Italian

Basilico introduces a new menu by Chef Luca Beccalli! Our favorite dish is this beautiful handmade pasta I'm craving for right now – yes, at 10 in the morn.

Stuffed with pear and Tuscan pecorino cheese, this faggotini pasta draws on a well-balanced mix of sweet and savory, an unexpected hit of sweetness from Gorgonzola sauce slicked with braised radicchio that enthrals the tongue.

Cause that's where the money's at. 😉

This intimate spot hidden in The Grandstand may be slightly out of the way, but if you're after excellent Italian cuisine, making a trip down will more than satisfy. The ambience here sets the tone for a lovely dinner date. Start off with the freshly made Ciabatta Bread ($6.50), served warm with a pesto-like dip — warning: very addictive. The pastas here will leave you begging for more, especially the ever-popular signature Squid Ink Fettuccine with Crabmeat in Creamy Tomato Sauce ($29.90), and the Linguine Aglio Olio ai Fruitti De Mare ($28.50) studded with smoky seafood and whole-roasted garlic cloves. For dessert, you can't go wrong with the Tiramisu ($13.80) or Stracciatella ($15.50). You and your date will be all smiles when you leave.

Juicy and tender! Awesome! Service is outstanding, as usual!

Head here with your hungriest family members for Peperoni's 21-inch Family Pizza ($55). The XXL pizza feeds a group of four to six people, and you can choose two flavours (from 18 choices) to have on the same pie. Try the Proscuitto Crudo di Parma (Pork), with thinly sliced parma ham and a generous portion of rocket leaves, and the Pancetta, served with cured bacon, cherry tomatoes and that very Instagrammable wobbly egg in the centre. If your family can really eat, add on the Frutti di Mare Pasta ($25), or the Lasagna ($22) to share, and wash all that down with an ice cold Gunner cocktail ($7). P.s. Be sure to make reservations on weekends. They also have another outlet in Binjai, which is quieter.
Avg price: $30 per person

Oh-so-good.

Heading the kitchen at OSO is Chef Diego Chiarini, formerly of world leading Italian restaurant Bice, Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Chef Diego believes that guests should only experience a dish with the correct ingredients. The handmade fettuccine with de-shelled baby lobster ($34) is such a creation. Al dente with just the right amount of turgidity to add bite, the handmade pasta is accompanied by sweet and succulent baby lobster meat with a full-bodied tomato sauce made of San Marzano tomatoes (the best Italian plum tomatoes) with a light sprinkle of basil.

‘OTTO’ is Italian for ‘eight’, and dining here will give you reason to believe this was meant to be the eighth wonder of the world. The food speaks for itself, and its no surprise with acclaimed Italian Chef Michele Pavanello (formerly of Il Lido) heading the culinary team. A special off-the-menu dish we also enjoyed was the Wagyu beef and pan-seared foie gras tagliatelle ($44). Grain-fed for 180 days, the Australian Wagyu is incredibly tender; the pan-seared foie gras so creamy and smooth that it melts in your mouth like butter. A very hearty dish, but delicious nonetheless.

Along the bustling streets of Club Street is a hidden gem in the form of Italian restaurant Cugini. Believing in good homemade food, this five-year-old trattoria takes pride in using quality ingredients imported from all over the world. For the best squid ink pasta in town, look no further. Expect a burst of flavors in your mouth with the squid ink fettuccine ($27.90) with seafood, green pea puree and mullet roe. Made with extra yolk, the fettuccine pasta is richer, with a touch of homemade bottarga sauce (a Mediterranean delicacy made of mullet roe) that gels everything together.

Have you ever seen a 21-inch pizza? If you haven't, you've got to try it at Peperoni's. It's always fun to see how excited everyone gets when they're served the gigantic pizza. Choose 2 different toppings to better please the group, a must-try topping is their Parma ham & rocket salad. You'll be so satisfied eating at Peperoni's, you'll be scheduling your next visit even before you leave!