Zafferano - Contemporary Italian Cuisine

Restaurant Week 2013 was held on 18 - 24 March 2013, which just ended on Sunday. Within the short span of a week, have you managed to make your reservation at your favourite restaurant?

I've gotten a reservation for L and myself at Zafferano, and like the title of this post, the restaurant serves Contemporary Italian Cuisine.

Here's an extract from Zafferano's website:

Located 240 metres above the ground at the top floor of the Ocean Financial Centre along Singapore CBD’s bustling Collyer Quay, Zafferano offers gastronomes a winning hybrid concept that consists of a contemporary restaurant and chic rooftop bar. Enjoy the panoramic 270-degree view as you dig in to Chef Roberto De Franco’s neo Italian cuisine that’s a refreshed and modern version of the classics.

The description is enough for me to make a reservation almost immediately. The view is said to be to-die-for, isn' it?

We didn't get an al-fresco seating arrangement but the interior of the restaurant was impressive.

Source: google.com

Having been to several italian restaurants, and being served just a single kind of bread before starting the meal, Zafferano was indeed refreshing as they offer not just a single, but a variety of bread. Which I am not complaining, I love bread sticks!

Tonno - Tuna & Avocado Tartar, Cherry Tomato Juice & Aromatic Salad

This was my choice of starter, and to be honest I wasn't attracted to the taste and even switched plates with L after a single bite. However, I have to admit that I hold a biased point of view in this case, because the smoked tuna tasted raw, and I don't stomach raw food. But the cherry tomato juice makes a perfect bread stick dip!

Burrata - Burrata Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes & Basil

L's choice of starter, which ended up became mine heh. This dish went well. I really love how fresh the tomatoes were and how they tasted after the chef's work. But to be honest, I would prefer less servings of cheese and more of the tomatoes.

Our mains! L got Short Ribs, and since I don't take beef, I got the latter - Astice. Okay, confession time. I got greedy after seeing 'lobster' on the menu.

Short Ribs - Slow-cooked Beef Ribs, Port Wine & Black Truffle Sauce with Polenta, Taleggio Cheese & Briased Vegetables.

Huge thick chunky piece of tasty tendy meat on your plate. Who can resist?

Astice - Boston Lobster Ravioli, Celeraic Cream & Asparagus

To be honest, I wasn't expecting any dumpling-like dish. I mean, I want to see Lobster. But then again, to be really fair to the chef and his works, this dish is tasty and the taste of lobster is too obvious to miss.

Favourite course of the meal: Desserts!

Caffee' - Coffee Mousse, Mascarpone Cheese Foam & Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

Was a little hesitant to order this since I am not a fan of mousse cakes, but this impressed me. The chocolate ice cream was delicious, just that it melts a bit too quickly. The coffee mousse was sweet and chilled, but the coffee was overwhelming that the aftertaste gets a little bitter. Great for coffee lovers though!

Tiramisu - Traditional Expresso Tiramisu

The serving of coffee icecream which comes along was really good. Tiramisu didn't quite impress and it tasted too bland. Or rather, since it was accompanied by desserts that are way too sweet, the tiramisu turns out pale in comparison. Have yet to try any tiramisu worth raving about. Do you have any recommendations?

Total bill comes up to a total of $129 for just the both of us. Worth a try, especially if you're a diner who pays attention to the ambience and interior of the restaurant.

Zafferano

Ocean Financial Centre, Level 43

10 Collyer Quay

Singapore 049315

Tel: 6509 1488

Website: http://zafferano.sg/



Pasta Inc

Hello to everyone, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Although it is already the 18th day into this brand new year, Livelifelovefood still want to do a newyear shoutout to everyone reading this space!

Thank you to everyone who is reading lllf. No, we are not people who want fame and be a celebrity bloggers or whatever of that sorts. We just want to capture memories of the nice and not-so-nice food and share with everyone at the other side of the computer. And we definitely wish you will enjoy our posts as much as we enjoy the food heh.

Back to food! L and I finally had the chance to taste some really tasty Italian food after afew weeks of humble eating. Decided that eating real tasty food every single week isn't a good thing for both our wallets and waistlines. Afterall, almost all yummy things are fattening.

So here we go, at Pasta Inc for our lunch one Saturday!

Panorama Shot of the street

Had a tough time finding this place, but thank goodness for smartphones and the maps app. We finally reached here. I have always wanted to explore this part of Singapore, all the shophouses and narrow street attract me somehow.

The first step into this restaurant was a pleasant one. Politely greeted by one of the staff and led to our table straight away. Love how the tables are all spread out neatly with a decent amount of empty area in between each table. Remember how some restaurants have uncomfortabley small narrow spaces in between each tables, and how you have to whisper to your date awkwardly over meals just so that the other tables won't have the chance to hear what sweet nothings you two are saying?

Panorama Shot of the Interior

Over at Pasta Inc, you don't have to worry about that.because each table is neatly spaced out.

We were served bread as well, just like how we were served in other Italian restaurants. The bread here wasn't warm, neither are they fluffy and soft like the ones served at Modesto's. Quite disappointed, but my disappointment turns into amusement immediately when I see this.

Container of Olive Oil and Vinegar.

Cheap thrill, yes I know.
Soups were served very quickly.

Soup of the Day - Mushroom Soup

Bisque Di Aragosta - Homemade Lobster Bisque Soup

To be very honest, I wasn't impressed by either of them. L had the Lobster Bisque Soup while I opt for the Mushroom one. The Lobster soup was abit too fishy for my liking. While the mushroom one didn't impress me either.

Main course is up next!

Linguine Carbonara - Linguine with bacon in cream sauce and egg yolk

Was disappointed when I realised that the squid ink based pasta wasn't in the menu, as I was dying to try that as there were many raving reviews. But my carbonara quickly turn my disappointment around. I love to have linguine as my choice of pasta when I am having carbonara, and the chef did up my order as what I wished without much hassle too. The linguine was done al-dente (the italian way), accompanied with fresh bacon slices and delish sauce. Perfect-o! Although the one at Modesto's/Michengalo are better in my opinion. But nonetheless, I wiped the whole plate clean.

Tagliolini Ai Brocolli E Funghi - Tagliolini with Brocolli, Mushroom and Cherry Tomato in Oil, Garlic and Chillies.

L's choice. To me, this is like the italian version of our chinese wanton mee, with different sides. A very refreshing dish, but it will be better if the chef drizzle more olive oil as it gets a little too dry after afew mouthfuls.

A sweet dessert will end your meal nicely, thats what everyone says. And of course, we are glad to live by it.

Dessert of the Day - Tiramisu

This tiramisu didn't capture my heart nor stomach. Abit too bland, and too watery. A better dessert will definitely make us happier!

The total bill comes up to only S$31.80 because I got this 3 course meal deal off groupon. Would come back for the pasta anytime, but I will be saving my stomach for better desserts.

If you're a pasta lover as well, why not check out our posts on Italian Cusine over here?

Pasta Inc

35 Keong Saik Road

Singapore 089142

Tel: 6297 7515

Michelangelo's - Innovative Italian Cuisine

It's Restaurant Week! And of course both L and I couldn't give this chance to try good food a miss. I am very excited that I'm finally participating in RW for the first time!

Here is some background information, Restaurant Week comes bi-annually, and this October, Singapore has her 5th edition of Restaurant Week! RW, as the name suggests, means dining at participating restaurants which offers a set course menu at affordable prices! Lunch is a 3-course meal at top restaurants at S$ 25.00++, while dinner will be a 4-course meal at S$ 35.00++. If the restaurant of your choice is awarded a Dining City Star, then you will be required to top-up an addition S$ 15++/20++ for lunch/dinner respectively.

Being a huge lover of spaghetti, I've decided on an Italian restaurant, Michelangelo's, situated quietly in Chip Bee Gardens, just a stone throw away from Holland Village.

Two kinds of sitting arrangements, just pick what you like.

Panorama Shot

Perfect for first dates!

Just a word of caution, you may be a little uncomfortable over how dim the whole dining area is.

This seating arrangement will be nice if your date doesn't mean the heat, or if it isn't pouring.

Our set menu for the afternoon!

Don't worry if you're very hungry. While your dishes are being prepared, you will be served pieces of bread together with a platter of sides.

These taste perfectly normal. Nothing too fanciful. But please don't over stuff yourself with these.

For starters, both L and I picked Caesar Salad.

What attracted me was the poached egg. This is good. Wait, I mean this is very good. Fresh greens, drizzled with some magic sauce which is sweet and sour, yet not overwhelming. Simple, yet tasty enough to make both of us finish every single green on the plate. However, the bacon pieces, both chunky and flaky, was a little disappointing. Would prefer bacon bits anytime.

For the main course, L picked Quarantaotto, while I picked the Spaghetti Carbonara.

We were both surprised when this dish turns out like this, with soup. I guess that's the problem when you don't read the menu carefully, because I was expecting steak. But I feel that it turns out nice, because L commented that the meat was tender and tasty.

One word: Perfect-o.

Being a spaghetti lover, I have a soft spot for them. Which means everywhere I go, if I spot Spaghetti on the menu, I will not think twice about ordering that.

This particular dish, I must say, is lip-smacking good. I can't wait to finish everything in one go, yet I want to savour it for as long as I can. The spaghetti is done al-dente, not under or overcook like how some restaurants might. The white wine cream sauce is really tasty. Some wine sauce may be too strong, and turns people off with the 'wine taste', but this is done so perfectly, the wine sauce just brings the whole dish up to a higher level.

By this time, I am already extremely satisfied with my meal, and I can't wait for the desserts to be served because I believe that good desserts to sum up the meal is as important as the main courses being good.

I'm not a Tiramisu fan, after learning that it is made from raw egg. But this particular Tiramisu won me over, both its appearance and taste.

What is more amazing is the attentiveness of the waiter/waitress, who never fail to refill our glasses without being prompt to do so, even though the bottle of water is on our tables. At the end of the meal, when one of them saw L and I trying to take a photo on our own, he came up and initiated to help us take a photo. Isn't this what F&B service should be all about?

This meal came up to a total of S$ 96.51 for the both of us.

Inclusive of a whooping S$ 12.00 for the above aqua mineral.
I have to admit that this meal is quite expensive, and not exactly pocket friendly. But for the ambience, quality of food served, and of course, the thoughtfulness of the waiter/waitress, this particular meal is worth every penny.

Will I be back again? Yes I will, definitely. But I need to make sure that there's a promotion going on, else my wallet will not be able to afford it.

Michelangelo's

Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga

#01-60, Chip Bee Garden

Holland Village