Trattoria Gallo D’Oro

This is a hidden gem in the middle of Clarke Quay. I was introduced to this place by a friend who raved about the food and I can say I wasn't disappointed!The buffalo cheese was divine! I was really apprehensive that this would have some pungent cheese taste (like goat's cheese) but it was light and creamy with a hint of the cheesy taste. Paired with some fresh tomato to cut through the richness and I had a lovely starter. The ravioli was good! The sauce was really rich so go easy on it as it can be quite filling. Cooked with spinach and bits of meat ball (SO GOOD) and I was sopping the ravioli up to the last bite. The steam sea bass was okay. The fish was fresh and cooked well with bits of fried garlic and herbs but nothing too special about this. And lastly the dessert - Tiramisu. It was airy and luscious, paired with good vanilla ice cream and watermelon (I think they added vinegar to the fruit). A nice finish to a great meal!

2012-12-25

SGD 50(Dinner)

Thanks to Open Rice, I get a chance to visit this restaurant which is located at the quiet Central Mall.

In general, the food is delicious. However, if you would like me to choose my favourite dish, I will say that it is the Casonsei alla Bergamasca (stuffed veal ravioli served with golden butter, crispy bacon and sage). It smells and taste really good! Most importantly, the filling in the pasta (ie ravioli) is fresh.

Another dish which I will strongly recommend one to try is the Branzino intero al forno (oven baked whole sea bass with leeks and Italian herbs). Usually, I do not like whole fish (as compared to fillet) as I dislike the fishy taste and smell. However, the chef is very generous in adding herbs that there is no fishy taste and smell at all! This is also a healthy dish which is prefect for those who are on diet. Who says that you can't have yummy food while dieting?

2012-05-17

SGD 0(Dinner)

For full write up & photos, please visit my blog: http://www.aspirantsg.com/foodie-food/home-cooked-italian-meal-trattoria-gallo-doro/singapore or follow me on twitter for food reviews: https://twitter.com/AspirantSG

Most of us will remember fondly the delicious, comforting dishes of childhood cooked by our mothers, grandmothers, or other relatives. Today, it's hard to find those soothing dishes we grew up with unless we have learned to cook ourselves.

Thanks to the kind invitation by OpenRice & Trattoria Gallo D’Oro to their 23rd OpenRice Tasty Union (ORTU #23), I had the chance to experience authentic home cooked Italian cuisine in a cosy restaurant setting.

Trattoria 'Gallo D’Oro' also known as 'The Golden Rooster' Restaurant in English is located at Central Mall, a rather quiet spot of Clark Quay.

Yellow interiors soothed diners after a long day at work. The presence of traditional red brick walls with wooden furnishing gives the place a warm homely feel.

To get the ball rolling, a quick 'ice-breaker' game was conducted by the OpenRice folks for everyone to get to know one another better.

Our first dish sparked immediately excitement and curiosity among the diners. What on earth were these 2 balls?

That's Burratina di Bufala con Pomodorini ($18) - Fresh buffalo Burratina cheese with sliced tomato, basil and ‘first pressed’ organic extra virgin olive oil. It was accompanied by freshly-baked bread &

Tagliere de affettati misti Emiliani ($22) - a delicious selection of thinly sliced authentic Emilia Romagna cold cuts.

The Buffalo Burratina Cheese looked so cute that we were initially reluctant to break up its ball structure. The thin external layer was a little tough probably to retain its shape but the interior was soft, flavourful and really easy to spread onto the bread.

Just top everything up with one of the cold cuts and you have yourself a yummy appetiser.

Next came the Sardine Fritte ($22) - Deep fried sardines with onions and lemon. The size of the sardines were slightly bigger than our familiar ikan bilis. They were crunchy but still command a meaty texture and strong taste of sardine. It's addictive if you are a sardine lover.

With our appetite whetted, It's time to serve our first pasta for the evening. Casonsei alla Bergamasca ($20) - Stuffed veal ravioli served with golden butter, crispy bacon and sage was indisputably my favourite dish!

Smooth melted butter, titillating crispy bacon .... this is a dieter's worst nightmare but it tasted so good.....

Our second pasta was Foiade del Gallo D’Oro ($20) - Homemade pappardelle pasta, with sausage and spinach. The sausages looked more like meat balls. They offered a rather bouncy bite which complimented the creamy pasta really well.

By the time we were done with our appetisers and pastas, I am already 3/4 full. Thankfully, the first main course Involtini di manzo ripieni ($28) - Rolled beef with mozzarella and capers was a tomato based dish which made it less filling.

The succulent beef roll hides a cheesy secret - mozzarella stuffing.

Strangely, the Branzino intero al forno ($29) - Oven baked whole Sea Bass with leeks and Italian herbs had a fishy river taste. Nevertheless, the fish was really fresh. Perhaps I am not used to the Italian treatment of their fishes.

Our last main dish Pollo al forno rustico ($26) - Roasted chicken with potatoes, olives and shallots was a delightful piece of art. Bloated from too much good food, most of us skipped the potatoes but the olives were a hit!

Before the desserts were served, these wonderful man behind all these fabulous food, Master Chef Carlo Marengoni came round to say hi. He passionately explained his vision of promoting and upholding the noble notion of sharing homestyle northern Italian cuisine in a classic Italian way.

He only has one sacred rule: “In Gallo D’Oro, have food must SHARE.” Gallo D’Oro is a reflection of his Italian roots, particularly that from his hometown, Bergamo. True to his rule, the restaurant will have a daily ‘sharing menu’, featuring up to a range of appetizers, pastas, meat options and desserts. All orders, including those from the ala carte menu, are prepared for sharing and placed in the middle of the table.

To end off the delightful session, Torta della Nonna con gelato ($10) - home-made custard cake with vanilla gelato handed down to Chef Marengoni's grandmother was presented as the parting treat for all attending OpenRicers. It has a tangy lemony taste which offered a good contrast with the sweet gelato ice cream.

Trattoria Gallo D’Oro is one of the rare restaurants around Clark Quay that offers quiet and relaxing ambience for its diners and the menu prices are reasonable for quality Italian cuisine.

You may also like to check out my posts on other delicious food places: http://www.aspirantsg.com/restaurants-cafe-eateries-food-list-singapore

2012-05-18

Thanks to openrice, I had a chance to try out the food at. We have a total of 9 dishes to sample ranging from appetizers, pastas, main courses and finally dessert. Of the three appetizers, my favourite would have to be the Sardine fritte. It is unlike the normal sardines since it is deep fried until crispy and it is not greasy at all even though it is deep fried.

For the pastas, I love both of them. The Casonsei alla Bergamasca or stuffed veal ravioli is served with crispy bacon. It is my first time eating the ravioli and it looks quite like the chinese dumplings in dim sum restaurants which is quite cute and since it is piece by piece, it is easier to share among the table as well. The filling inside the ravioli is very tasty and flavourful and the crispy bacon further enhances the overall taste of the dish.

The other pasta dish is the Foiade del Gallo D’Oro. The homemade pappardelle pasta looks something like the kway in kway chap, and it is really good. The pasta is not too hard nor soft, giving it some bite which allows you to fully enjoy the taste of it. The sausage is also tasty and tender.

For the main course, I like the Involtini di manzo ripieni which is the rolled beef with mozzarella and tomato sauce. The beef is very tender and the cheese within the beef itself provides a very interesting flavor to the beef.

Last is the dessert, which is the Grandmother’s cake with vanilla gelato. The cake is sweet and crusty at the ends and the vanilla gelato is surprisingly good as well. It is a must have dessert for people who have sweet tooths! I will definitely recommend you to this homely restaurant if you are looking for italian food.

I had an enjoyable dinner with my friend and fellow Openricers at a newly opened Italian restaurant - Trattoria Gallo D’Oro last night.

I seldom visit Italian restaurant, so im not too sure how does authetic italian food taste like. What i know is, i certainly like their food at Trattoria Gallo D’Oro! The pictures attached are the dishes i liked most.

I really like the authentic Emilia Romagna cold cuts. It was very thinly sliced and tasted simply yummy. I ate it together with their freshly made bread (the bread tasted really fresh, good and 'Q'). I spread a little cheese on the bread, with a slice of tomatoes, and a slice of cold cuts. Wow its tasted yummy, its absolutely my own 'subway', i think much better than that actually. haha.

Another favorite dishes that i really liked is the Sardine fritte - Deep fried sardines with onions and lemon. It is very crispy and freshly fried with a little saltish taste. And the sardines tasted rather fresh and soft on the inside. I wish to have more! Kind of addicted. Just cant stop eating. hehe.

As for the pastas, I love them both - Casonsei alla Bergamasca - Stuffed veal ravioli served with golden butter, crispy bacon and sage and Foiade del Gallo D’Oro - Homemade pappardelle pasta, with sausage and spinach. But i prefer the Homemade pappardelle pasta, with sausage and spinach a little more, cos its tasted so yummy and creamy but not that overwhelmming. And the sausage tasted so good and springy! I kept 'targeting' that. haha.

I quite like the dessert Torta della Nonna con gelato - Grandmother custard cake with vanilla gelato also. It has a lemony taste which i really like, but it might a little too sweet for me. I suppose Italian dessert taste sweeter? Anyway, it tasted very flavourful, a very good way to end our dinner.

2012-05-17