LINO Restaurant and Cafe @ Forum The Shopping Mall - Hearty Italian Favourites, Outlet-exclusive Dishes And Cafe Bites

LINO, the casual dining brand by Les Amis Group, has recently opened its second outlet LINO Restaurant and Cafe, at Forum The Shopping Mall. Lino is known for its repertoire of hearty Italian favourites such as pizza and pasta. The second outlet offers a holistic dining experience with an extensive menu comprising exclusive dishes and café bites accompanied by specially designed cocktail selections. A kid-friendly menu is available as well.

Smoked Scamorza 4/5

Our dinner began with a couple of Cold and Hot Antipasti. The Smoked Scamorza ($22) is weighty with chunks of warm lightly-torched smoked Scamorza (South Italian cow's milk cheese) served on a bed of fresh rockets. It is topped with ribbons of luscious parma ham and finished with a slightly sweet balsamic glaze drizzle. Rich in texture and flavour, this dish is perfect if you have a drink on hand.

Octopus 4.2/5

Alongside is a stunning Octopus ($34) - Beautifully chargrilled tentacles, served with smokey and fruity Palermo sweet pepper, punctuated with piquant capers and parsley.

Lamb Ragu Garganelli 4.5/5

For Mains, we had Lamb Ragu Garganelli ($29). Australian lamb shoulder is slow-braised for three hours with eggplant caviar, rosemary and fresh tomatoes. The resulting lamb ragu was meaty yet tender, rich with flavours and aromatics. The choice of pasta is Garganelli pasta done al dente– small cylindrical-shaped tubes with points at both ends and ribbed sides ideal for soaking up and catching on the vibrant and luscious sauce.

Pan-fried Veal Escalope 4/5

Pan-fried Veal Escalope ($44) is outlet-exclusive. This classic secondi features Dutch milk-fed veal fillet lightly pounded till flattened and pan-fried. As the meat was tender and offered a much delicate flavour, the accompanying creamy and chunky mushroom sauce sweetened with a splash of Marsala wine complemented excellently.

Profiteroles 4.5/5

Our dessert was just as hearty as all the courses. The Profiteroles ($14) gave us two generous scoops of vanilla bean ice cream sandwiched between light house-made choux pastry, drizzled with warm, velvety melted dark chocolate and toasted almond slices.

To celebrate the opening of the restaurant, a line-up of promotions are available:
1) From 18 October to 31 October 2021, diners can enjoy 20% off Café menu with minimum spend of $60 daily between 11am and 5.30pm.

2)From 27 September to 31 October 2021, guests can also enjoy Select Cocktails at only $14++ daily from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 9.30pm.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


LINO Restaurant and Cafe
The Forum Shopping Mall
583 Orchard Road
#01-01/04
Singapore 238884
Tel: +65 62358690
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hour:
Restaurant Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm
Cafe Daily: 11am - 530pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Walk down Orchard Road to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

La Dame de Pic @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - New Autumn Menu By Newly Appointed Chef de Cuisine Francesco Di Marzio

I am back at La Dame de Pic, Raffles Hotel, for their new seasonal menu this Autumn, specially curated by the newly appointed Chef de Cuisine Francesco Di Marzio. The new Autumn menu comes in 6-course Experience Menu ($248++ per pax) and 7-course Elegance Menu ($338++ per pax).

Our dinner started with a couple of Amuse Bouche. Bite in the sphere-shaped amuse bouche and get a burst of flavours from the cherry and sake liquid combination inside, waking up the senses. Next, is the delightful brioche ball stuffed with crab meats inside.

Moving on, a duo of crispy delights comes in the shape of a lotus root reminds me of the Indian murukku, while the other comes in a kueh pie tee shell stuffed with sweet shrimp. Completing the amuse bouche is a fruity and fresh combination of melon ball, dollop burrata, caviar and melon broth.

Scallop from Hokkaido 4.5/5

We started our meal with the Scallop from Hokkaido. The sweet and thinly sliced scallop carpaccio is glazed with mikan, Tsukudani and Pike-perch roe. It is finished with mint and marigold lactic vinaigrette.

Berlingots 4.2/5

An iconic dish in every Anne-Sophie Pic restaurant is the Berlingots. The flavour of the pasta parcel changes with seasons. The pasta parcels are filled with French cheese fondue for the Autumn menu, served with refreshing yet subtle leek dashi infused with green cardamom and matcha.

The Blue Lobster from Brittany 5/5

The dish that I enjoyed most on the new menu is The Blue Lobster from Brittany. The lobster is cooked over coals giving it a pleasant smokey aroma and retaining a sashimi-like texture. It is served with sushi rice with sencha leaves and yuzu, elevated by the rich and robust crustacean bisque with genmaicha and Madras curry. That is not all. It even comes with a side of thin cracker sandwiched with lobster meat.

The Pigeon from Bresse 4.5/5

For the mains, we have The Pigeon from Bresse smoked and marinated with gallium odorant and sobacha, paired with Chartreuse and fennel dauphine. The bird has been cooked to tender with light seasoning, allowing the beautiful flavour to shine through the smoky aroma.

Organic Welsh Lamb 4.5/5

The other main we tried is the Organic Welsh Lamb marinated with fig and Sakura leaves. It comes in three different cuts, and the tender and juicy red meat are paired with lamb jus. Noteworthy is the fig and coffee condiment that helps to balance the richness.

Picodon Cheese with Kalamata Olives 4.2/5

For the cheese course, we had the Picodon Cheese with Kalamata Olives. I love how the layer of kalamata olives complement the milky goat cheese.

French Conference Pear and White Tea

Moving on to the dessert, we had the French Conference Pear with White Tea. Inside the dome is chestnut flower honey mousse, surrounded by the sweet French Conference pear. It also comes with Nashi Tatin and Silver Needle White Tea Ice Cream at the side.

White Mille-feuille 4.5/5

Another renowned signature at La Dame de Pic is the White Mille-feuille. The luxurious yet delicate sweet delights comprised rose light cream, hibiscus jelly and spiked with Tasmanian pepper emulsion. Cutting into the cube reveals the layer of crispy pastry for that textural enjoyment.

Petite Four

Wrapping up the wonderful lunch at La Dame de Pic is the customary Petite Fours. Overall, I have enjoyed the new menu put together by the new chef. However, I always wonder why it has not gotten its Michelin Star? Another thing I notice is the restaurant has increased its price yet again. My advice is to visit it before it eventually gets its Michelin Star. The price may even be much higher.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


La Dame de Pic
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 63371886
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch (Fri-Sat): 12pm - 145pm
Dinner (Tue-Sat): 630pm - 845pm
(Closed on Sun and Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to the junction of Beach Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Junction of North Bridge Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]