'Flavourable' Sensations at NUVO

If it has been ages since you last paid a visit to Marina Square, it is high time you that make a trip down there – and in particular, gear your tummies to The Dining Edition section. Through the maze of restaurants and to the back and you’ll uncover a gem called NUVO, an Italian restaurant owned by the same folks behind Lady M® Confections and Procacci.

A recent induction to the 4-month old gourmet bistro is its Executive Chef, Mark Richards, a celebrated culinary sensation formerly from Keystone Restaurant at Stanley Street. Bringing his sheer passion for modern cooking techniques and the art of experimentation, Chef Mark has worked up a new menu featuring Italian dishes with Japanese nuances – to be launched later this month on 28th February. Mark your calendars!

Left: Crispy Calamari, Right: Warm Japanese Mushroom Salad

Like the designated page boy and flower girl, the starters include a Warm Japanese Mushroom Salad ($18) dressed in a nicely charred butter sauce, as well as Crispy Calamari ($18) tossed in a seven-spice Japanese powder ‘togarashi’. They sit on a bed of wild rockets surrounded by watermelon cubes, which act as a refreshing contrast to the spicy rings.

The signature Angel Hair Wakame is a must-try at NUVO.

The cream beneath the Grilled Pork Rack features an Italian pasta with a Japanese seasoning.

Then it’s all eyes on their signature Angel Hair Wakame ($18/$24), seasoned with tamago furikake, lobster essence and a Japanese chilli, rayu oil. We’re certain that the perfectly al dente pasta will leave you wanting more, so here’s a fair warning. Another deserving dish for the limelight: The Lobster Risotto ($28/$33). The al dente pearls of short grain Italian rice are blended with creamy lobster bisque and mascarprone (cooked from fresh Boston lobsters) to a great consistency – Also, a touch of truffle to accentuate the myriad of flavours. For those who must have your dose of protein, the Grilled Pork Rack ($32) is one to consider. The neat pork slices sit in a thick cream of yuzukosho embedded with a tiny carbo surprise of fregola sarda, a less commonly used Italian pasta. While these dishes scream umami, the following desserts on the menu seek to gently awaken your sleepy sweet tooth.

Left: Wild Honey Panna Cotta, Right: Green Tea Pan Di Spagna

Chef Mark’s playful personality shines in the Green Tea Pan Di Spagna ($12), a matcha sponge cake slathered with banana jam, topped with fresh banana slices and a Hello Panda crumble for crunch. A lighter and smoother option is the Wild Honey Panna Cotta ($16) with lychee, figs and mikan – a melt-in-your-mouth delight that is easy on the palate. It is commonly perceived that modern cuisine goes hand in hand with fine dining that caters mainly for the rich and famous. Not at NUVO. Here’s what Chef Mark has to say:

“My personal goal at NUVO is to use quality ingredients to bring my food to the mainstream every day. I am really looking forward to welcoming back old friends to my new home, as well as making new ones.”

To us, it’s a beautiful wedding of Japanese and Italian flavours. And you’re all invited. See Also: Discover the best Japanese food in town More Italian food to satisfy your tastebuds