Hidden so well in my subconsiousness, turns out, I lluurrrvvveee Italian food! So now I have a favourite cuisine.
We found Bonta listed as a new place to try if you are bored of the authentic Italian fare available around the island. To be honest, it was not my first choice for the evening, but it's now tops on my list from all the Italian places I have tried. That's right, fickle me...Valentinos, Borgos, Garibaldi, Pontini, sorry, you were good, some decent.. but alas, I have a new love.
Located at UE square, it is not the best place to start a restaurant, considering it does get rather deserted after office hours. We practically had the entire restaurant to ourselves the entire evening. But with true Singaporean fashion, it could just be due to fact that they are fairly new. Before you know it, I'm pretty sure you would have to call one month in advance for a decent reservation like some 'black hole' I know.
I would describe the decor as alluring and charming. Allurement radiating from the pristine fine-dining interior, fully equipped with a floor to ceiling glass wine cellar and a mezzanine bar counter. Charm oozing from the romantic outdoor seating area that comes alive at night with twinkling candle light.
Like all Italian experiences, we started off with freshly baked bread compliments from the kitchen. Given my obsession with bread, I fell in love with the chef's own version. Served, in a cup, the bread was baked with walnuts and a soft feta cheese center. I am sure I embarrassed myself, but I just couldn't help digging my fingers greedily into the soft warm bread and savouring the unusual, but 'so-good!' mix of flavours.
The scallops with spinach in hollandise sauce was interesting. Used to having my scallops with either garlic or miso paste sauce, this combination was rather odd for me and the alfalfa was just strange. G liked it though. Perhaps it's all that vegetable.
Earlier reviews strongly recommended the Angel Hair Pasta and rightly so. So rare to find a whole lobster served in a pasta, let alone such a fresh and perfectly cooked one. The morsels were so juicy and sweet. And to make the experience even more enjoyable, there was a generous sprinkle of lobster pieces within the pasta itself to add to the already tasty basil, chili and tomato base.
The Foie Gras Ravioli was even more amazing. Swimming in an evidently rich pool of cream and cheese, the total of five home-made raviolis were stuffed pockets of fatty goodness that will go straight to your heart. Yes, I can almost see my readers raising their eyebrows because it was always thought that I don't touch that heart-stopping stuff. Well I'm still not a convert. But, this was just amazing. The earthly taste of truffle was distinct and it pairs so well with the oil-spurting filling and the thin pasta skin. Together with the rich cream and cheese sauce, I just couldn't stop! Suffice to know I suffered heavily for it after. Try to share this one. It seemed manageable even after my second ravioli but after fifteen minutes, I understood why they only gave us five pieces.
Our last dish was the grilled lamb chops. The cooking is excellent, no question about that. Order a medium rare and the meat served is char-grilled consistently on the outside but perfectly juicy red on the inside. But I guess order something a little less adventurous and hence, get something that also tastes that little less interesting.
The pastas seem to be their forte but I won't be too quick to write off their meats and appetisers. Even without room for dessert, I'm was already quite impressed with Bonta and anticipating my next trips back. Hope they took my suggestion to offer the Ravioli in Entree portions by then!
Bontá Italian Restaurant and Bar
207 River Valley Road
UE Square River Wing#01-61 (S) 238275
Tel: 6333 8875
No comments:
Post a Comment