After a short hiatus when the fine dining La Strada and its sister restaurant the pizzeria were closed for renovation, the two have now merged into one hipper, more brasserie-type restaurant. Glass windows, funky colors, an open plan design and an alfresco area have made this into a lively and bustling restaurant that definitely requires bookings. With the same chef, Leandro Panza, at the helm, we went expecting great things, but were a little disappointed to find the menu items somewhat uneven. The inconsistency we saw in the superb fine dining restaurant and the average pizzeria is still reflected here: Some of the items are truly divine, while others are really only mediocre. Stick to items like the quail and foie gras ravioli, the spaghetti carbonara with truffle butter and the stracci al ragu (bolognaise with three types of meat) and you’ll be supremely delighted. On the flip side, both our linguini marinara and tagliolini al granchio (with mud crab) were quite bland. Panza’s other great strength is his dessert: We loved the Italian donuts with orange curd and the torta di cioccolato. This is definitely worth a visit, but just be selective with what you order.Have you tried the carbonara pasta? It’s one of I-S Magazine’s 50 things to eat in Singapore before you die (2011).
