Venetian Dining at its Best

What I love about La Cantina in Venezia is the spectacular view. Eating wonderful Italian dishes with a panoramic view of the sea is unlike anything else in Singapore. It is like eating in Venice where you are surrounded by water, reminiscent of Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea. At night dining at La Cantina is something else …

I usually eat lunch there and never got the chance to have dinner. I had a nice dinner there, though, the other Friday – and a romantic dinner at that. It is also some sort of unwinding on my part and my boyfriend’s after working so hard the past few days.

Aside from wonderful pasta, pizza and meat dishes, being Venice as the regional cuisine they have adapted, they also serve seafood dishes or seafood in their pasta and in their pizza. My boyfriend loves the Pescatora. It is a pasta dish with a slightly spicy tomato sauce with seafood such as prawns, scallops, squid and shell fish. What I live there is the Puttanesca. The sourness, saltiness and sweetness of the pasta dish have just the right balance. I always eat my Puttanesca in this restaurant. Some other favorites are the linguini with crab meat and the linguini with squid ink sauce. But that night I did not order the squid ink pasta, it’s not nice eating that on a date.

So if you want a romantic Italian date with someone you love, La Cantina is really a nice place to have it. It is candle lit dinner with beautiful seaside view at its best.



La Cantina in Venezia
Changi Village Hotel, 1 Netheravon Road
#08/09-02, Singapore 508502

Tel: (65) 6546 9190 Fax: (65) 6546 9153

Japanese Pasta

I have been meaning to eat at this restaurant for some time. Finally, I was able to go to their branch at Marina Square in Raffles Boulevard. Being a pasta lover, I would definitely not miss the opportunity to try something unique as this one.

The first thing I noticed about the restaurant is the cozy ambiance and the decoration. Pasta dishes in plates decorated the walls. You can actually just point on a dish in the wall that you find interesting and have them cook it for you. Those decorations really made me hungry. I ordered for their famous Carbonara. I did not bother choosing from the main entrees; after all I came here for the Japanese pasta experience. I also ordered for the Prawn and Mushroom pasta. Then I got some Calpis float and ordered for the Black Sesame ice cream for later. Let me tell you first the Clapis float. It is a very milky drink – actually a vanilla flavored yogurt. For me it tasted more like Yakult. For the pasta dishes: the Carbonara is really different from the usual Carbonara you’ll find in pasta restaurants. When you see the Carbonara that they serve at Waraku, it has an egg yolk at the middle of it. It is actually poached egg yolk. So for those of you who are afraid of eating raw egg yolks, don’t worry, you can still enjoy this dish. There is this somewhat Japanese taste in the Carbonara that I cannot pin point. But it was heavenly good. It was made creamier because of the egg yolk. The pasta noodles are a little bit salty but the egg yolk balances that saltiness. But the surprise for me was the Prawn and Mushroom pasta. When I looked at the plate, it looked dry and bland and served as aglio oglio style. When you taste it, it actually has great flavors. To top off my pasta meal at Waraku, I had their Black Sesame Ice Cream. This one is really the cherry on top. I must say a very good ice cream. Kind of savory tasting because of the Sesame seed and I guess they are roasted first before putting or blending it with the ice cream. One must try it to experience the unique taste.

I definitely recommend eating at this restaurant, Japanese pasta at its best. I am not only recommending the pasta Carbonara here but also their delicious ice cream.



Pasta de Waraku

Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard #03-257

Marina Square Singapore 039594

Tel: 6333 3433
Website: www.waraku.com.sg

A Very Nice Trattoria

A ‘homey’ family Italian restaurant – that is the best way to describe Ristorante Da Valentino. I have heard a lot of good reviews for this restaurant. Since I would want to eat more vegetarian dishes, maybe they have pasta dish that vegetarians would love.

First it was hard to get a reservation at this restaurant. I’m thinking maybe there are always a lot of people eating in this restaurant. That’s a good sign. I was able to get a reservation Thursday night. I brought a friend along who was celebrated his birthday the other night. I also saw a pastry shop just beside the restaurant maybe I can get a cake for him later. The place was very rustic, like having meals in an Italian home. I gathered that this place is run by a family. I can see them personally serving their customers and even talking to regulars.

Now, it’s time to order. For starters, we decided on their Prosciutto Melone and the baked Artichoke. The sweetness and juiciness of the melon and the saltiness of the Prosciutto ham was really a good combination. The artichoke hearts were really tender and very tasty. Since I’m trying vegetarian dishes, I asked for the Minestrone soup. A very hearty soup, the beans were soft and the vegetables are not overcooked. I asked for vegetarian pasta and the waitress suggested the Aglio Oglio Peperoncino. My friend had their Fettucini Al Granchio since that was also recommended. He really enjoyed eating this. He told me he never had squid ink pasta before. It was rich in flavor and but he wished there were a little more crabmeat. The aglio oglio pasta was very simple but with great flavors. We finished off our meal by sampling their Tiramisu and ordered some coffee. There is not much liquor on the Tiramisu which is good and I think kids will like this too. After eating we visited the pastry shop next door, Perla’s Pastry Boutique which is run by Chef Valentino’s sister. It was an Italian pastry shop that offer great pastries and cakes. I got my friend their Chantilly Lace White Chocolate cake and I got their Rum cake.

Another great pasta experience at this cozy little trattoria - no wonder a lot of people often eat here. The service is good, very personal and the food is great. I will definitely go back to try their Lobster pasta.

Ristorante Da Valentino
11 Jalan Bingka
Singapore 588908
Telephone: 64620555
Fax: 64622247
Email: ristvale@singnet.com.sg

Test this Kitchen

After eating at Cugini last week, I felt that I have to top that or at least find some restaurants in Singapore that serves really authentic Italian pasta. Luck was on my side. Just the other day, I find myself eating good pasta dishes at a restaurant with a unique name.

I came across this name while browsing through the web because now I know I need to find good restaurants that serves pasta to match my Cugini experience. Platypus Test Kitchen is the name of the restaurant. Sounds interesting, right? I said I got to go there. Maybe they serve platypus there (?). Or maybe the chefs there or they have lab technicians instead of chefs’ experiment on pasta dishes all day. I got to test my hypothesis and ‘eat’ the results.

After going to the bank at Raffles Place to pay my bills, I almost ran to the restaurant at Clifford Center. When I got there I almost got disappointed because of a lot of people eating in the place. Well maybe because it is lunch time and I can see that employees of the different establishment in CBD are very much aware of the place. I let my patience set in and waited for a table. I waited for like 10 minutes before I was seated, hungrier than ever. The restaurant is actually neatly decorated with white chairs and wooden tables. There are even wooden chairs and tables perched on the walls as decorations, something for new customers like me to talk about. They have fresh hand-made pastas and signature pastas on their menu. I chose one from each: the Lobster & Crab Ravioli in Vodka Sauce and the Aglio Olio ai Funghi. I did not bother having some soup anymore after having these two pasta dishes. Both dishes are good but not in the awesome category as Cugini. The lobster pasta sauce has made up for the dryness of the pasta ravioli. I love the simplicity of the linguini with mushroom and the herbs they put in really stood out. Good thing I ordered 2 dishes, because their serving is really considered as ‘petite’. Lastly, I had the Pana Cotta with Berry Coulis. The sweetness of the coulis is just right for the creamy vanilla infused pana cotta.

I would recommend this restaurant for pasta lovers out there. I would definitely be coming back and maybe try their squid ink pasta and the Spinach & Egg Bolognese Supreme. I read that the beef ragu is cooked slowly for 5 hours. Maybe it really tastes something else …



PLATYPUS TEST KITCHEN
24 Raffles Place
#02-02 Clifford Centre Singapore

Authentic as it can get

I love going to Chinatown. I love eating dim sum there and there is that authenticity that goes eating Chinese delicacies in this area. Aside from the food, the architecture of the buildings just blew me away. They are well restored and the pastel colors of some of the buildings are just nice to the eyes. But I am not going to talk about the authentic Chinese dishes in Chinatown. I am going to talk about the authentic food I had in a little place tucked in Club Street in Chinatown.

Last Saturday, my friend asked me to accompany her food shopping in Chinatown. I said yes right away because it is not every day that I get to go there and also to do some shopping of my own. As I have mentioned, Chinatown has the best Chinese food in Singapore. The place has retained its charm all throughout the years. Aside from food and ingredients shopping, we also did some wandering at the tourist attractions there. First stop was at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. We sampled some of the vegetarian food that they serve at the basement of the temple. The noodles were great with three topping of vegetables in each bowl. I think it is a steal for only $3 per bowl. Next stop was the Singapore City Gallery. I have not been here for ages. I was really amazed at how Singapore’s development as a highly urbanized city came to be. It was three floors of exhibit and I was just so hungry after that. My friend said that we should take a late lunch at one of the restaurants in Club Street.

Club Street is known for having good restaurants and bars. She told me that we will be eating in this trattoria-style restaurant and since she knows I love pasta, she said I am going to love it there. I have heard of Cuginin before but never tried eating there. The place is as charming as Chinatown with all those blue chairs and blue painted columns of the restaurant. My friend has been there several times so she took charge in ordering for us. She asked me to try their Seafood pasta, which I cannot find on the menu but it existed. I guess regular patron of the restaurants knows about it. She had some Carbonara and we shared a plate of their Risotto Mantecato. The seafood pasta is just divine! The pasta is cooked to perfection. It is not drowning in its sauce like some pasta dishes I know. It was thick and is just right. Needless to say, I just wolfed the whole thing down. The risotto has Castlemagno cheese added to it. I tell you, it just makes the risotto so heavenly. The pungent taste of the cheese just makes you keep eating eat. As if those were not enough, we ordered three types of dessert. We had some tiramisu, semifreddo and affogato for my friend. The desserts alone make me say that they serve some of the best Italian food in Singapore.

Pasta Gastronomia

Always on my list of good pasta restaurants in Singapore is Da Paolo Gastronomia in Orchard Road. I would often go there for quick meals during lunch or after work. Quick meals are better off doing here because there is not much of a sitting area. Their pasta dishes are very affordable but are of quality when it comes to taste. Aside from this, I find their portions large which is really worth my money.

I always have here their Al Granchio pasta with all those crabmeat and the delicious and creamy sauce. This heavenly pasta never fails to make my day. I often take this out and eat it at the comfort of my home. The Ciabatta with black olives really goes well with this dish and I just love dipping this bread to the creamy sauce. They say that vodka is added to the sauce and I figured that’s what makes it really special.

Some of the other things that I usually have here are the Spinach & ricotta-stuffed cannelloni and another favorite is the Banoffee tart. By now, you all probably would have guessed that I loved creamy pasta dishes. The Banofee tart is a bit expensive but the taste very well made up its pricey tag.

The pasta dishes are not only the ones good there. The tiramisu is also heavenly. Take me away, tiramisu! I usually order this after having a heavy meal because the cake is very light and I always have room for this dessert. I will have both Al Granchio and the tiramisu anytime of any given day from this restaurant.

Da Paolo Gastronomia
Address: 290 Orchard Road,
#B1-20 The Paragon, Singapore
Tel: +65 6738 1462

Finding the Best Pasta Places in Singapore

Are you always on a hunt for best and authentic Italian pasta dish in Singapore? Planning to eat a delicious plate of pasta for tonight and don’t know where to start? This blog is a guide on where to find them and compare them with other Italian restaurants in the city. It highlights the best quality of the pasta dish prepared. It's a list of the best Italian restaurant that serves great pasta selections.

I'm starting off with Basilico Italian Restaurant. It's definitely a must-visit restaurant. Located at the 2nd level of the Regent Hotel, the hot station offers freshly-made pastas and risotto. Aside from the well-made pasta dishes, you will get a good value for your money, plus eating it in a hotel setting. Good service from all the staff has been a signature of Regent Hotels and it is very evident in the Basilico Restaurant. The restaurant feel is relaxed, comfortable but classy. With a friendly and warm ambiance, you will surely enjoy eating your pasta dish here. Wine is offered as a perfect pairing for your pasta but with an additional charge. Basilico is a good hotel restaurant that enjoys good reviews from regulars and travellers.

Basilico Italian Restaurant
1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2 The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3232
Weekday Italian Buffet Lunch: S$38++
Saturday Italian Buffet Lunch: S$40++
Sunday Italian Buffet Brunch: S$55++ (Non-Alcohol)