MODESTO’S

To be Italian comes with a simplicity that is laced with flair. Not too flamboyant, but yet is able to strongly make a point. Its cuisine, should say the same. Take the humble Aglio Olio for example. Finely chopped chili, a bit of garlic and doused with olive oil. By its sheer look, nothing impresses. But each mouthful of it will kick you at the head repeatedly with full on flavor.

Modesto’s, brings that same charm to Italian food. It is unpretentious, and unlike a lot of other mutant take on Italian food, is very close to what you’ll expect if you were in Italy yourself. Starters and appetizers are bold and heavy on the palate. Take the prosciutto ham with melon, for example. The strong, salty prosciutto may come in thin slivers but trust me when I say that’s all you need. The melon almost becomes a necessity to the dish, helping to tame the full on flavor of the prosciutto, bringing down to a tantalizing and appetite wetting door opener to the rest of the full menu.

For mains, close your eyes and pick any of the pizzas. Modesto’s does its pizza old school and thoroughly infused with the smoky goodness of a traditional wood oven. No Italian restaurant is truly so without pastas. Modesto’s signature Linguine a La Modesto is a tantalizing choice for anyone who is in for a unique and hearty dish that is sure to satisfy the hungriest of bellies.

Loyal customers of Modesto’s will surely bring up the Tiramisu Modesto. The great thing about desserts here is the sheer portions. A generous helping of the tiramisu will work for a sweet sharing between couples or even among a group of your best mates.

PETE’S PLACE

Located right at the heart of bustling Orchard Road, Pete’s Place offers a walk-in solution for all your pasta or pizza cravings. What I liked about Pete’s Place was their use of an authentic wood-fire oven which repeated churns out fantastic pizzas. Regulars of this joint from the old days would clearly highlight to you that this place has changed little since its beginnings during the 1970s. To re-create that rustic Italian charm, its owners have opted for exposed brick walls to line the restaurant and the age old mark of red-checkered tablecloths.

To kick off a meal, start with the well-stashed salad bar that comes with a wide selection of fluffy warm bread. Although salad bars are usually uninteresting and plain, this one at Pete’s Place boats a relatively large and interesting array of vegetables and homemade dressings. The bread is, as any Italian restaurant should have, a buttery and light flavor. Paired with its homemade butter, a simple bread really shines. A favorite that regulars would tout includes its Ciopinno – seafood pasta laced with thick, almost creamy tomato sauce. For a heartier meal that would satisfy the carnivores in us, go with the Beef Escalope with Parma Ham.

This Valentine’s Day, Pete’s Place offers couples dining out a Valentine’s Set Menu. Start off your meal with the Insalata di Carciofi e chele rosse, condite al limone – a salad of fresh artichoke and wild rocket. For oyster lovers, opt for the freshly shucked oysters dressed with champagne vinaigrette. After that, start the meal with a Zuppa di zucca con chele di aragosta e olio al tartufo – roasted pumpkin soup with lobster claw and truffle oil. For mains, choose between two mouth-watering options of Pan Seared Codfish with Sauté Potato and Baby Tomato dressed with Basil Pesto; or Roasted Filet of Beef with Herbed Potato, Buttered  Spinach in Wild Mushroom Sauce. To end off the hearty meal, Pete’s Place delivers the Heart of Crispy Chocolate Cake with Berries; a sweet concoction that ensures a well remembered Valentine’s Day.

PREGO

Pergo is a long-lasting icon of Italian cuisine in Singapore, emphasizing on home-cooked dishes that have impressed its many diners judging from the positive reviews it garners. Prego is home to a host of many sections that thoughtfully churns out various Italian foods. Revel in the busy atmosphere of the restaurant with the baking of fresh pizzas at the pizzeria, meat being browned at the rotisserie and a host of busy office workers and longtime fans take away cuts of meat and cakes from the deli counter.

Dining area is chic but there is no pressure to dress well as it gives off an air of informality. Feel free to trot in with a bunch of friends in berms and t-shirts. Sit by the edge of the restaurant if people watching over a slow lunch is in order or if you want to observe your meal prepared before your eyes, sit nearer to the kitchen. Watch as the kitchen staff glitters around pouring wine, roasting whole cuts of meat and tossing pasta with flair.

First impressions always count and Prego does well really with its complimentary bread. Crisp and warm to the touch on the outside and when you break it apart, although requiring quite a bit of effort, it reveals a fluffy heart that soaks up the olive oil brilliantly. As with a lot of Italian restaurants, a popular dish is the parma ham with sweet rock melon. Prego’s rendition of it is decent with the sweetness of the melon cutting through the salty ham, balancing the flavors quite well.
One of the stars of Prego is the Squid Ink Tagliolini with lobster garlic. For those who yearns a hearty meal that goes beyond the usually simple tastes of Italian pastas, you can’t go wrong with this. Al Dente tagliolini tossed and mixed well with thick squid ink and thoroughly flavored by lobster garlic makes it a dish to remember.

Prego is having a $195++ Valentine’s Day dinner for couples starring Pan-roasted Goose Liver on Red Apple Confit, Crispy Fried Prawn with spicy Basil Eggplant & Green Peppercorn Cheese Soufflé, Pan- roasted Sea Bass on Sautéed Spinach, Tomato & Champagne Coulis, silky Green Olive & Martini Salsa and sweet melting chocolate moments for dessert.

ZAMBUCCA

When you are running a top-of-the-line hotel like the Pan Pacific, you will need a top notch restaurant to complete your guests’ stay. This is where Zambuca fits the picture. In the 5 years of service, Zambuca have impressed its way into the hearts of many customers in both the food department and of course, its selection of wine. The restaurant easily commands over 2000 labels and plays its role as part of the Zambuca’s décor with them scattered in the dining area, which really makes sense if you have got a good wine list. Like they say – if you have it, flaunt it!

Zambuca is also known to be at the forefront of reinventing itself quite occasionally so keep the menu fresh and to be a source of constant surprise for customers. So what you’ve had couple of months back may not be there anymore, but in its place. A new dish will be there to delight you.

The antipasti are lip-smacking good. Go for the grilled asparagus with truffle-infused poached egg and the Trio Di Cappsesante – Tempura Scallops with Marini Sauce. Once you’ve opened the floodgates to your appetite, have a go at its renowned Pasta Frutti De Mare. A generous serving of pasta combined with a good helping of seafood makes this a winner on the menu. You can request the type of sauce it comes in – tomato, cream, aglio olio or rose.

Not in the mood for a pasta? No worries and gun for the Porcini Risotto. A creamy mix of Arborio rice infused again and again with the meaty flavor of Porcini and button mushrooms makes this a clear winner for any fans of risotto. With a light, crisp white wine, this will prove to be a dish to remember. To end the meal, nothing can go wrong with the Crème Brulee that is laced with a generous dousing of amaretto and served with a berry sorbet on the side to function as a palate refresher.