If there is one Italian thing that I cannot get enough of, it has to be the..... food!
This is reason enough for me to make an afternoon escapade from work and dive into the gastronomic comfort set within Dolce Vita, a fine-dining Italian restaurant located on level 5 of Mandarin Oriental Singapore.
Right place, and the right time too, as Dolce Vita has recently launched its new dishes by Chef de Cuisine Marco Manocchio.
I almost wanted to dive into the swimming pool located next to Dolce Vita too! Lol!
Kidding! I'd rather not get wet and just want to enjoy the idyllic view of the pool area and beautiful skyline through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows from inside the restaurant.
Fortunately (or unfortunately?), there were no hunks in sight so my attention was solely focused on the fare that Chef Marco has in store for us.
Hailing from Rome, Italy, Chef Marco stays true to his Italian roots with a thoughtfully curated menu that showcases modern creation using bold, fresh and Italian ingredients.
Our lunch began with a basket of freshly-baked bread that is accompanied by a most lovely tomato pesto.
This was quickly followed by Treccia Campana di Bufala ($34), a fresh mozzarella from Naples. The handcrafted buffalo cheese gets its delicate and sweet taste through an elaborate process of spinning, cutting and twisting the milk curd over and over.
The resultant texture is creamy with a slight chewiness that was very pleasing in each bite.
Next dish of Insalata di Astice ($36) in miso consommé tasted contrastingly light with its refreshing notes.
Ooh like fresh breath of spring but with a whiff of sexy aroma from the lightly-smoked lobster which really jazzed up an otherwise seemingly innocent salad.
Other menu highlights include Crema di Cavolfiore ($20) - cauliflower soup topped with seared Hokaido scallop, Carbonara ($28) - homemade spaghetti with pecorino sabayon, pancetta and black pepper, as well as the signature Lasagna Dolce Vita ($32) - 25-layer lasagna handcrafted with Neapolitan ragout, pasta and smoked scarmoza fondue.
Though the carbonara and lasagna were delectable, I personally find both a tad too heavy and surfeit for my liking. My dining companions must have felt otherwise looking at the way they enjoyed the pasta dishes.
The Pidemont-style Tortelli ($36) stuffed with braised beef suited my palate much better. Not only was the dish visually appealing with slices of black truffle, its flavors were robust and taste was rich. It made me want to lick every last drop of its sauce off the plate.
This is what I would describe as truffley, beefy carbolicious goodness. Perfect in every sense.
Didn't realized the best has yet to come until the Tagliata di Manzo ($98) is served.
By having the roasted US prime beef bone-in ribeye carved and plated at the tableside, it heightened our gluttonous anticipation even further.
Woohoo! The magical moment when the premium meat finally reached our mouths! Wondrously flavorful with a tender succulence that's executed just about right! Much to our delight!
We probably can't escape Tiramisu ($16), the typical Italian classic for desserts, but Dolce Vita freshened it up a deconstructed twist. Made with espresso gelato and encased in mascarpone mousse on a bed of chocolate textures, this sweet offering was certainly winsome.
The vanilla Panna Cotta ($16) served with pistachio crumble, berries and burnt milk ice cream was both delicious and brilliantly presently! Doesn't the confection remind you of those mushrooms in cartoons? So cute!
Overall, it was a satisfying lunch at Dolce Vita. Other than the well-executed food, diners can also enjoy the spectacle of the chefs at work with the large open kitchen.
There is also a wine chiller featuring over a hundred labels for wine connoisseurs.
Furthermore prices are considered affordable. Set Lunch are at $36++ for 2-course, $42++ for 3-course, and $52++ for 4-course.
Dolce Vita
Address: Level 5, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039797
Contact: +65 6885 3500
Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/singapore/fine-dining/dolce-vita/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dolce-Vita-at-Mandarin-Oriental-Singapore-203809382988749/
Opening Hours: Weekday Lunch 12pm-2.30pm / Weekend Brunch 12pm-3pm / Daily Dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm
Prices are (1) Stated in Singapore dollars (2) Subject to 10% service charge & 7% GST (3) Correct at point of published date.
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Very useful information regarding italian restaurants that I like a lot :)
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