Tag Archives: Italian cuisine

Unforgettable Authentic Italian Dining Experience At Ricciotti

Are you a fan of pasta and wines? Then today’s post will definitely be of interest to you!

Recently I had the pleasure to revisit Ricciotti and the experience was even better than I had remembered. The first time I visited Ricciotti was for a family dinner years back. The same restaurant has undergone a revamp with a sleeker branding and image, which makes for a great dining spot to also chill and hang out. The restaurant sports an open bar concept and has an incredible collection of 73 (and counting) whisky labels for whisky lovers to pair the delectable Italian dishes with.

If you are craving for authentic handmade Italian pasta and pizzas, look no further. I highly recommend coming with a crowd of four or more so you can order more dishes and share! It is tough to pick a favourite dish, although ultimately it will depend on what your taste preferences are. In case you are wondering, I will highlight what my picks are, in my captions/notes accompanying the photos of dishes we tried below.

If you enjoy wines and have someone to impress, I also recommend calling in to reserve your seats and request for wine pairing – the manager will recommend the best of Italian wines (have I mentioned how much I love Italian wines?) to go with their fine dishes.

All in all, Ricciotti is a modern restaurant and bar that serves authentic Italian cuisine with excellent service and a place that I’ll definitely head back for more!

I don’t always have my fill with bread but I simply couldn’t resist these, which are so soft and delicious.Carpaccio di Manzo, Argentine Beef Carpaccio, 25 Years Aged Balsamic Dressing, Parmesan Cheese, Rocket Salad.

A chef’s recommendation, undoubtedly a popular dish for Italians but not quite my liking.

Polpo e Burrata, Grilled Octopus, Burratina D.O.P, Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto, Crispy Celery. 

I really like this dish, everything from the fresh octopus, cheese, roasted cherry tomatos and how everything goes together. This dish pairs so well with the Italian white wine we had!

Tortelloni di Bufala. Homemade Buffalo Mozzarella D.O.P. Stuffed Pasta, Cherry Tomato Confit, Pearl Onions, Basil Sauce.

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.  Homemade Tagliatelle, Beef Ragú Sauce, Parmesan Cheese.

I don’t know if you ever get Bolognese Pasta cravings, but I do and this dish just hits the spot! It’s everything you’d want in a beef bolognese pasta!

Ravioli del Plin. Homemade Beef Stuffed Pasta, Parmesan Cream, Porcini Mushrooms, Veal Jus.

This is my favourite of the three pastas we tried. I might sound like I’m exaggerating, but I’ve been to Italy and I’ve tried other Italian restaurants in Singapore but there’s nothing quite like this dish! I love the flavour of the dish and how the Ravioli goes so well with the mushrooms. Most definitely recommend this dish with some red wine.

Crudo e Rucola. Parma Ham, Rocket Salad, Parmesan Shaving, Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese.

This is such a satisfying pizza. the parma ham is definitely the highlight of the dish. The saltiness of the parma ham pairs so well with the fresh rockets (another one of my favourites!), cheese and  pizza base that I couldn’t resist getting more of it, slice after slice. I’m not usually a pizza lover, but you can give me this pizza anyday!

Branzino alla Mediterranea. Grilled Seabass, Mediterranean Vegetables Caponata, Gaeta Olives, Capsicum Sauce.

The sea bass is so fresh, guys. I am typically most picky when it comes to eating seafood because I only like it when it’s fresh and well flavoured and this dish did not disappoint. Agnello alla Ligure. Mint Brined Lamb Loin, Taggiasche Olives, Pearl Onions, Artichoke Purée

At this point of writing, I must admit that I feel like I’m running out of descriptions to express how delicious the dishes are, especially when we were served so many! And I can only say that in my honest opinion, this is lamb slices cooked to perfection. We were so surprised by this dish, it is not gamey at all, this is how all lamb meat should taste like, in my opinion, heh. I have weak gums that tire easily when I’m eating chunky meat slices or steak so I always appreciate when meat slices are well cooked so that it is neither too raw nor tough! 

Panna Cotta. Almond Milk Panna Cotta, Salted Dark Chocolate Crumbles.

One of my favourite memories of Italy is enjoying fresh, white Panna Cotta in Venice and I haven’t had the chance to eat anything quite like it – soft, white and delicious. And I must say, Ricciotti’s Panna Cotta comes close. What’s better is that this Panna Cotta is almond milk flavoured, so if you’re a fan of almond, you will love this.
Tiramisú. Classic Italia Recipe, Mascarpone Cream, Espresso, Savoiradi Biscuits.

The test of an Italian establishment, we’re told, is in its Tiramisu. This is a favourite dessert at Ricciotti, with its soft tiramisu cake that’s moist and well flavoured, it’s no wonder why.

Semifreddo al Gianduja. Hazelnut and Chocolate Frozen Parfait, Salted Caramel Sauce.

It feels right to end off the review with this dish, the mix of sweet hazelnut and chocolate frozen parfait that’s like ice cream and the salted caramel sauce, this dish is Italian with a modern twist.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Riccotti with their delicious, authentic Italian dishes and also love the modern and trendy setting.  Thank you Lucas and Ricciotti for having me at the media tasting. Shout out for Wei Kai of SgCafeHopping for the beautiful photography you see in this post, to remember these delicious dishes by!

Ricciotti Riverwalk

20 Upper Circular Road, B1-49/50
The Riverwalk, Singapore 058416
Tel: (65) 6533 9060   Fax: (65) 6535 5915
Email: riverwalk@ricciotti.co
 Daily, 11:30am – 11:00pm
Private room available for max. 10 pax,
with min. spend of $400 for lunch & $600 for dinner.

The meal is sponsored but all opinions in the review are my own.

x

Ena

Lunch at Oca Grassa

Recently my colleagues and I visited an Italian casual fine dining restaurant, Oca Grassa for lunch.

They were featured on TimeOut Singapore online, here.

Oca Grassa means “fat goose” in Italian and it signifies prosperity and the good life. 🙂

From our experience at Oca Grassa, I most certainly agree that the restaurant lives up to its name!

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The cute namecard with a lightly embossed goose with 3 golden eggs. ^^

2013-07-23 12.30.32The restaurant has a lovely lobby / entrance with a beautiful painting. 
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My #ootd, a black dress with pink floral prints and blue wedges.

I matched my earrings with the dress, but you can’t see it here, haha.

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Oca Grassa has an open kitchen concept where you can watch the chefs in action. Here’s our starters of bread with meat slices and vinaigrette.

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For salads, we had seafood with avocado. I love avocado and the squid was grilled to perfection! It was akin to savouring the bounty of the sea in a mouthful. 🙂2013-07-23 13.05.09

Next up we had a seafood fritter platter of prawns and squid. 2013-07-23 13.11.14

Then we had a tomato based seafood pasta. I felt that the pasta was a tad overcooked, could have been better.

For the last main… We were in for a surprise! 2013-07-23 13.37.29

Look at my colleagues shocked expressions! 😛

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And all of us eager to Instagram the chef’s recommendation, the florentine steak served on himalayan salt. 😛2013-07-23 13.41.19

I had never tasted steak so good. It was served medium rare, I had a few cuts, one served more cooked and another in medium rare which tasted better because it was tasty and chewy.

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Lastly, we ended off our meal with desserts, Tiramisu with gula melaka and Panna Cotta with a guava base and topped off with pomegranate flavoured ice. I can’t decide which I prefer more!

Located at 6 Bukit Pasoh which is near Duxton, the restaurant is nestled among shop houses which provides a nice background for a stroll after dinner in the evening. 🙂 The budget per person is about $100, without drinks. For wine, add another $50. If you’re planning for a date, you can request for a smaller Florentine steak for two.

I would most definitely be back again for the seafood salad, steak and desserts!

If you’d like to visit, here’s the details:

Oca Grassa

6 Bukit Pasoh Road

Tel: 6534 9854

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm (Lunch)
Mon – Sat: 6pm – 10.30pm (Dinner)

Till the next post,

<3

Ena