Step Aside Pastamania, This Resto Chain Serves Legit Italian Fare For Under $30

Running overtime tonight? That’s not a problem.

At Singapore After Nine, we bring you the scoop on tried-and-tested, late night gems for you to rest your work-weary self.

This time, we’re featuring Image Credit: Chong Yi Sze[/caption]

Alternatively, enjoy the breeze at the alfresco dining area:

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Here is where you’ll find genuinely good Italian food that doesn’t call for a pound of flesh. They’re generous with their portions, do not scrimp on their cheese (cheese lovers take note) and use fresh, quality ingredients. Read on to see what’s good.

Starters

1. Caesar Salad from the Cheese Wheel Menu ($19++)

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Prepared in a uniquely traditional Italian method right by our table, the salad was tossed in the middle of a 20kg Grana Padano cheese wheel.

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While the salad was being mixed, the server scraped off fluffy cheese from the wheel to add a creamy, sweet-salty zing to the salad. Smoked chicken and light, crispy croutons were the cherry on top. It was such a refreshing accompaniment to our meal, and also doubled as an effective palate cleanser.

2. Wagyu beef carpaccio ($18++)

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This dish consisted of finely sliced wagyu, topped with fresh rocket leaves and mushrooms, and drizzled with truffle oil. Amidst the bed of rocket leaves lay delicately-shaved pieces of 24-months old Parmesan cheese. All in all, it was a tasty, clean and refreshing dish. There were no hints of fishiness from the beef, which was sweet and tender. The rocket leaves were fresh, and tasted great with the dressing.

3. Oven Baked Eggplant Alla Parmigiana Style ($16++)

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This dish of eggplant gratin proved to be a delicious, well-executed twist on the popular potato gratin. Baked to a pleasing softness without being overly mushy, the eggplant pieces were doused in a tomato-herb based sauce that had more flavour and depth than regular pasta sauce.

While potatoes might have weighed the dish down, the eggplant added a lighter touch that was delightfully refreshing. We bet you’ll love the chewy golden Parmesan crust atop the eggplant base. It was generously thick and stringy, and crispy at the edges.

Pizza

4. District 10 Pizza ($19++)

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This dish was the highlight of the night. The pizza arrived warm and toasty, brimming with the aroma of a good ol’ stone oven. The crust was fluffy and so chock full of ingredients that it bent under their weight when we tried to pick up the pizza slices. The Pancetta ham was smoky and savoury, its fatty juices adding a flavour burst in every bite. Refreshing zucchini pieces were thoughtfully added to counter the richness of the ingredients, which included a sunny side up egg and mushrooms.

Pasta

5. Spaghetti Carbonara with Black Truffle ($24++)

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This dish was another one of our favourites. Al dente pasta coated with creamy carbonara sauce and infused with truffle – what’s not to like? The dish arrived with a sprinkling of finely-shaved black truffle, and a perfectly poached egg that oozed golden yolk.

6. Homemade Angel Hair with Live Lobster, Chilli, Basil and Fresh Tomatoes ($34++)

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Looking ever so tempting, this dish no doubt lived up to its appearance. The tomato-based sauce was tangy and appetizing, which made us lose track of how much pasta we were eating. The zesty hit of tomato also went very well with the half-shell lobster, which could have been a tad bit more springy.

7. Warm Lava Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream ($14++)

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All it took was a gentle cut and the chocolate lava flowed like an endless river. Safe to say, this tops our list of chocolate lava cakes. The chocolate flavour was intense and the consistency of the lava was great. It wasn’t too runny, nor was it too thick. The cake itself was moist and fluffy, which was a major plus point.

8. Traditional Italian Tiramisu ($14++)

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Victoinette[/caption]

Likewise, the tiramisu was another crowd pleaser.  Topped with cocoa powder and garnished with a berry and holly leaves, it looked like Christmas came early. The light cream sat atop a fluffy cake base flavoured richly with coffee, and was not as bitter as some other tiramisus out there.

While District 10 is known for serving up great-tasting Italian fare, its latest outlet at Suntec City specialises in something rather more unique, but equally delicious. There, choose from an ample variety of flavoursome, dry-aged meats that are beautifully marbled and paired off with premium red wine.

Last but not least, what better way to round off the night than with these sweet deals?

[caption id="attachment_23916" align="aligncenter" width="306"] Outlets
UE Square
Address:
81 Clemenceau Avenue #01-15/16, UE Square Shopping Mall Singapore 239917 (Corner of Unity Street and Clemenceau Avenue)

Monday to Thursdays: 11.30am to 12.00am (Last order: 10.30pm)
Fridays & Eve of Public Holiday: 11.30am to 1.00am (Last order: 11.00pm)
Saturdays: 09.00am to 12.00am (Last order: 10.30am)
Sundays & Public Holidays: 09.00am to 11.00pm (Last order: 10.30pm)

The Star Vista 
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green, The Star Vista #01-42/K3, Singapore 138617 (Beside taxi stand)

Mondays to Thursdays: 11.30am to 11pm (Last order: 10.30pm)
Fridays & Eve of Public Holiday: 11.30am to 12am (Last order: 11.00pm)
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays: 11.00am to 11.00 pm (Last order: 10.30 pm)

Suntec City
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall #01-514/515, Singapore 038983 (Beside Tower 2 Office Lobby, near the Fountain of Wealth)

Monday to Sunday: 11.30am to 11pm
Lunch: 11.30am to 3pm (Last order: 2.30pm)
Dinner: 6pm to 10.30pm (Last order: 10pm)