Singapore - Peperoni Pizzeria

The Les Amis group is really making its presence felt on the Singapore F&B scene.  I tried their family pizzeria concept on my last trip to Singapore and despite patchy service, it was otherwise quite enjoyable.  And mind you, they don't charge GST nor service charge so perhaps, the slightly abrupt service and ad hoc rearrangements of tables and chairs all night to accommodate different parties may be excusable.  Noise levels are a tad high as can be expected by the spartan interiors which boast wood fired ovens, mosaic floors and fire-engine red metal chairs, especially when they're being moved around.

The menu is simple in concept but has enough choices spread across pizzas, pastas, sides, salads and desserts.  The drinks menu is also comprehensive and includes what most bars worth their salt will offer up plus a long list of beers, especially Belgian offerings.  

Wittekerke Rose 

My choice of the Rose was surprisingly good, slightly sweet from the raspberries the wheat beer had been brewed with.  More like a soda than a beer that bloats, and was a welcome reprieve after an afternoon in the humid heat that is Singapore.

Prosciutto Crudo di Parma (Parma ham and rocket salad) 

It is a pizzeria after all, and the pizza base did not disappoint, especially for fans of the thin crust.  Perhaps my only complaint is that the Parma ham was not the best kind, and a little too salty and chewy to be bit off easily with the rocket and Parmesan.  Should have just gone with the pepperoni option.  Oh well, next time.

Carbonara (Pancetta in a light cream sauce)

The spaghetti carbonara was surprisingly good.  Perfect al dente pasta and the use of Pancetta provided a smoky, savory flavor which lifted the touch of cream.

Frangipane (Warm almond cake served with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream)

Dessert was the least exciting although still competent.  Nothing to really write home about.  Down-to-earth kinda cake and ice cream.  Home-stuff.

I would go back for the pizzas and pastas if I fancy a casual night out with the girls or even just a quick dinner over simple fare.  It is a nice alternative to the cze char (hawker style family fry ups).

95 Frankel Avenue
Tel: +65-64455661

Singapore - Bruno's Pizzeria & Grill

2 visits within a week.  Not something I do often and so when I do, it's got to be pretty decent.  Bruno's, literally in my backyard, is more than decent for a neighbourhood joint.  Joints like this will raise the suburban dining game, and ease unnecessary traffic going to town for what might be a crowded and expensive experience not worthy of the hassle.  For people who like their Italian and live east, you cannot afford to give this place a miss.  It's easily the best I've had this side of Singapore.

Over 2 visits, the selection of starters did not disappoint.  

Caesar Salad

The Caesar Salad is the kind that I love, with a strong hint of anchovies in a yolk heavy dressing, worthy of the Roman King namesake  Good quality Romaine with aromatic flakes of Parmesan, and added robustness from the hen's less than hard boiled egg.

Beef Carpaccio

The carpaccio by itself was well sliced and had beefiness coming through so no need for guesses. Joined by good friends, Arugula and Parmesan, the trio could have just been satisfied with a light drizzle of extra virgins. However, the experience was marred by the overly tart dressing of finely chopped vegetables, taking away from the 3 main characters.  

French mussel in a white wine broth

My favourite starter by far, were the mussels.  Imported from French shores, these are smaller in size, but much sweeter and of a texture more akin to clams.  A light broth subtly flavoured by a white wine and sauteed onion rings and parsley enhanced the shell friends and it's easy to pop the entire well-mounted platter without much effort.

Frutti de Mare

The platter of frutti de mare of deep-fried breaded prawns and squid rings were nicely done.  The seafood was fresh, prawns crunchy and squids bouncy but unchewy.  The batter was just a tad heavy but the chef got away with it, since it was well fried and crisp, and given a lift by both the red and white accompanying sauces.

Bread Basket

Even the bread basket was good.  A combination of a multi-grain, and white made for choice.  Both were crusty on the outside and had enough sourdough to make it fluffy but with enough of a bite to savour the fragrance of the fresh baked loafs.

The pasta selections were broad enough.  They are not your new fangled selection but a good choice of familiar hearty favourites.  

Linguini al Granchio

The linguini al granchio which is generous chunks of crab meat in a tomato cream sauce is just plain and simply good.  With the right amount of sweet, tart and boldness in the sauce, given sea-freshness from the crabs chunks and garden-freshness from the finely julienned basil, it was complex in its simplicity and enjoyable to the last mouthful.  Perhaps in Italian terms, there was a bit too much sauce for the amount of linguini on the plate, but I was happy to pick out the crab chunks out after I finished the pasta.  

Spaghetti al Vongole

The Spaghetti with clams was also competent.  The white wine based broth, similar to the mussels starter, carried the clams well.  Al dente spaghetti absorbed enough of the broth to be integrated into the dish.  And fresh parsley is a traditional must for a 3rd dimension and aroma.

Pizza with Salami and Fresh Chillies

The pizza selection is not as wide as some pizzerias but it carries enough of a variety, again more traditional than others.  It's not the best and there is a slight discount since they call themselves a pizzeria but it's still an enjoyable pie to be had.  Our choice of the salami and fresh chillies had a little too much kick from the chillies and a tad too much salt from the choice of salami used but overall it was a tasty combination to be had.  They also have "white pizzas" if you don't like tomato bases so options are still adequately aplenty.

Slow cooked Wagyu beef cheek with Marsala wine

The only mains I have tried here is the beef cheek with Marsala wine.  I do like the use of Marsala wine in dishes and almost always order anything which uses it.  This dish is very tasty and while just a tad salty, was perfect if you used the bread to lap it all up.  The beef cheeks were also very tender but had enough animal muskiness to blend perfectly well with the Marsala, which can mask everything else if the chef isn't careful enough.  A thoroughly heartily enjoyable course for the lazy carnivore in all of us.

Finally but not by any means marginalised to a corner, the dessert selection had a little something for everyone.  

Warm apple tart with Vanilla ice cream

Most people loved the apple tart with vanilla ice cream.  The flaky puff pastry is both aromatic and light from the butter.  Used to house a compote of slightly tart apples, the acidity takes away any cloy from the well cooked apples.  The combination of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel gives this traditional dessert a lift that is suitably sweet and delectable.

Warm chocolate pudding and vanilla ice cream 

Chocolate pudding has become 2nd choice for me on a dessert menu but I'm glad we ordered it on the 2nd visit.  It was a very moist pudding and dense but not heavy.  The chocolate used was also of a good enough quality so you're not just appreciating texture but also savouring the quality of the cocoa.

Tiramisu

The Tiramisu was ironically my least favourite, this being an Italian restaurant.  I like the traditional version which is soaked in espresso.  But Bruno's version will work for those who like alcohol-laced desserts.  Heavily soaked in rum, there's a lot of heat and kick with this, especially when combined with the Mascarpone cream and cocoa dust.  It's good but just not my cup of tea.  

Bruno's is enjoyable for its surburban casualness but more important, for the quality of the unpretentious food it offers.  It is enjoyable for the friendly albeit young service.   It is earnest in its feel but matured in its delivery.  I hope that it is the beginning of better things to come in the Tanjong Katong area.  The transformation has just started.

338 Tanjong Katong Road
Tel: +65- 64404525

Singapore - Cugini Trattoria Pizzeria

My impressions of Southern Italy are of homeliness and heartiness - all about simple treatment of fine produce from the good earth and sea around.  With a classic white and blue themed fixtures and fittings, reflecting the style of that area, Cugini attempts to bring all that good stuff to Singapore and does a decent job of it.  Although service was a little spotty when we got in, as they were busy, we got to enjoying a little bit more attention as the night wore on. 

The menu is rather large and so being our first time, we went with all of our waiter's suggestions. 

The Bresaola (hand cured beef) with lemon oil and shaved Parmesan, served on a wooden board, lived up to its presentation.  Tender and well cured (without being just salty) thinly sliced beef was lifted by the abundant rocket leaves and good quality Parmigianno.  I would have preferred a little bit more cheese than the 4 slices but didn't want to push my first visit!

Since Cugini emphasises Sardinian cuisine, we tried the Sardinian style spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, chilli, mullet roe (which Sardinia is famous for), and Mediteranean prawn.  The taste is something which even locals who are not initiated into Italian cuisine can enjoy.  Very reminisent of the local Hokkien prawn mee, and even had some "wok hei" to it.  Enjoyably tasty even if a tad local for my liking but Sardinia is one of the places I haven't had the privilege of visiting in Italy so perhaps..

Our Cugini pizza was served as a pretty decked out forest of fall colours with generous toppings of fresh tomato, mozzarella, tomino cheese, Italian bacon and rocket.  More rustic in style with a slightly thicker and chewy base (which I enjoy) it was an excellent combination of distinct flavours.  Although the base can get tough as it cools, it was still a high quality pizza. 

Our dessert of the Sardinian deep-fried pastry filled with cheese and citrus flavoured honey was good but I would have ironically preferred to have started the meal with it than end with it since it is a little heavy.  Softly chewy like Mozzarella but with slightly more pong, it went well with the honey.

All in, the produce is certainly good quality - from the cured meats which are flavourful, to the cheeses, they are in themselves worth another visit.  Understanding that less is better with fine produce is the key to enjoying nature's bounty.


87 Club Street
#01-01
Singapore 069455
Tel: +65-6221 3791