Tag Archives: Italian
Prego Springs To Life With Colori Di Primavera
One of Singapore’s longest standing Italian restaurants, Prego at Fairmont Singapore celebrates the arrival of Spring adorning bright colours, bold flavours and fresh produce with its new Colori Di Primavera (Colours of Spring) menu which will be available from 1st March 2013- 28th April 2013.
Prego’s predominantly orange and brown hued landscape lends a gloriously welcoming demeanor to its spacious premises. The lovely touch of fresh flowers around the restaurant with a stalk of yellow gerbera on each table draws you into this homely rustic Italian restaurant which has stood the test of time. And it is with this inviting thought in mind that has inspired Chef de Cuisine Antonio Facchinetti to create these flavourful Spring dishes to user into the season.
**Do note that these are tasting portions
Embrace the au naturale colours of this **Lobster with Yellow and Green Zucchini Salad $28++, prepared simply so as to not overwhelm the raw sweetness of both the shredded zucchini and boiled lobster flesh. Crunching through the tangled greens was decidedly delightful, with just the right drizzle of lemon juice/olive oil dressing to jazz things up a little.
For a more refreshing and colourful alternative, the **Spinach Salad with Red Onions, Pine Nuts and Strawberry $19++ is a charm. Extremely light and subtle, while rich in antioxidants and iron, this is power packed and healthy with a capital ‘H’!
I was quite taken by the Pan Roasted Cod with Sauteed Broccolini and Vine Tomato $48++ which came served in parchment paper. The ensemble of bright green broccolini, zesty yellow lemon, black olives, cherry red tomatoes and a generous slab of cod fillet could not have brought out the essence of Spring more. The pan roasted cod flesh itself was so delicate and smooth. Quite easily my favourite of the day.
Made up of three staple Roman ingredients, this **Tagliolini with Artichokes, Guanciale and Pecorino $36++ is yet another of Chef de Cuisine Antonio Facchinetti’s thoughtfully prepared handmade pasta dishes. Finished table-side in a Pecorino cheese wheel made from sheep’s milk, this was a light and textured dish made extra special by those fatty crispy bits of Guanciale (pork cheeks).
Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria
Named after the beautiful and charming Capri Island in Southern Italy, Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria is an authentic Italian diner set up by two Italians who simply wish to share their love for Italian food with their customers. And staying true to its Italian roots, framed pictures of the Amalfi Coast hang on the white-washed rocky walls of this laid-back and cosy trattoria.
The brainchild of owner Luca Iannone and chef Michele Cuozzo, who by the way are heavyweights in Italian cuisine, Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria is fast gaining popularity with both locals and the Italian community here in Singapore who show their support by boasting a full headcount of the restaurant even on weekdays. Reservations are a definite must or you may just have to leave disappointed.
It is said that good food is spread by word of mouth and Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria is testimony that this statement holds true. The clientele here is made up of mostly regulars, judging from the friendly banter exchanged between the owner, chef and diners. It is a lively atmosphere and almost casual but certainly not sloppy as servers are attentive to your needs and not at all intrusive.
Starting with the Tagliata Di Manzo, a modest grilled platter that will have steak lovers rejoicing. Thin slices of Sirloin done Medium rare, and simply marinated with just olive oil, pepper and salt, allowing the full flavour of the meat to come through. Tender, juicy and seared only on the exterior, and finally sprinkled with some parmesan cheese and laid atop a bed of rocket salad, this antipasti was picture perfect.
The Sauteed Calamari in Squid Ink was certainly very unique in both appearances and taste. Jet black with its distinct iodine, briny flavour and a touch of Chef Michele’s spices and condiments which consists of a generous amount of garlic powder, this squid ink paired off very well with the large calamari rings or as the chef calls it in our own Singapore dialect- ‘sotong’.
Peperoni Pizzeria @ Greenwood
The casual dining sister arm of the Les Amis Group, Peperoni Pizzeria is notorious for their family sized XXL pizzas that is simply a party on a wooden board. It’s a family affair here at Peperoni Pizzeria as these ginormous pizzas are definitely for sharing and is indeed double the fun when everyone is fighting for one more slice of cheesy dough. With four branches all around Singapore (Greenwood, Binjai, Frankel and Zion), everyone is assured a bite of that authentic Italian wood-fired oven thin-crusted pizza that Peperoni Pizzeria does such a great rendition of!
Six of us patronized the Greenwood branch one Wednesday evening, which also happens to be the original outlet which first opened back in 2004.
We started off with an appetizer to share before diving straight for the pizzas for which we ordered the family XXL size for both!
The Funghi Portobello con Pollo $20 was actually a crumbed battered whole portobello which was deep fried and topped with a heap of caramelized onions and sautéed chicken fillets in red wine sauce.
Mushroom lovers will rejoice at this dish and non-mushroom fans will become converts. The portobello was thick and juicy while the sautéed chicken fillets and onions lent a subtle sweetness with the red wine sauce and added a softness to the crunch of the portobello exterior. We cleaned this up quickly, not even leaving a single onion strip left on the plate.
Supertree Dining @ Gardens By The Bay
Singapore’s newest icon and attraction- Gardens by the Bay brings new meaning to the term ‘City in the Garden’ with its expansive botanical grounds which is home to about a quarter of a million different flora and fauna. Newly opened to the public on the 29th of June, this Superpark has already attracted more than 70 000 visitors within the first two days of its opening. With two MRT stations nearby- Bayfront and Marina Bay, this 101-hectare garden is conveniently accessible and the perfect place for a nature walk against the beautiful Marina Bay skyline, which is especially mesmerizing in the evenings and nights.
Gardens by the Bay is made up of three waterfront gardens- Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central. The largest, Bay South is where the Supertree Grove resides. This grove is made up of twelve 16-storey Supertrees and a 128m long walkway connecting two Supertrees which you can take and walk across, to enjoy a birds’ eye view of the entire gardens.
Admission into the Supertree Grove itself is free
but the OCBC Skyway will cost $5 for adults and $3 for children <12 years old.
And if or when you get hungry from exploring and all the walking, located just steps away is Supertree Dining to satisfy and quell your hunger.
Supertree Dining which is designed and managed by the Select Group Limited, features five distinctive F&B dining concepts all in one place. While it is easy to dismiss Supertree Dining as a regular food court at first impressions, it is anything but. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows for a panoramic view of the lush tropical surroundings and real live trees growing through openings in the ceilings to maintain the natural theme of the place, even allowing drops of rain to water the leaves of the trees on rainy days for that added touch of rawness, this communal dining space is simply one of a kind.
From local to international cuisines, appetizers to desserts, there is something for everyone here at Supertree Dining. Read on to find out more about the diverse range of options that this all-inclusive one-stop family dining destination has to offer.
Assaggio Ristorante
I seem to be always one week late in my entries. Very very inefficient of me. -Shakes head- but do cut me some slack because I had a bad week with my joints with multiple flare ups and paws for hands and legs. But enough of that, let’s move on to more elegant talk such as fine dining :)
Fiori di zucca con spuma di spinaci, Gorgonzola e pinoli $19
Flowering zucchini blossoms filled with baby spinach, gorgonzola & pine nut ricotta mousse
Calamari alla griglia con rucola $18
Char grilled squid with rocket salad & warm morton bay bug dressing
Vitello tonnato, Freddo con salsa di tonno e capperi $18
Roasted slices of cleland mountain veal with a blue fin tuna & caper sauce
Filetto di salmone con asparagi, spinaci e piselli $31
Grilled loin of atlantic salmon with asparagus wrapped in speck with spinach, pine nut & pea pesto
Tortiglioni al brasato di ragu di salsicce e lambrusco $27
Straight edge short tube pasta with ragú of pork, fennel & chilli, sausage & perisian lentils slow cooked in lambrusco wine
Chitarre allo Zarrerano E Polpa di granchio $30
Saffron ‘guitar string’ pasta with South Australian blue swimmer crab and a roasted tomato & shellfish sauce
Orecchiette al pesto di broccolini $28
Ear shaped pasta with pesto of tender broccolini, black olives, garlic, chilli, shaved pecorino & extra virgin olive oil
Risotto ai frutti di mare $30
Vialone rice from verona wi th pan-fried gulf prawns, slipper lobster, scallops & flathead moistened wi th a tomato & shellfish stock
Linguine alla pescatora $30
Thin flat pasta ‘little tongues’ of south australian shellfish, crustaceans, white fish, garlic, chilli & extra virgin olive oil
Cakeage here was $3.50 pp..but I guess for 2 cakes that were not very easy to cut, it was kinda worth it? And they arranged our slices really prettily on the plates as well :) Points for effort and service. LOL!
Assaggio is definitely one of the higher end restaurants with mains costing between mid $20s to $30s and for poor students like us, places like these are reserved for very special occasions and birthdays. And it was a special friend’s 22nd that brought us here this time :) Food did not take very long to be served even though our group was really big and the restaurant was full.. service was good and the taste wasnt that fantastic but definitely an experience. I may come back again to try their dessert menu which did sound and look good because the other tables did order a few desserts and the ones that they did order, looked pretty mouth-watering. But to come back again for dinner, perhaps not anytime soon…
92-94 King William St
Hyde Park, 5061
(08) 8272 4748
www.assaggio.com.au
