Singapore - Osteria Italia

We chose to eat early and not have to struggle with reservations on a Friday night.  Especially since we had been turned away once.  The expectation hanging over the place was inevitable.  We sat down to efficient and professional service from who we guessed is probably the lady owner.  If not, they probably have some great incentive scheme going for their employees.  Iced water was poured promptly and drinks orders taken while she left us alone for a little while to pore the menu.  

A typical menu of a casual Italian eatery, offering up appetizers, pastas, pizzas and a small selection of meats/seafood.

Amuse Bouche

Our amuse bouche of a tomato crostini drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with a solitary Parmesan shaving was good.  The tomatoes were sweet and the Parmesan a decent quality.

Caprese alla Bufala
Buffalo Mozzarella with vine ripe tomatoes

The Caprese was actually very good.  Fresh tomatoes and Arugula (with the right amount of spiciness) matched with a creamy Bufala and it all came together with the aged Balsamic, which provided a sticky sweet finish.

Cartoccio di Mare
Seafood wrapped in tin foil

I was a little puzzled by this one.  The spaghetti was perfectly cooked, with just the right touch of bite.  However, the seafood was a big letdown.  It just wasn't the freshest and as a result, there was no sea taste at all in the tomato-based sauce.  I came away with the feeling that the seafood was separately cooked from the pasta and sauce inside the foil, which misses the point of a Cartoccio.  It probably wasn't the case, but it tasted like so.  Such a shame.

Wagyu Beef Cheek braised in a red wine sauce

The beef cheek was a little better and infused with the goodness of the red wine it was braised in.  End result: a melt-in-the-mouth piece of meat.  However, for non-beef lovers, don't order this since it is rather gamey since there wasn't enough done to cover that off.  My other complaint was that the chef was a little heavy handed with the salt and you couldn't take as much sauce as you want without feeling a little dehydrated afterwards.

I didn't have dessert since I was distracted by the durian mooncakes available 2 shops away.  Overall, it's a comfy laid back joint, and I might go back.  If I do, I would try the other items on the menu since what we ordered didn't really blow us away.  Bruno's is still my choice Italian joint in the East but Osteria has some potential.  The chefs are really quite good, as long as the produce they have to work with improves.

201 Telok Kurau Road

#01-06 Kurau Court

20. Tel: +65 6346 3970