Forlino

 

 

 

 

 

I was welcomed by Roberto Gagliardi, the Maitre d’. And as I entered I was overwhelmed by the expanse of the ceiling-to-floor glass panels along the sides of the restaurant where I could have a magnificent view of the Singapore Fullerton bay waterfront with the Merlion right before me! The restaurant is spacious and you can have very decent private conversations because the tables are spaced out quite far away from each other. Renowned designers like Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders have done wonders to this restaurant – it is classic colors with dark wooden flooring and heavy velvet drapes. I saw myself on one of the ornate backlit mirrors – so old world glamour look……..not me…, I mean the restaurant.

 

 

Forlino’s is not a restaurant I would go to eat a meal every day but the lunch set menus are appealing. The new talented Chef Giuliano Dacasto has added his dash of creativity and culinary finesse to Forlino. He was trained at the three Michelin-star Ristorante Le Calandre di Rubano in Padova as Chef de Partie, worked at Gordon Ramsay’s Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café under Head Chef Stuart Gillies, before rising to head chef position at 2 Veneti in London, a modern Italian restaurant highly acclaimed by the U.K. media.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was served a home-made foccacia bread and the amuse bouche of the day was Ham croquette with Beetroot Mousse. The divinely old-fashioned ham croquette was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and it was a great matching texture to the beautifully chilled and flavored beetroot mousse. The Crab Salad with Wild Rucola, Sweet Pea Leaves and Cantaloupe – the so naturally sweet crabmeat was paired well to the wild rucola leaves that were just bursting with slightly pungent flavor. Do you know that rucola leaves are used as a natural emollient, is also used in cosmetics, in scalp treatments and moisturizing, toning lotions for the skin. It provides a bracing shot of energy too. The Tuna Tartare with Celeriac, green apples and grain mustard was just about balance in taste though I think a bit more mustard or lime juice would have been better.

 

 

 

 The ‘cocoa butter’ in the King Scallops Pan Roasted with Cocoa Butter, French Beans and Hazelnuts dish caught my eye…..and therefore I had to taste it. I know I can buy cocoa butter from skin care shops and therefore I wonder where the chef bought his cocoa butter. I have eaten scallops seared with chocolate or cocoa powder and therefore I did not feel that this dish was extraordinary. The scallops were cooked to the right degree of texture. The dish was very light especially so with the tinge of hazelnut oil. I did not smell or taste the faintest hint of cocoa butter though. Warm Gorgonzola Cheese Cake with Pear & Star Anise Sauce – this dish is a must try for those who like the intense flavor of the Gorgonzola cheese. It is my favorite dish and I am still thinking about it as I am typing this. It’s not often that you get a savory cake plated out nicely for you.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                              

The Homemade Spaghetti with Black Cod, Baby Artichokes and Mint came next – the spaghetti dressed in a very rich sauce with flaky black cod and sauted artichokes was so good I had to finish all the portion allocated. The Tagliatelle with Duck Confit and Goose Liver was definitely done with fresh pasta and I could taste the wine reduction. The foie gras had the most imaginable flavor, so full of nuances from the crisp outside and caramelized texture, its smooth, almost melting taste is second to none and came with just the right amount – too much of this may nauseate because of the richness. I can see that effort has been put into sourcing the best ingredients in the food at Forlino’s.

 

 

The Pan Roasted Seabream Fillet with Clams, Tomato and Caper Sauce was delightfully flaky and tasty because it was pan roasted and it gained depth and elegance from the sauce. I have tasted rabbit pie and rabbit stew and this was the first time I tasted Free Range Rabbit & Sicilian Prawn ‘Porchetta’ Roll with Sweet Peppers, Zucchini and Mint Sauce. So, what is a porchetta? Traditionally, it’s a gutted, boned-out whole pig heavily seasoned and re-stuffed with some of its innards, rolled up like a porky swiss roll, and then spit-roasted over a wood fire. Here at Forlino’s it is a whole de-boned rabbit stuffed with prawns, roasted and nicely cut into slices and served with the sweet peppers and zuchinni mint sauce. Honestly, I would have preferred an Italian Rabbit stew anytime. It is just that I am more of a saucy person……..you know what I mean?

 

 

 

Forlino’s classic Tiramisu was a very pretty thing that swept me off my feet – it was such an elegantly dressed gorgeous melt-in-the mouth – but a mousse rather than the traditional classic Tiramisu. The Maitre d’ came with the ice cream – made in house. The Balsamic Vinegar Ice Cream – something all ice cream lovers should try – the reduced sharp, tangy taste of balsamic vinegar made the ice cream taste so light in the mouth because the addition of the balsamic reduction tempers the richness and adds a subtle flavor making the ice cream exquisite and unique. Dessert Devil could not resist the Chestnut Vanilla Ice Cream – just yummy and rich with bits and pieces of chestnuts.

 

 

 

 

There is a difference between Italian cookery and Italian fine dining. Forlino’s is the place for you if you want to be hip and eat regional, traditional Italian food in a state of the art setting. Service was excellent and professional.