Durian Paste ($50). i stayed far away from this :p but according to my sister who is a durian-lover, this tasted really authentic! ;)

finally, the star of the night - the Teochew Yam Paste with Single Egg Yolk ($52) was specially prepared by the chef on demand! apparently this mooncake is only made-to-order and is quite tedious to create, making it really special! this is one of my FAVOURITE types of mooncakes and i was super honoured to be able to try it! :)) tbh, i like peony jade's version much better though. there is just something lacking in this, which i can't identify. but it was definitely good nevertheless! :) 

always excited to meet the chef!!! (: and hence the unglam fringe problem :p Chef Cheung Kin Nam is the man behind all the lovely mooncakes we ate that day! ^^ 

brought yi along for the tasting and took a pic with one of the openricers! :) thanks for the invitation Openrice! 

**Xin Cuisine is having an exclusive 30% off their mooncakes when you quote “OpenRice Mooncake Promotion” (valid for the first 100 boxes until 30 Aug only). Just one week to go! Get your mooncakes now ^^

Madame Patisserie

hellooooo! (: been procrastinating doing this post for quite long! :P haha. i've been missing UK's afternoon tea ever since i got back and i got my high-tea fix at Madame Patisserie! ^^ whoopee! we had so many things to eat that day, i feel so pampered ;)



we started with their signature high tea set with a pot of tea ($32).

doesn't it look adorable? ^^ kinda like those kind of hotel high tea sets. it looks even prettier than the tiered trays! and there was such a lovely selection of items on it. starting from the top, there are scones - plain and raisin. they were in a rather unconventional shape, which made me skeptical initially, but my doubts soon vanished the moment i popped a piece into my mouth. wonderfully fluffy with a tinge of sweetness, they tasted lovely on their own. even better, they came with the widest assortment of jams that i've ever seen in any high-tea set!

heh so creative to use the escargot dish for it aye? ;) there was homemade marmalade and butter, strawberry, blueberry, pineapple and chocolate raspberry jams! i loved the different types of jams (:

the second tier was the savoury items - starting from the left, we had a smoked salmon atop a dark rye bread. i found the bread a little tough (would have been better if it was more toasted!) but i loved how the salmon had capers on it, which added a sour note to it that was very appetizing. next was the cucumber cream cheese sandwich which was a very refreshing item with the fresh cucumber and light nuances. the smoked chicken with chili pepper mayonnaise on a baguette was probably the most interesting out of the 4 savoury dishes, something different which i've never had before! and i loved the egg mayonnaise on a cheese corn bun. i liked how each of the items were served on a different kind of bun/pastry, which made each one unique and always exciting!

finally, we couldn't wait to dig into the third tier of goodies, which were the sweets! ^^ heh, when a bunch of girls gather, you can imagine the excitement brewing over those ;) we started with the lemon drizzle cake first, and boy, the sharp flavours hit us with a force, livening our taste buds the moment we popped a small piece into our mouths. it was very sweet, yet balanced out by an amazing tangy flavour that prevented it from being too cloying. the chocolate cheesecake was luxurious - richness power-packed in a small cake, and we all loved it, but agreed that it had to be shared, if not it'd definitely be too much for one. the next two on the list were lighter and more refreshing, and i appreciated how it helped to neutralize the other two heavier desserts. the raspberry eclair had a lovely sour flavour which helped to cleanse our palate. i wish the sponge fingers were fresher though! they seemed a little too airy. the grape fruit tart we had was simple, and delicious (: 

there is an extensive tea selection for you to choose from, which i really liked! it was fun browsing through the list and i had a hard time choosing just one! (greedy as always :p) i went for the rose hips tea, and it had a delicious perfume of flowers that tickled my senses as i brought the cup to my lips. you can choose to have your tea hot or cold as well ;)

my favourite part of the meal was probably the pastries that we had! i love pastries of any kind and i relished the variety that was offered at this cafe (: my absolute favourite was the almond croissant ($2.50)! it was delightfully fluffy and crisp, while the almonds lent a crunch to it which i loved. the banana cinnamon roll ($2.80) had no taste of banana at all (which was good for me!), but instead was wonderfully sweet and luscious with a lovely glazed top. very soft and suitably dense, this was one pastry that we all enjoyed. the three cheese danish ($3) was something unique! a nice crisp pastry filled with mascarpone, cream cheese and ricotta cheese - a combination that went well together while remaining deliciously light (:

the apple and mango tart tartin ($17) was a piping warm tart that went perfectly with the homemade vanilla ice cream on the side! the pairing was an amazing one, with the ice cream done surprisingly well (very smooth, creamy and flavourful), with a contrast in temperatures that added a dimension to this dessert.

we ended off with the vanilla souffle ($16) which was a little too sweet and dense for my liking, but if you prefer a more substantial souffle, quite unlike what you typically would get in other restaurants, this one is for you! 

Madame Patisserie is still a relatively new cafe, tucked away at one corner of boat quay. but it definitely has room to grow (: helmed by a former Ritz Carlton dessert chef, you can see the little touches in each dessert that make it special, such as the homemade jams and ice cream. high tea is served from 12-5pm, but they are always willing to offer the set on request if you'd like to have it (: they also do deliveries to areas in the vicinity and hold workshops and baking classes as well. and a little birdie told me that there will be a brunch menu upcoming in September! perhaps i'll be back again to try it out then ;) do check out their website for updates!

Madame Patisserie

76 Boat Quay #01-76

Tel.: +65 6536 7028

Daily 8am-11pm

House@Dempsey

As with most restaurants in Dempsey Hill, House is tricky to find. Tucked away below ground level, it takes some searching to unearth this gem. But when you get there, and discover the lengths taken to inject a new kick into its menu, it is definitely worth the effort. With a quaintly decorated cosy interior and nestled in lush green surroundings, House exudes a laidback aura that invites you to sit back, relax and enjoy.

The menu overhaul has introduced quite a number of new dishes, with many more mouth-watering photographs that makes it a pleasure to browse through. Try the Wagyu Spring Rolls for a start! These delicious crispy wagyu rolls tease your eyes as it does your taste buds. The richness of the smooth minced wagyu marinated with maple and soy envelopes and spreads through your mouth with a creamy flavour. The slightly crumbly consistency is a delight, making this a texturally interesting dish. Paired with a massive pile of fresh green papaya salad, this is a well-balanced dish to begin the meal with.

Two of the new main dishes on the menu are the Roasted Chilean Cod Fish and Hanger Steak with Croquettes & Wild Mushrooms. The cod fish is absolutely fresh and cooked beautifully with a crisp seared top and is soft and firm inside, falling apart easily with the prick of a fork. It is roasted with turmeric, producing a slightly smoky aroma and comes with a lovely sweet date sauce, as well as seared chorizos for a spicy kick. The presentation of this dish is visually arresting with its height – topped with a refreshing apple and celery salad to complement the fish.

House does its beef wonderfully. The hanger steak is sliced to rather thin pieces, whose appearance might prompt some scepticism. But just place it in your mouth, and any uncertainty is instantly quashed. Despite its thinness, each slice of the steak is seared just so, such that it is slightly pink, and perfectly tender. The taste is slightly gamey, but this just enhances the essence of the steak further, and the salts rubbed on the meat help provide a nice antidote to this. While the highlight of this dish is obviously the steak, the croquettes are so delectable they can’t help but bask in the limelight as well. Bursting with creamy ham béchamel, the blend of potato and bacon is so smooth and velvety that it is impossible not to fall in love with them!

House is famous for its fries as well, and we highly recommend the truffle taro fries and pumpkin hazelnut fries! Honestly, it is really difficult to choose amongst the four varieties, on top of their popular original truffle fries. But the two recommended are absolutely the bomb. Atypical from your potato fries, these can be considered the “healthier choice” being made from yam and pumpkin. But they are no less delicious, and in fact, taste even better with their outstandingly unique texture and lovely toppings. Try them, and you will know what we mean.

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

I also wrote a post on this place way back in 2010 i think!! omg wow, i havent realised i've been writing this blog for such a long time ^^ how time flies :D

House 

Blk 8D Dempsey Road

Tel.: +65 6475 7787

Lunch: Mon-Fri (12pm-3pm)

Tea: Mon-Fri (3pm-6pm)

Dinner: Mon-Sun (6pm-10.30pm)

Brunch: Sat (11am-4pm) & Sun (9am-4pm)

Esmirada

Step out of the bustling main street of Orchard Road, and you’ll find Esmirada tucked in a corner. The quiet, inconspicuous exterior does little to prepare you for what to expect inside. Raucous laughter, booming voices, a hearty crowd is what you’ll experience in Esmirada. There is a constant humming in the restaurant with robust conversations over food and drinks, and you will definitely have a smashing good time!

For appetizers, have the Humus and Baba Ghanouj with Pita Bread to start off. Served toasty warm in a basket, the pita bread has a beautiful texture – pillow-soft and fluffy, you will fall in love with it immediately. Have it on its own to appreciate its natural taste, or slather a layer of sauce on it. The hummus has a nutty flavour that is delightfully homely, while the latter has a refreshing hint of garlic that subtly spices up the bread.

Another favourite is the Sizzling Garlic Chilli Shrimps on a hot plate. Literally sizzling and oozing with juices, the bouncy prawns exude freshness and a delicious aroma that invites you to dig in.

You should definitely try the Linguine Ai Frutti Di Mare. One of the restaurant’s popular dishes, you will understand why after tasting it. In fact, when it first arrives at the table, you can catch a whiff of its fragrance from the garlic in the dish. There is an option of tomato or cream-based sauce, and we recommend the tomato sauce for a lighter, more palatable option. It gives you space to try out more dishes! This is a dish not to be missed by seafood lovers. The linguine is tossed with the freshest sea catch, including mussels, prawns and fish. The medley of sweet, sour and spicy flavours are a match made in heaven.

Alternatively, the Paella Valenciana makes a good choice as well! This famous Spanish saffron rice specialty is a hearty dish that will satisfy any carbohydrate cravings. Enjoy the soft, slightly sticky, fluffy rice with an essence infused within. The ingredients – succulent juicy prawns, fresh fish, mussels, springy scallops and chicken wings – come together in a phenomenal combination that packs a powerful punch.

If you still have room for more main courses, try some of the skewers from the charcoal oven. The chicken kebab is concocted with a special blend of Lebanese marinade which already teases you with its description. Their kebabs have an interesting presentation, and a slightly charred aroma. It is definitely a feast for the eyes and taste buds.

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

Esmirada

Orchard Hotel #01-29

Tel.: +65 6735 3476

Daily 12pm-1am

Zafferano

Presentation plays an important role in the value that Zafferano brings to its customers. From the layout and décor of the restaurant, to the stunning 360-degree sights and the plating of each dish, Zafferano impresses with its detail in presenting the best to you.

The server places a breadbasket in front of you, and immediately, you will be spoilt for choice with the options provided. Choose from five varieties, from soft and fluffy ones to thin, crisp, pizza breads.

It’s great to start with something light, and we recommend the Capesante – a carpaccio of Hokkaido scallops – that has to be the prettiest appetizer ever! Arranged in the shape of a flower with the petals being the thin slivers of carpaccio, it is a feast for the eyes. The presence of orange piths counters the rawness of the scallops and whets the palate.

When there is a good harvest of summer truffles, like the season that has just passed, you do not want to miss the Risotto Zafferano. This saffron-flavoured risotto is mouth-wateringly fragrant with the earthy scent of truffles. Creamy and cheesy without being too overwhelming, it is nice to note that the slightly crunchy grains add a bit of bite to this dish, which makes it a pleasure to eat. A quail leg confit sits atop the risotto and is also delicious, with the aroma of being slow-cooked in its fats. Dig further into the risotto for bits of treasure in the form of foie gras, and this is definitely one decadent dish that Zafferano is famous for.

Another must-try from the mains is the Guancia. The wagyu beef cheek comes in a generously portioned slab, and is slow-cooked till it is absolutely tender such that it can be sliced easily with a knife and nearly melts in your mouth. It is cooked in a delightful Chianti red wine sauce that resembles a homely stew and hits all the right notes in terms of flavour and texture.

For desserts, the Cioccolato fondente is an absolute winner. A lovely chocolate fondant with a soft fluffy exterior that gives way to a molten lava river, this will send you to chocolate heaven in an instant. It comes with a zesty raspberry sorbet that is refreshing and balances the chocolate beautifully.

The selection of desserts is highly exciting and if you don’t know where to start, we suggest you order the dolci assortiti, which is a selection of the restaurant’s best desserts in bite sizes – something you can never go wrong with. Zafferano’s crème brulee comes with a little twist – a dollop of prune on the top of the vanilla crème lends a tinge of sourness to counter the potential overwhelming sweetness of the dessert. The Sigari di cioccolato is really interesting! A delicate cocoa cigar shell filled with Amedei black chocolate 70% mousse, it combines crisp and frothy textures in one, a juxtaposition in itself.

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

Zafferano

Ocean Financial Centre Level 43

Tel.: +65 6509 1488

Mon-Wed 12pm-12mn

Thu 12pm-2am

Fri 12pm-3am

Sat 5pm-3am

La Nonna

Stepping into La Nonna is like entering a traditional Italian home, where you are welcomed into the open arms of a team of friendly wait-staff, amidst a delightfully warm, cosy atmosphere. From the huge stove where your wood-fired pizzas are prepared, to the chalkboard list of specials served by the restaurant, you feel instantly hyped up for your meal ahead. La Nonna has so many favourites among its regulars that it is impossible to have all the dishes listed on the menu. Instead, to keep the menu fresh, it is updated every 6 weeks, so that customers will always have something new to try, and signature dishes are then proudly displayed on a huge chalkboard, and can be ordered to evoke some sentimental memories. All the dishes recommended in this article are the restaurant’s best sellers, which have been around since its inception.

The Mozzarella E Parma is a great appetizer to start with. Amazingly fragrant, slightly chewy mozzarella is encased within streaks of 18-month aged Parma ham. This sits on a bed of fresh salad that is laced with a delicate amount of balsamic vinegar reduction, which is absolutely heavenly! This perfectly exemplifies the adage ‘old is gold’, where matured balsamic vinegar is patiently boiled till approximately one third of its volume, and the result is a concentrated, sweet-sour sauce that goes beautifully well with the vegetables.

Also, check out the Baby Spinach salad, which you would enjoy for its refreshing, light feel, despite the hefty portion. A variety of tastes comprise this dish: the savoury smoked duck breast atop it complements the natural flavour of the greens, cherry tomatoes lend a touch of sweetness, while shreds of shaved parmesan cheese add a sharp tang to spice up the dish.

You have got to try the La Nonna pizza! Simply the fact that this restaurant’s namesake is part of its name says something about its significance. It is probably the only pizza in Singapore that is made with an inimitable black truffle sauce, made in-house, and the aroma it imparts to the pizza is delicious. A subtle whiff of its smell hints at its essence, and it starts off understated, but slowly spreads and engulfs your olfactory senses and taste buds. The stalk of asparagus blends with well with the sauce, providing a contrast in terms of flavour and texture, but doesn’t overpower the dish’s highlight, which is the truffle. You will also love the runny sunny side up egg yolk in the centre of the pizza.

For the mains, we recommend the pan-fried cod fillet with mash potatoes, sautéed spinach and balsamic reduction. This is one of the dishes that has been removed from the revamped menu, but is retained on the chalkboard with signature dishes. The codfish is shipped fresh from New Zealand, and proudly declared to be saltwater codfish, which is proclaimed to be tastier than the varieties from freshwater lakes. The fish has a pleasant, firm texture with a crisp skin. But it’s the sides that stand out even more! You will love the mashed potato for its buttery flavour, and the spinach is boiled till it is soft, drenched with olive oil and scattered with bits of garlic. Simply wonderful!

And for dessert, you have to try the Lemon Tart! A delicious crust, a robust lemony zest, and the fact that it is served warm is a plus! Probably one of the best lemon tarts you can get!

*This is an article i wrote for reserveit.sg (: Try out their online reservation service, and you can check out more articles there!

La Nonna

76 Namly Place

Tel.: +65 6762 1587

Daily 12pm-2pm

6pm-10.30pm