Eat New in January: Comfort foods and feel-good eats

Try Southern Italian comfort food from Puglia, rich North Indian Awadhi cuisine, and more as we welcome the new year.

 

Chicco Pasta Bar

Joining the Telok Ayer stretch of restaurants in the CBD, Chicco Pasta Bar is home to quality, value-for-money, homemade pastas and classic Italian street food.

Literally translating to grain in Italian, the most fundamental ingredient for fresh, high-quality pasta, the 38-seater Chicco is the latest venture by AC Concepts, and once again helmed by the affable Chef Drew Nocente.

Nocente’s menu offers fun Italian street food, such as spiced Salmon Tartare with sourdough, grilled Cauliflower steak with a chilli garlic sauce, Fried Mozzarella, and Burrata with melon, cucumber and rocket, to name just a few.

For mains, choose from seven hearty pastas, featuring traditional pasta shapes made from scratch every day. For instance, the signature Rigatoni with Chorizo, Black Pepper, and Cherry Tomatoes is inspired by the classic Amatriciana; while the Fusilli with Mushroom & Nduja elevates traditional mushroom ragu through the addition of the spicy pork sausage. Tagliatelle features 36-hour Slow-Cooked Beef and Smoked Tomatoes; while the classic Casarecce with Guanciale, Egg & Pepper; and Tagliolini with Slipper Lobster & Bisque are just some of the more elevated menu options available.

Also available are grilled proteins (available for dinner only), including Australian Grass-fed Ribeye, Pork of the Day, and fresh Fish of the Day.

For dessert, choose between Tiramisu with pistachios and a crown of creamy mascarpone, or the classic fried dough balls Frittelle that are naturally sweetened with raisins and orange zest, topped with Nutella sauce.

Visit Chicco Pasta Bar at 208 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068642, Tel: 8468 8146

 

Moxie

New modern Mediterranean dining and lifestyle venue Moxie is inspired by coastal culinary journeys and beach house vibes, perfect for leisurely weekend brunch and all-day dining.

Group Executive Chef Steven Chou helms the kitchen, with a menu of fresh produce-driven plates and platters. Indulgent weekend brunch grazing starts with a mezze of dips (like black garlic confit-flecked Hummus, brown butter-laced and toasted almond topped roasted Kabocha, Whipped Ricotta with pickled sundried tomatoes, and smooth Spinach Yoghurt with whipped aquafaba and raisins.

On the dinner menu, Moxie’s version of Saganaki sees warm, melted Kefalotyri cheese topped with toasted pistachio dukkah, pomegranate molasses, and thyme honey, served with sourdough. Likewise, creamy Burrata is paired with pickled red beets, charred grapes and mint oil, a perfect accompaniment to the duo of cured fish plates from the raw kitchen.

For larger sharing plates, the Feast section offers a slew of hearty pastas and Umami Rice imbued with rich shellfish stock and brimming with clams, mussels, octopus, and grilled tiger prawns. For proteins, Catch of the Day is filleted tableside, with a choice of classic almond, burnt butter and caper sauce, or a punchy scallion puree with burnt lemon and pico de gallo. A meatier option is the 36-hour brined Lamb Shoulder, confited in chicken fat, and portioned tableside with a medley of couscous tabbouleh, tomato salad and balsamic pickled cherries.

For dessert, the Moxie Millefeuille is a crisp filo pastry sandwich crowned with a crunchy, brown butter kataifi and raspberry dust; or try the moreish Spiced Poached Pear Tart with white chocolate caramel ganache and almond flakes; and the weekend-only Tiramisu, generously spiked with Mount Gay rum and chocolate espresso.

Visit Moxie at the Medical Alumni Association Clubhouse on 2 College Road, Tel: 9339 3380

 

SanSara

An ancient Sanskrit word for “to flow”, the ethos of SanSara’s rich North Indian cuisine is inspired by the idea of a river that is constantly moving, evolving, and renewing itself. Thus, it is only apt that SanSara is located along the Singapore River, offering a rich culinary journey that flows through the diverse flavours and vibrant, cultural traditions and heritage of northern India.

SanSara pays tribute to the ancient roots of Awadhi cuisine, dating back to over 5,000 years ago, with influences from the royal Mughal, Turkish and Persian cuisines. The 50-seater restaurant is helmed by Master Chef Akhilesh Pathak, being his first overseas venture after having worked in fine dining restaurants in iconic cities across northern India.

Pathak celebrates time-honored culinary techniques and ancient cooking methods with signature dishes such as SanSara-E-Lazeez Maas, a slow cooked lamb curry; Kumbh Ki Galouti, one of the most famous royal dishes from Lucknow, literally translating to ‘melt in your mouth’, comprising minced button mushrooms, served on a disc of soft paratha.

Also interesting is the Murgh Paan Kebab, featuring tender chicken breast layered with betel leaf, spices, and Greek yoghurt. Complement the lamb curry with the Awadhi Gosht Biryani, for rich, fragrant basmati rice and fork-tender lamb chunks. Equally moreish is the coconut yoghurt based Sailana Jheenga for juicy prawns in the creamy coconut gravy. End on a classic Awadh dessert of Kulfi Falooda. Served sundae-style, the Indian ice cream is served atop condensed milk, strings of sweetened vermicelli and crunchy basil seed, infused with aromatic rose syrup.

Visit SanSara at Grand Copthorne Waterfront 392 Havelock Road, Level 1 Singapore 169663, Tel: 6233 1338

 

Waterfall Ristorante Italiano

Chef de Cuisine Simone Loisi ups the ante on Italian classics from his hometown Puglia, with the addition of 14 new communal dining dishes to his à la carte menu at Waterfall Ristorante Italiano at Shangri-La Singapore.

Loisi’s heirloom Come A Casa (for sharing) recipes include the classic Polpo Alla Brace, for applewood-smoked whole octopus served tableside, drizzled with rosemary and olive oil, one of Puglia’s popular summer dishes and an ode to his childhood memories. Another new menu addition is the Guancia Di Maiale Brasta Con Polenta, featuring fork-tender braised pork cheeks in a beer gravy, served with polenta.

New antipasti options include Frittura Di Pesce, south Italy’s popular delicacy, brimming with crispy baby cuttlefish, octopus and shell-on prawns, served with homemade spicy mayonnaise; and Carpaccio Di Manzo Al Coltello, the Italian rendition of steak tartare, featuring thinly sliced raw beef tenderloin, drizzled with olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and shaved parmesan cheese.

Also new on the menu are eight artisanal, handcrafted pizzas, with a choice of two pizza bases – the Pinsa, for hand-pressed pizza dough that’s soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, or the perennial favourite Classic for a chewier option.

Finally, Loisi has also added two new homemade pasta creations with the baked Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina in a homemade tomato sauce with mortadella cheese; and the Conchiglie Zafferano Vongole Gamberi E Bottarga for a seafood medley of prawns, clams, saffron and bottarga.

For dolci, Loisi brings the rich Bigne Crema Di Nutella Nocciole E Panna to the table, the perennial Italian cream puffs filled with Nutella and Chantilly cream; as well as traditional Panna Cotta Menta Coulis Di Frutti Rossi, with a red berry coulis and fresh mint.

Visit Waterfall Ristorante Italiano at Shangri-La Singapore, 22 Orange Grove Road, Level One, Garden Wing, Singapore 258350, Tel: 6213 4398

 

Brasserie Astoria