Ristorante Palermo

While the Makan Kaki saw an advertisement online with Pasta going 1 for 1 from Ristorante Palermo, a reservation was made for our dinner at Keppel Bay.

Ristorante Palermo

The atmosphere is quiet and charming with glass panels, overlooking the Docking Bay.

Interior 

 If you are dating or celebrating any special occasions,  this serves as a good place to romance your date.

Keppel Bay

We thought that the Olive Oil and Vinegar were contained in a unique glass, as well as the salt and pepper. 

Condiments

Like most Italian restaurants, we were served with some toast while waiting for the orders. 

Bread / Toast

I'm always a fan of pappardelle and since this particular pasta was served there, we ordered and had a try. The broad pasta was of the right thickness and cooked to perfection served with tender chunks of Angus Beef, Porcini Mushrooms and shaved parmesan flakes. The ratio of Pasta Sauce to Pappardelle was well managed to the right portion.

Pappardelle Angus Beef - $38 

Tiger Prawns Aglio Olio was cooked to Al Dente Perfection too with Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, prawns, garlic and chilli flakes. Though grilled, Tiger Prawns were huge and succulent. 

Grilled Tiger Prawns Aglio Olio - $38

We ordered their Speciality Pizza and it is also suitable for vegetarians. The fragrance lingers along the hallway in the restaurant while it is being served. The crust was crispy and addictive topped with Porcini Mushroom, black truffle pesto and soft egg as well as truffle caviar, not forgetting the pulling mozzarella cheese.

Palermo Speciale (Vegetarian) - $32

Overall, its a complimentary of great ambience and quality food that you may want to unwind and spoil yourself for some moments.

Rating: 3.5 / 5 

Ristorante Palermo
Location: Marina at Keppel Bay, 2 Keppel Bay Vista, #02-03, 098382

Pastaria Abate

While we were searching for the pasta to fix the cravings, we came across Pastaria Abate which received pretty good reviews on social media. Pastaria Abate is dedicated in fresh handmade pasta using fresh ingredients and making it at an affordable price. They served homestyle Italian dishes with family recipes passed down over generations. 

Interior of Pastaria Abate

We were sipping these drinks waiting for our food to be served. 

Iced Cappuccino & White Peach Cooler - $7.90 & $8.80

The flame-grilled pork belly is lightly salted and I'm surprised by the crisp exterior when I sink my teeth into it. The thickness of the pork belly was just a little thick and it is super tender and super juicy. The dish was paired with some vegetables as a side. 

Italian Grilled Pork Belly - $16.80

If you are coming here for Pasta, there are 3 Categories of pasta for customers to choose, 100% Egg Pasta, Dried Pasta and Fresh Specialty Pasta. They can be served with Cream Sauce, Red Sauce or White Wine Sauce.Altogether, they have more than 20 kinds of pasta for you to choose from too.

I had Al Ragu under the Red Sauce Section and pairing it with Pappardelle from the 100% Egg Pasta. Not many pasta places served Pappardelle and Al Ragu is also one of the recommended Pasta on its menu.

Al Ragu - $28.80

This traditional chunky beef stew sauce was slow to cook for 12 hours. The texture of the Pappardelle gained nods from us and the thickness of the Pappardelle was slimmer 

Pappardelle

Opted the dried pasta, Linguine, to go with Carbonara. The Linguine was cooked to Al Dente Perfection, uniformly covered in light cream sauce. The Carbonara comes with chunky bacon bits and topped with a poached egg.

Carbonara - $28.80

While this classic italian dessert is often known for its intense, rich and indulging flavour. We find that their traditional Tiramisu was lacking of the strong flavour that we were seeking for despite of its light mascarpone cheese.

 

Traditional Tiramisu - $12.80

No doubt that texture is flavoursome to us, taste like espresso was lacklustre. We find that if it has alcohol in it, it could make it better.

Tiramisu Layers

With them serving fresh, authentic and delightful pasta, we had finally found a place to fix our cravings.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Pastaria Abate
Location: 86 Neil Rd, Singapore 088846
Website

Arteastiq DePatio Plaza Sing

Being spoilt for food choices in Plaza Singapura, we finally settle ourselves in Arteastiq depatio after running an errand.

Arteastiq depatio

The menu was featured outside the restaurant in a standee form. We are able to glance through the items on the menu before walking into the restaurant.

Menu

The area was brightly lited in a comfortable setting. Though it is located indoors, the environment was like dining in an outdoor setting with a wooden table and paved ground.

Interior Setting

Both House Brewed Drinks are rather refreshing in taste with the soda water.

House Brewed Ginger Ale & House Brewed Salted Lemon - $6.80

The Pork Belly had a thick crispy crust with succulent meat. The dish was served with sauerkraut, mustard, spices and herbs.

Pancetta Roast Pork Belly - $15

During 4-8pm, Fresh Oysters will be priced at $2 per piece instead of the usual $3.50. However, this promotion will only be limited to 1 dozen per table only.  The Oysters are served with lemon and onion red wine vinegar to pair along. 

Fresh Oysters - $2 / Pcs

230g Black Angus Rib eye served with sauteed spinach, fries and garlic butter. The meat was tender enough and cook to the right doneness as requested.

French Affection Ribeye - $34

The Cod Fish and Chips were not greasy and were served with shoestring fries, horseradish mayo, lemon pepper and mushy peas.

Cod Fish & Chips - $20

A different kind of execution for a classic Tiramisu is to remove the film surrounding the dessert and let the layered smooth mascarpone cheese collapse into the sponge finger with brewed black coffee. Not too bad, at least we had a satisfying ending with the meal.

Classic Tiramisu - $16

Food overall was standard fare. 

Rating: 3 / 5

Arteastiq DePatio Plaza Sing
Location: Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road #03-70/72 Singapore 238839

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffè

We have not been to Suntec City for quite some time and just recently we noticed this Italian-Fusion cafe located at the basement of the mall. The design and color of the cafe are rather catchy to the eyes. With an open concept dining and surrounded by some plants, it makes diner feel like dining in a garden.

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Cafe

The caesar salad was served in a crispy parmesan bowl. Fresh romaine lettuce were crunchy, packing with tasty caesar salad dressing. There were not much taste from the bowl, however it seemed quite fun breaking the bowl and pairing it with the vegetables, croutons and hard boiled eggs. The salad was topped with turkey bacon & crushed almonds. 

Mama Mia Caesar Salad - $9.50

The cauliflowers and tortilla strips were deep fried and the color seemed overdone. Nonetheless, pairing these bites with tartar sauce makes this dish something good for sharing,

Cauliflower Fritto & Tortilla Strips - $7

When our mains were served, we were quite disappointed as the portion seems to be below our expectations. The texture of the spaghetti was Al Dente with tasty chicken pieces and some turkey strips.

Spaghetti with Turkey Strip & Chicken Carbonara - $13.50

The Seabass Fillet tasted a tad on the dry side  and topped with crushed almonds. The Risotto is lacking in flavor and it will be better with a more robust taste thus nothing special about this dish.

Seabass Fillet Lemon Risotto - $16.50

The Braised Oxtail is fork tender and of good taste with tomato and cheese. A pet peeved is perhaps the portion of the plate of pasta looked similar to a kid's meal.

Tortiglionmi Rustic Beef Oxtail Bolognese - $18.50

The food is not totally Italian and overall it was standard fare.

Rating: 3 / 5

Mamma Mia Trattoria E Caffè
Location:  Suntec City, 3 Temasek Boulevard, West Wing B1-126A,  Singapore 038983

La Nonna

La Nonna which also means "Grandma" in Italian is a modern trattoria located in the heart of Holland village. The environment is unpretentious and the dishes are cooked as though Grandma would have cooked them. La Nonna is also known to serve hearty and good Italian food.

La Nonna 

We were not familiar with Italian dishes and though the menu was relatively straightforward with no picture illustration, we tried to figure out the dishes' names with the elaborations on the menu. 

Menu

As usual, we were greeted by complimentary bread from a typical Italian eating place with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to pair along while waiting for our food to be served.

Complimentary Bread

My first try of Arancini. These deep-fried Risotto Balls were filled with Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese. The 3 balls were served creatively in a wooden board. 

Arancini - $16

Take a look at the creamy melty Cheese within the balls. Dip these Bar Nibbles in Pomodoro Sauce to enjoy. The texture on the outside was a bit crunchy and it was served pipping hot. You will get the cheese-pulling effect as you pull these balls apart. 

What's inside these deep-fried Risotto Balls?

Wow. I have been looking for a decent Pappardelle from many cafés and this had hit on the right spot. This handmade pasta is a splitting image of the Asian's Biang Biang Noodles which were being rolled into flat and wide strips.

Pappardelle Coda Di Bue - $28

These Homemade Pappardelle pasta with Oxtail ragout and rosemary totally made my day.  The portion was generous with an adequate amount of sauce. The meat was shredded and cooked to soften with a good consistency to coat the amount of pasta in the bowl. 

Do you want a spoonful too?

The Pan-Grilled Pork Chop was served with Broccoli, mashed potatoes, olives, and cherry tomatoes. Pork Chop came with charred edges which tasted perfectly well with its juicy meat. 

Maiale - $32

While having Italian cuisine, it's hard not to hit on their signature dessert like the tiramisu. It is a traditional Venetian Tiramisu, the texture was soft and layers alternated with Mascarpone cheese and lady fingers. It does not contain alcohol and a pet peeve is that the strongness of the cocoa powder may be way overpowering for my favourite dessert which leads to some bitterness. 

Tiramisu - $12

The wobbly eggless vanilla custard cream was served with fresh berries and coulis. I'm so satisfied with this classic.

Pannacotta - $12

The homeliness of the cuisine was felt through the dish. Though the price may be considered pricey, their portion made justice to what we were paying for. It is hardly that we come across a good authentic Italian place like this. I don't mind looking into other items in the menu if I'm back here again.

Rating: 4 / 5

La Nonna
Location: 26/26B Lor Mambong, Singapore 277685
Nearest Station: Holland Village (CC21)
Website

Dario

Dario is an Italian eatery serving pizza, pasta and more. They are housed along Clementi Road since Feb 2015 and have been bringing quality Italian Food taste to West Coast of Singapore with friendly and professional service.

Dario

The dining place was line up along the perimeter of the shop where diners can enjoy looking out through the full length glass panels into Clementi Road. The natural lightings had made the dining place bright and comfortable especially on a sunny day like this.

Dining Area

We ordered cups of Ice Lime Mint Tea as beverages. It's homemade and with the use of Thai Lime in which lets out the refreshing fragrance of the fruit. 

Homemade Ice Lime Mint Tea - $5.50

The Aglio & Olio can be done in 3 kinds of variations, bacon, prawns or mushroom. Spaghetti was cooked to Al Dente texture and tossed with prawns, garlic, chilli and olive oil. Choice of Pasta can be in Penne too.

Aglio & Olio (Prawn) - $20

Looking into their Signature Pizzas, I had the Selvaggia when translated from Italian it means Wild. This was recommended in the menu and their 12" pizza can be divided into two different flavours if you want. 

Selvaggia - $29

The pizza was thin crust and topped with tomato sauce base with mozzarella cheese, cooked ham, salame, sausage and bacon. The Thin Crust pizza was crispy and it seems like we had enjoyed the pizza spread on a piece of biscuit.

Selvaggia Closed Up

How can we complete an Italian meal without their desserts? The wobbly Homemade Panna Cotta was topped with either chocolate or Strawberry Sauce. 

Homemade Panna Cotta - $8

Tiramisu was served in a short glass bottle layered with mascarpone cheese as well as lady's fingers. Cocoa powdered witll sprinkled on the top.

Homemade Tiramisu

We decided to give the Nutella Tart a try. The tart was homemade with 3 different layers with a biscuit base and crumbs top sandwiched with thickened Nutella Chocolate in between. The plate of dessert was showered with some cocoa and icing sugar powder.

Homemade Crostata Alla Nutella - $9

The size of the Homemade Crostata alla Nutella is small. It might taste a bit sweet for some but pairing with a cup of Hot Espresso or Cappuccino should be fine.

Looking at the crumbs

Washing down the dessert with cups of coffee. Though there is no Art on the foam of the coffee, the Cappuccino smell good.

Cappuccino - $5.50

While I ended my meal with the Latte Macchiato and a satisfying session.

Latte Macchiato - $6

Italian fare in Dario is pretty decent and if you are looking for a cozy ambience to fix some Italian Cravings or even the urge to munch on some yummy Authentic Italian thin crust pizza, this place will be a good choice.

Rating: 3 / 5

Dario
Location: 6 Clementi Road, Singapore 129741
Website