Showing posts with label Cannoli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cannoli. Show all posts

Saturday, April 16, 2022

Waterfall Ristorante Italiano @ Shangri-La Singapore - New Chef De Cuisine Featuring Pugliese Classics, Signature Handmade Pasta And Pizza

Waterfall14

Waterfall Ristorante Italiano at Shangri-La Singapore welcomes new Chef De Cuisine, Simone Loisi. Chef Simone Loisi is formerly from iO Italian Osteria, a popular Italian restaurant in HillV2. With Chef Simone Loisi at the helm, customers can look forward to a new and refreshed menu.

Waterfall5
Caprese Di Mare 4/5

We started our dinner with the Caprese Di Mare. What you get is a beautiful plate of marinated salmon and buffalo cheese atop a bed of fennel salad. It is a light yet appetising starter to kickstart the meal.

Waterfall12
Porchetta Alla Birra 4.2/5

A worthy dish to order is the Porchetta Alla Birra. It is Chef Simone's rendition of the sumptuous beer-marinated pork belly that is both crispy and juicy. It is best to enjoy with the honey mustard adding a touch of tangy sweetness, while the tangy homemade sauerkraut helps to temper the meat's richness.

Waterfall9
Pizza Mortadella Stracciatella 4/5

Italian cuisine is known for its pizza and pasta; hence, we need to try them. From the pizza selections, we had the Pizza Mortadella Stracciatella. The thin crust pizza comes with delightful toppings of stracciatella cheese, mortadella, grounded pistachio and sundried tomato.

Waterfall18
Gnocchi Mare E Monti 4.2/5

We tried a couple of pasta dishes from the menu, starting with the Gnocchi Mare E Monti. The soft and fluffy handmade potato gnocchi is tossed in an umami prawn bisque sauce.

Waterfall26
Orecchiette Broccoli E Salsiccia 4.2/5

The Orecchiette Broccoli E Salsicca is a pasta dish from Chef Simone's hometown of Puglia. The comforting pasta features a trinity of broccoli, Italian pork sausage meat and handmade Orecchiette pasta. The ear-shaped pasta is ideal for holding the creamy sauce, accentuated by shaved Pecorino, chilli, toasted fennel seed and breadcrumbs.

Waterfall32
Linguine Al Crostacei in Crostia Di Pane 4.5/5

My favourite pasta dish is the Linguine Al Crostacei in Crostia Di Pane. It arrived covered in a thin layer of bread dough. Cutting open the bread dough reveals a hearty pot of luscious linguine brimming with a medley of crustaceans. The highlight is the delicious housemade tomato sauce. I recommend wiping up the leftover pasta sauce with the bread dough from the plate.

Waterfall38
Polpo Alla Plancia 4/5

It is not just about pizza and pasta at Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. There is a selection of mains too. One of them is Polpo Alla Plancia, Mediterranean octopus leg with potato cream and mixed salad. The octopus leg was huge. The kitchen got the cooking spot on for a delightful, firm and bouncy texture.

Waterfall45
Tiramisu Classico 4.2/5

The Tiramisu Classico is a light and sweet ending to a beautiful meal at Waterfall.

Waterfall48
Cannolo Siciliano Fatto in Casa 4.2/5

If you still have space, I recommend going for the Cannolo Siciliano Fatto in Casa. The homemade cannoli stuffed with sweetened ricotta cheese with a hint of orange zest come with bitter chocolate chips and nutty pistachio on each side. It is one dessert, two ways of enjoyment.

Waterfall49

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Waterfall Ristorante Italiano
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
22 Orange Grove Road
Level One, Garden Wing
Singapore 258350
Tel: +65 62134398
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk towards Wheellock Place via ION. Exit Wheellock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Royal Thai Embassy. Walk down to the end of Orchard Road. Turn right onto Orange Grove Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 23 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Buona Terra @ Scotts Road - Tranforming Italian Cuisine Into A Contemporary Work Of Art

BuonaTerra6

I am actually surprised that Buona Terra located at Scotts Road has been around since 2012. It has been 8 years, and I only knew of the restaurant when it was awarded its first one Michelin star in 2019. Having passed the beautiful black and white colonial bungalow along Scotts Road on many occasions, it never occurred to be the restaurant is actually located at the cosy wing of the bungalow, hidden from the urban jungle in Orchard area.

BuonaTerra1
Crispy Potato and Cod Fish Mousse 4/5

I had the Buona Terra Experience 5-course Menu ($178) for lunch. The lunch started with 3 snacks item and a basket of housemade bread which comprises of Onion Foccacia, Dried Tomato Soft Roll and Sourdough.

BuonaTerra2
Butter Cone with Scallop Tartare and Caviar 4.5/5

BuonaTerra4
Tomato Ball 4.2/5

The three snack items are Crispy Potato and Cod Fish Mousse, Butter Cone with Scallop Tartare and Caviar, and Tomato Ball. I was really impressed with what I see and taste so far. I was sharing with my dining companions, I didn't feel like I am dining in an Italian restaurant, it felt more like a French restaurant.

BuonaTerra9
Snail Ragu with Martini Sabayon 4/5

The amuse bouche is Snail Ragu with Martini Sabayon. The creamy sabayon is actually is a mixture of cream, egg yolk and four kinds of pepper (Jamaican, Javanese, Indian and Sarawak). It is even smoked with applewood chips just before servicing.

BuonaTerra12
Beef Carpaccio with Porcini Mushrooms 4.8/5

The Beef Carpaccio with Porcini Mushrooms uses Kagoshima Wagyu Sendai A5 Sirloin. A lot of prep work is behind the beautiful dish. The wagyu is coated in seasoning and chilled in the chiller for a couple of hours. The rub is then washed off, and the wagyu is then chargrilled and smoked with cherry wood before leaving it in the freezer. It is then thinly sliced for serving.

BuonaTerra15
Seared Scallop, Jerusalem Artichoke, Sea Asparagus and Anchovy Sauce 4/5

Next from the sea, we have the Seared Scallop paired with Jerusalem artichoke, sea asparagus and anchovy sauce. The live Hokkaido scallop is super huge, plump and sweet.

BuonaTerra21
Tagliolini with Crab and Caviar 4.5/5

A staple in Italian cuisine is their pasta. Made inhouse is the Tagliolini which has a firmer bite compare to others. The texture of the pasta really stands out for me. The texture reminds of the Chinese Ee Mian texture.

BuonaTerra24
Chargrilled Dry Aged Mieral Pigeon with Figs and Pumpkin, Amaretto and Moscato 4.2/5

The Chargrilled Pigeon is from Mieral, France dry-aged for 10 days and served in two ways. I am not sure whether it is due to the dry-ageing, I find that it has a deeper flavour. In fact, you don't get that liver-like taste which most diner may dislike.

BuonaTerra29
Salted Milk Ice Cream, Dulce De Leche, Italian White Truffle 5/5

Diners can choose to add on $50 for the pre-dessert with 5g of white truffles. The Salted Milk Ice Cream with dulce de leche is topped with shaved Italian white truffle. Ice cream and white truffle is an unusual pairing, but the combination tasted heavenly.

BuonaTerra31
Pear and Ricotta Cheesecake 4/5

Dessert is Pear and Ricotta Cheesecake which is beautifully presented with a scoop of pear sorbet. What I enjoyed is the multi-textural and flavours in each bite.

BuonaTerra32
Fruit Gelee

BuonaTerra33
Baci di Dama

Wrapping up the 5-course meal is a trio of Fruit Gelee, Baci di Dama and Cannolo. The fruit gelee reminds me of my childhood day. My favourite goes to the cannolo for its delightful crunch and nuttiness.

BuonaTerra35
Cannolo

As this is the white truffle season, diner can choose to add them to enhance any dish at $88 for 10g or $10 per gram. For wine lovers, Buona Terra boasts a collection of over 250 labels include vintages and limited bottles that are rarely available commercially, earning the restaurant recognition among the 5 top wine lists for Italian wines in Singapore.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Buona Terra
29 Scotts Road
Singapore 2282244
Tel: +65 67330209
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Newton (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri & PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat & PH: 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Newton MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right onto Scotts Road. Walk down Scotts Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop opposite Orchard Road (Stop ID 09023). Take bus number 124, 143, 162, 167 or 972. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

Saturday, October 21, 2017

One Farrer Hotel & Spa X Da Paolo Group - An Italian Dining Collaboration

OneFarrerAndDaPaolo

For a limited period, One Farrer Hotel & Spa is collaborating with Da Paolo Group to bring an Italian Dining experience to its residents and patrons. The 6 course dining menu priced at $75++ will be available on every Friday from now until 29 December 2017.

OneFarrerDaPaolo1

For the inaugural collaboration between the hotel and Da Paolo Group, diners can look forward to a quintessential menu consisting of homemade pastas, meats and seafood.

OneFarrerDaPaolo2
Antipasto 3.5/5

Our dinner started with 4 different types of Antipasto. The chef's choice for the day comes with Fried Mushoom Ball, Tomato Bruschetta, Octopus Bruschetta and Calamari. A delightful selections to whet up the appetite.

OneFarrerDaPaolo6
Grilled Lobster Salad 4/5

OneFarrerDaPaolo4
Parma Ham & Fresh Melon 4/5

For the Starters, diners have the choice of Grilled Lobster Salad and Parma Ham & Fresh Melon. The grilled lobster salad comes with avocado, black olive soil and pommery mustard dressing. A light yet refreshing salad to kick start the dinner. The parma ham & fresh melon, a classic combination that works regardless of time.

OneFarrerDaPaolo9
Spaghetti al Granchio 4.2/5

OneFarrerDaPaolo11
Ravioli di Vitello con Pomodoro e Grana Padano 4.5/5

For Pasta, diners have the choices of Spaghetti, Ravioli and Tagliatelle. We tried both the spaghetti and ravioli. The Spaghetti al Granchio, tossed in a tomato and cream sauce works wonderfully with the al dente spaghetti, complemented by the fresh crabmeat. While the spaghetti was really good, I love the Ravioli di Vitello con Pomodoro e Grana Padano even more. The homemade ravioli filled with braised veal, has the right balance of pasta to stuffing ratio, paired excellently by the red wine jus. If you do not like spaghetti or ravioli, there is the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, homemade egg pasta in beef ragout, simmered in red wine and tomatoes.

OneFarrerDaPaolo12
Pan Seared Barramundi 4/5

OneFarrerDaPaolo15
Baked Chicken Roulade 4.2/5

Moving to the Mains, diners have the choice of Pan Seared Barramundi or Baked Chicken Roulade. The Pan Seared Barramudi comes with pumpkin carpaccio, tuscan kale and arrabbiata salsa. My favourite part is the crispy skin of the pan seared barramundi.  I also enjoyed the hint of spiciness from the arrabiata salsa which complemented the moist barramundi excellently. The Baked Chicken Roulade is packed with flavours and textures. The tender chicken meat is filled with sauteed mushroom and black truffle. It is laid on a bed of parmigiano and truffle risotto with forest berry red wine jus, confit cherry tomato and white asparagus slices.

OneFarrerDaPaolo17
Da Paolo's Signature Tiramisu 4.5/5

OneFarrerDaPaolo19
Cannoli Siciliani 4/5

For Dessert, one can go for the Da Paolo's Signature Tiramisu or Cannoli Siciliani. My dining friends were sharing with me how how good is Da Paolo's tiramisu and after savouring it, I could not agree more with them. The whole execution was nicely balanced and light. it is definitely one of the best I have eaten. Sweeten the experience with the Cannoli Siciliani. Crack the fried pastry dough and have it together with the ricotta cream and chocolate chips for a sweet finishing.

OneFarrerDaPaolo21
Cheese Platter with Dried Fruits Toast and Condiments 4/5

Last but not least, end the 6 course dinner menu with the Cheese Platter with Dried Fruits Toast and Condiments. This pop up restaurant venue is located on the Level 6 lifestyle Podium, with seating available in our air-conditioned poolside restaurant or sheltered alfresco dining at our Sunset Bar.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


One Farrer Hotel & Spa
Level 6, Poolside
1 Farrer Park Station Road
Singapore 217562
Tel: +65 67057825
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Fri: 6pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destinatin. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Ding Dong @ Amoy Street - Refreshes Local Favourites With Contemporary Techniques

DingDong20

Ding Dong at Amoy Street, lead by their new Assistant Head Chef Miller Mai has created a new menu drawing inspiration from his childhood favourites by giving traditional flavours an unique spin.

DingDong2
Shark Bay 4.2/5

A visit to Ding Dong is not complete without checking out their cocktails. I knew my visit was going to be a fruitful one with the Shark Bay ($22) which is a concoction of rum, papaya, pear, grapefruit and lime. A light and fruity sweet drinks to kick start the dinner.

DingDong3
Scallop Ceviche with Kuih Kapit 3/5

We started with the Scallop Ceviche with Kuih Kapit ($18) whereby the diced Hokkaido scallop is paired with diced Thai mango, pickled shallot and ebikko. I like the innovative idea of serving kuih kapit or better known to many as love letter. However, I felt that the sweetness of the kuih kapit overshadowed the ceviche. Furthermore the scallop ceviche lacked the characteristic zest and acidity.

DingDong6
Boneless Beef Shank with Rice Noodle 3/5

Inspired from the Vietnamese bun cha is the Boneless Beef Shank with Rice Noodle ($18).The beef which is supposed to be marinated with Thai curry paste was rather flat in taste for me. I could not taste any curry flavour at all. The cold noodle is dressed in lemongrass dressing, kind of resembles our laksa noodle dish.

DingDong9
Miso Cured Salmon with Yuzu Sorbet 4/5

A light and refreshing starter is the Miso Cured Salmon ($22). The Norwegian salmon is cured in white miso paste for a good 12 hours. It is served together with house-made wakame salad and topped with ikura roe and yuzu sorbet. Love the touch of cold sweetness from the yuzu sorbet that freshened up the whole enjoyment.

DingDong11
Crispy Pig Trotter with Spiced Vinegar 4.2/5

Great for sharing is the Crispy Pig Trotter with Spiced Vinegar ($29). The pork trotter is brine, sou vide, dried in chiller and then deep fried before serving. Crispy on the exterior and succulent inside, you just need to get your hands dirty and dig into it. Have it together with the accompanying spiced vinegar to cut that richness.

DingDong16
Yam Ring with Poached Egg 4/5

The Yam Ring ($20) is a local zichar inspired dish which is made in-house. It is topped with sauteed asparagus and an organic egg. The rendition is also good for vegetarian. The ring considers of crispy exterior with hint of five spice powder encasing the the flavourful local yam which was steamed before being molded into shape and deep fried. I enjoyed it but I thought if there are more elements to pair with the yam that will be nicer. Internally, I hope our local zichar stalls will be inspired by this creation and up the game in their own ways.

DingDong14
Rendang Beef Brisket Bun 4.8/5

The dish that I enjoyed most is the Rendang Beef Brisket Bun ($21). Served in a Chinese steamed bun, is the beef brisket which has been brined, smoked and barbecued. This is sandwiched together with turnip omelette, for an extra texture. The bun is topped with pickled cucumber or achar for the extra crunch, at the same time giving the flavours that extra oomph.

DingDong25
Tuan Loin with Green Papaya 3/5

A interesting combination of Japanese and Thai in the Tuan Loin with Green Papaya ($28). The tuna is seared and served with green papaya and mizuka micro tomatoes. It is a spicy dish but I felt the papaya salad lacked the characteristic acidity. Overall I felt the dish needed more refinement to bring the elements together as a whole.

DingDong27
Lobster Tail and Sriracha Crab Cake with Tom Yum Broth 4.5/5

While the Thai element did not quite work out for the previous dish, I thought otherwise for the Lobster Tail and Sriracha Crab Cake with Tom Yum Broth ($30). The made in-house tom yum broth is poured into the dish at the table. The sour and spicy broth complemented the seafood excellently. It is like have a refined version of tom yum soup.

DingDong22
Pork Collar Char Siu Rice 4.2/5

Who on earth will imagine that I can find a plate on char siew rice at Ding Dong? Well, The Pork Collar Char Siu Rice ($26) is a premium version that uses Iberico pork and topped with chicharon for that extra texture. It is also dusted with leek ash for smokiness and lastly paired with pineapple salsa for a sweet refreshing finish. It even comes with a bowl of rice. That is like a meal on itself.

DingDong30
Ginger Lime Parfait with Lychee Sorbet 3.5/5

Moving to the desserts, we tried a couple and I thought the Ginger Lime Parfait ($11) is rather unique with the introduction of spices into dessert, such as the Sichuan pepper. The flavours are rather complex but it can of work when all the components are eaten together.

DingDong34
Banana Cannoli 4.5/5

The dessert I enjoyed probably goes to the Banana Cannoli ($15) with peanut butter and vanilla ice cream. The sweet and savoury dessert is given an Asian influence with the used of banana like the local goreng pisang. The crispy phyllo pastry which is brushed with butter, crusted peanut, sugar and cinnamon powder reminded me of the Chinese peanut candy with its sweetness and stickiness.

Overall I was impressed with the innovative and playful take of the traditional Asian cuisine by chef Miller Mai. It definitely opens my eyes as well as taste buds to the culinary skills and potential how local flavours can be progressed to the next level and made it into a global dish.

Note: Ths is an invited tasting.


Ding Dong
115 Amoy Street
#01-02
Singapore 069935
Tel: +65 65570189
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2)  Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Continue on Amoy Street to the end of the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]