burlamacco ristorante, tanjong pagar

fantastic italian at this beautiful, hidden-away restaurant at amoy street. I came here after reading quite a few rave reviews – decidedly well-deserved – and though I was initially a little apprehensive at the sight of an empty restaurant on a friday night, I can now tell you it’s not from a lack of quality at all; and you really ought to make your way here.

the food is bright and delicious, with clear flavors and vibrant color; and while the meal wasn’t inexpensive – it is billed on par with similar continental restaurants in singapore.

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there is something very welcoming about the restaurant’s interiors. the tables are spaced well (so you don’t need to edge in on your neighbors’ conversations), and while the decoration isn’t blatantly composed the way many new places are, it is modern rustic – good lighting in a space that is both intimate and cozy, with furniture that smacks of an italian or french establishment.

we started off with good bread – always a good sign. these were rather small rolls with a golden crust and an immensely fluffy interior, with the smell of good bread wafting through as you bite into them. they served only one per person, but we requested more – especially when our starters arrived.

these clearly showed kitchen expertise. we shared the uova al pomodoro, essentially an italian version of shakshuka – eggs semi-cooked through in tomato sauce. that sauce was brilliant, thick and savoury, with a great texture that was very moppable with bread – especially if you pre-dunked your bread in runny yolk.

p.s. am I the only one who hears my mum screaming in my head about how I’m spending nearly two tenners on three eggs?

the carpaccio di filetto di manzo alla mostarda in grani (such a mouthful) was a thinly sliced beef carpaccio laden with greens and a generous drizzle of mustard dressing. almost too generous in fact – I would have preferred much less dressing – but the beef was well-flavoured (I’m guessing aged/cured from the colour) and stood up well to the creamy dressing. it was a very good mouthful, and the bits of green helped to keep it from being too-rich.

I wasn’t too hungry, so I skipped a main – but stole a little from the other side of the table. the veal ravioli in a creamy mushroom sauce was incredibly difficult to photography – beige always is – but very tasty. the silky pockets were savoury (in that cheese sort of way), and the sauce well-seasoned and a great pairing with the pasta – without being overpoweringly heavy.

the food really was good – I wish I had more anatomical capacity to go through more of the menu – and more than deserves praise. the place really is surprisingly unpatronised, though – we stayed till nearly eight and the place was barely filled up. I have a feeling it might be a mixture of price (high, though not exorbitant considering the food quality – rather worth it) and the fact that the central business district is pretty much a ghost town past working hours. great food, an intimate ambience – so very suited to close friends and partners.

Burlamacco Ristorante
77 Amoy Street
Singapore 069896
tel +65 6220 1763
$$$: two starters + one main = seventy-three

p.s. there’s an intriguing chocolate shop across from this place – matt’s the chocolate shop. anyone know if it’s good?

p.p.s. I’ll also – upon some suggestions from friends – start telling you how much the meals were. I didn’t do it at the start because I rather prefer using vague expressions like reasonable and cheap – wait, I can see how this could be more useful to you.