When your Italian friends tell you that one particular restaurant serves up the best Italian food in Singapore, then you know it has to be pretty spectacular. Conveniently located in the CBD, Otto Ristorante garners rave reviews for its authentic Italian fare and regularly changing specials that focus on seasonal ingredients in their prime like fresh white asparagus and black winter truffles. We’d actually been to Otto a while back, but decided that it was time to give it another try just to see if it was as good as we remembered.
Our experience:
Dining at Otto is not an everyday experience, so we decided to make the most of it and start with some drinks and appetisers at the bar before heading to the dining room for our main meal. At first we thought the ambiance might be a bit stuffy and stale like many fine dining spots. However, we found that from the minute we walked in, the atmosphere was welcoming and cosy both in the bar area and the dining room with its white linen tablecloths and warm lighting.
The menu has tons of indulgent options for meat eaters and seafood lovers, but not so many choices for vegetarians. In fact, the last time we came with vegetarian diners and there wasn’t much for us to try. This time we had one vegetarian diner with us and she had her heart set on the baked eggplant parmigiana cannoli with parmesan and tomato emulsion, which was on special but they were out, so she had to order the penne arrabiata, which wouldn’t have been her first choice.
Vegetarian issues aside, everything we ordered was fantastic. Stand-outs included the Boston lobster linguine ($42) in spicy light tomato gravy, the ripe Italian tomato and burratina cheese ($34) with Pio Tosini Parma ham, and the codfish ($46) with an olive crust and sweet garlic sauce. Dinner was definitely expensive, but in our opinion it was worth the splurge.
About:
Chic and modern, Otto consistently wins rave reviews for its authentic Italian fare by head chef Michele Pavanello and the talented kitchen team. In fact, the restaurant won a Michelin Plate this year for its fresh ingredients prepared expertly with beautiful presentation. The pastas are the main draw, as the noodles are made fresh in house and the sauces pair perfectly with the various seafood, meats, and veggies. Because of this, the place tends to get packed during lunch and dinner, so reservations are highly recommended.
UJ tip:
Otto has both indoor and outdoor seating, but we definitely preferred the indoor ambiance. The intimate vibe makes it perfect for a special occasion when you feel you really deserve a treat or for a quiet date. If you’re not sure you want to break the bank on dinner, check out the set lunch for a very reasonable price of $38++ for three courses.
Otto Ristorante, 32 Maxwell Road #01-03, Singapore 069115. p. +65 6227 6819. Open Mon – Fri 12pm – 2:30pm, Mon – Sat 6:30pm – 10:30pm
