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2013-06-14
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As far as I understand, Pietrasanta is a town on the coast of northern Tuscany, with its capital being none other than Florence itself. And yes, the owners of Ristorante Pietrasanta hail from beautiful Pietrasanta! I believe this Tuscany family-styled restaurant embraces the most homely and authentic Tuscan experience one can ever have in Singapore, away from all the hustle and bustle of the Singaporean lifestyle. I was extremely thrilled to be invited to this food-tasting event by OpenRice; to
Ristorante Pietrasanta is really gorgeous by day, but even more romantic by night. Other than outdoor and indoor seating, there is also courtyard seating. I love the charming decoration at the courtyard because it gives me a tinge of excitement in the lovely environment; feels like it's Christmas all year round! There is also a couple swing which really sets the romantic mood.
The food tasting started with Chef Alfredo giving us a visual treat on how he prepares Home-made Mozzarella Cheese - stretching and kneading to achieve a delicate consistency, then pulling out to develop the stretchy strings before shaping it for the plate! I love how pure Mozzarella tastes so subtle; yet its gentle cheese fragrance is so alluring. I enjoyed the slightly chewy texture. Burrata presents a pleasant surprise for its sharper taste, with its texture being rich and creamy - notably distinct from its Mozzarella origins.
Home-made Fettuccine with Sausage and TruffleBlack truffles are held in high esteem in the Italian cuisine, and are highly prized. The little slice of black truffle on the plate totally brought out the character of this dish. Its precious savory sweetness, coupled with lots of tempting sausages, tossed together with the delicate home-made pasta made this dish so divine.
Home-made Green Ravioli filled with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach, served with Butter and Sage SauceOther than the uniqueness of this round-shaped Ravioli, what struck me was the texture of this home-made pasta - so fine and soft, unlike the normal kinds of store-bought pastas! It was not only able to soak up the full flavour of the tasty Butter and Sage Sauce, it also acted as a warm and gentle embrace to the savory taste of its Ricotta Cheese and Spinach filling. Yummy!
Risotto with Porcini, Saffron and Marrow BonesAnother highly prized dish. Porcini is an expensive type of mushroom that is also held in high regard in many cuisines and is difficult to cultivate although it is available commercially, while Saffron is the most exorbitant spice in the world, believed to have medicinal benefits. The taste of this dish is rather complex, taking the character of Saffron which is one flavour I still face difficulty describing. All I knew was, the golden-yellow creamy-textured Risotto was so enticing that I couldn't stop eating it, and if it was prepared without Saffron, this dish would probably be dull and soulless. The Marrow Bones (Beef) made this dish all the more welcoming, adding that explicit beefy butter fragrance.
Grilled Lemon SoleThe sprinkle of herbs enhanced the lemon zest in this dish, resulting in a light and refreshing surprise. The nature of the meat is slightly textured, yet remarkably soft to the bite; something close to the consistency of Grilled Salmon.
Braised Lamb Shank with Chianti WineAs far as I understand, Chianti is a region near Florence in Tuscany, and is one of the best wine-growing regions in the world. Tuscany is arguably most famous for their elegant Chianti Wines. This charming ingredient made the whole dish so luxurious! Needless to say, the fragrance of the sauce was intensive and heavenly. I have no idea how long the meat was braised, but I'm sure lots of time and effort were put into achieving its fall-off-the-bones tenderness, juiciness, and explosive taste. With the divine sauce drenched over the delicate meat and moist mashed potato, this dish was extremely addictive!
Lemon TartArguably one of the best dessert I've ever eaten in my life! It is incredibly weightless; melt-in-your-mouth with a little tinge of fizz. The lemon fragrance was so explosive it shot a renewed sense of euphoria into me. There is just some supernatural power in this that made me so in love, when in actual fact I don't usually think much of lemon (fruit) and tarts in general. Maybe double negatives can magically turn into a magnificent positive after all. This dessert is to-die-for!
Pistachio SemifreddoSemifreddos are semi-frozen desserts, typically gelatos. Its fluffy consistency was stunning, like compacted shavings of iced milky pistachio. The moment it went into my mouth, the semifreddo melted slowly, then so gracefully flowed down my throat, leaving its alluring presence in its entire trail as it made its way into my belly - there was something so comforting about this indulgence. The milky pistachio flavour is pure and clear-cut, better than the actual pistachio nut in my opinion.
TiramisuAnother outstanding dessert that is surprisingly lightweight. The foamy and softest melt-in-your-mouth consistency was seductive. I love that this version didn't have any ingredient overpowering another. The resultant flavour was the most blissful blend of coffee, cocoa and mascarpone cheese.
If you're now tempted to visit Ristorante Pietrasanta, SBS Bus 191 actually stops right in front of the restaurant at Wessex Village Square, but do be cautioned that the last bus is at 8pm.
I'm really thankful for this one of the most amazing food journey I've ever had in my life! :')
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