Restaurantweek'10 Day 1: Lunch at Forlino

There could be no better way to start this (blog) ball rolling than with two double bills back-to-back. This weekend, I savour the offerings of four of Singapore’s definitive fine dining establishments as part of the inaugural restaurant week during which participating eateries slash prices on a handful of hotly-contested tables. Today’s two stops: Forlino and Il Lido!

Forlino - 1 Fullerton Road, #02-06 One Fullerton, Singapore

One of Singapore’s most famed Italian eateries; it has garnered accolades from Wine and Dine, Elle and IS magazines. The $25 per-pax 4-course meal was a steal at a place that would usually set one back about $100 per person.

The amuse bouche of cured salmon was an indication of the delectable things to come with the rich fish counterbalanced by the tangy salad dressing. A safe bet and crowd-pleaser by any account, my friend’s only grouse with it was that her portion of fish seemed smaller than mine.

The foccacia that came with it was warm and pillowy with just the right balance of crisp and chew in the crust!

The Crab Salad with Sweetpea Sprouts and Cantaloupe sounded a little edgy at first but delivered magnificently. The cantaloupe chunks and puree brought out the natural sweetness in the generous cake of crustacean in a fashion that both intrigued and delighted the taste buds.

Now on to the mains; I opted for the Homemade Spaghetti with Black Cod, Baby Artichokes and Mint. I’m somewhat of a pasta nut so a forkful of the perfectly al-dente pasta made my eyes close and lips curl in inexpressible bliss; such divine silkiness and chew is a rare find despite the ubiquity of pasta these days. However, they were rather stingy with the stray flakes of fish and the crispy toasted vegetables were incongruous with the lovely texture of the pasta. That said; the sauce was brimming with flavour that soaked right into the glorious noodles and more than redeemed the dish to me.

One friend went for the Wagyu Beef Cheek Braised with Marsala Wine and Herbed Mashed Potatoes and was in raptures about it for the rest of the meal. Melt-in-your mouth tender, the meat was braised to the point of one not having to chew. Furthermore, the sauce was a beautiful love-child of the rich beef and sweet Marsala whose flavour was surprisingly discernible; something that no doubt took hours of tender loving care to achieve.

The other friend had the Halibut Fillet with Orange. Green Asparagus and Martini Vermouth Sauce which was very fresh, though the lovely fish was paired with a too-buttery sauce that made the dish rather rich. The asparagus spears were tender and sweet but this dish underperformed next to the other two mains which were nothing short of spectacular. To quote said friend, “I’ve had better.”

We awaited Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Banana Gelato and Rum Sauce with eager anticipation, and it was arguably the piece-de-resistance. The warm, rich, chocolaty ooze was a paradox of sin and divinity which the delightfully unusual banana gelato accentuated beautifully. Finally, the tart, sweet raspberry cut through the richness for a perfect finish.

Petit fours and freshly-brewed Italian coffee seemed a muted afterthought for while good, they merely echoed the splendour of the preceding two courses. I took a moment to appreciate the gorgeously minimalistic presentation though.