Trattoria Gallo D’Oro

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*Katherine and I were in the vicinity, and decided to grab something to eat. Unfortunately most of the eateries were packed, so we decided to settle for Italian fare at Trattoria Gallo D'oro. We both ordered the set lunch from the friendly wait staff, and starter of bread with olive oil was served to us while waiting for our food.We started with a Pumpkin Soup (Zuppa) - it came in the form of an orange, translucent broth instead of the cream of pumpkin soup we were expecting at most Italian restaurants. It tasted sweet, and there were pumpkin bits; I had to douse mine with a lot of pepper.I had the Pasta with Clams (Vongole) that was disappointingly bland. Usually vongoles come with a lovely white wine sauce or even if cooked in cream, there would be some taste to it. Unfortunatelyt for this, I just could not detect any flavor so I was chewing on the hard pasta and tasteless clams, adding lots of Tabasco sauce to it for flavor.*Katherine had a Parma Ham Pasta and while this had more flavor to it, paired with rather succulent pieces of ham, she also thought that the pasta was a tad too hard. It was kind of dry as well, without much gravy to it.The last course was Hot Tea, which could not go wrong. It was comforting to have a cup of hot, sweet tea after lunch. The entire set lunch cost around SGD$22.00 each.We did not enjoy our lunch here at all, and would not be back for more. For full review, please visit: http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2014/11/lunch-at-trattoria-gallo-doro-italian.html continue reading

What strikes me as a fine chef is one who appreciates his creations and food like an art piece. While conversing with Executive Chef and owner of Trattoria Gallo D'oro, Silvio Morelli, I learnt much insight about his skills and knowledge in culinary arts.Having received mentorship from Michelin 3* Chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Michel Guerard where Chef Silvio used to spend 16 hours in the kitchen, it is no wonder why he seeks finesse in his culinary skills and more importantly, to impart artistic flair and creativity to his creations.What intrigued us was that Chef Silvio paints every evening after he is done at his restaurant and displays his collection of paintings on the walls of his restaurant for his guests and diners to enjoy while they tuck in to a hearty meal prepared by the same pair of hands!Before we start the meal, 'Cin!' (which means cheers in Italian!) Interestingly, we learnt that one should only say Cin! once as repeating it (Cin Cin) meant 'Cheers and never to see you again!', so go easy on your Cin!Amuse BoucheServed on a slice of toast, the diced cherry tomatoes atop a slice of salami was neatly packed before being drizzled with balsamic vinegar to taste. Neatly constructed, it was no surprise in our later courses that Chef Silvio impresses us with his beautifully composed plating.Antipasti - Crispy scallops with ricotta cheese and white truffle | S$36/++What set this antipasti apart was the harmonious combination of ingredients which elevated the flavours of each component standalone. There was an interesting array of textures and flavours in this dish, starting from the succulent pan-seared firm scallops that shone as the star. Paired with the soft white truffle, we enjoyed the beautiful juxtaposition in textures with the crispy thin wafer that sits atop the luscious ricotta cheese. The subtle bearing of mint on the ricotta cheese delivered hints of freshness and sweetness, which made the cheese very palatable indeed.Fans of white truffle would embrace the unique aroma which is a divine embodiment of earthy flavours. The introduction of gingered carrots thinly sliced added an additional dimension to enhance the robust flavours of nature and in my personal opinion, laid the foundation to an ingeniously-constructed appetiser to whet one's appetite.Tomatoes consume with anchovies and croutons | S$14/++If you are a fan of tomato-based broth, this would set you brimming with smiles. The rich broth retained much of the acidity that gave a bold punch of flavours. While Chef Silvio recommended to have our hands dirty and tuck in to the toasted slice to the broth, I personally enjoyed them better when eaten separately. The richness of the ripe tomatoes unfortunately masked the savouriness from the anchovies spread which was undoubtedly delicious on the toast.Wild pork cold cuts with Lardo di Colonnata | S$26/++One of the highlights includes learning from the various food connoisseurs and Chef himself about the ingredients and dishes served. While many would be familiar with Italian cold cuts, what many would not notice is to enjoy it with some soft and balanced Pilsner beer. Not only does it complement well with the savouriness of salami, the light and crisp beer would be perfect on any hot day!The various types of cold cuts were neatly arranged and meant to be enjoyed in a clockwise manner, starting with the lightest in terms of flavours before ending with white boar salami which is distinctly stronger and bolder.Bavettine Pasta with Lobster and White Truffle of Alba | S$48/++Like any fine-dining Italian restaurant, the long and flattened pasta was hand made by Chef Silvio and one would expect some al dente pasta lusciously soaked in a tomato-based sauce. Given the relatively small size of the lobster served, it was challenging to nail the cooking time and regrettably, my lobster was slightly over the mark. Regardless, I enjoyed my pasta as the piquant blend of lovely flavours from the ripened tomatoes definitely set the standard.What made this dish memorable was that when it was served to all three of us at the table, the cloches were removed simultaneously, which made quite a theatrical presence!Roasted Pork with Potatoes & Rosemary, Tuscany-style | S$32/++There was no way I could ever say no to roasted pork belly, be it the Western style or your classic siew yuk. With the pork very well seasoned through the distinct layers of fat and lean meat, the savoury flavours came across boldly in a palatable fashion. The succulent meat was paired with the velvety mashed potatoes. Drizzled with toasted black sesame seeds, it added some grit to the softness of the mash and collectively as a dish, it certainly made a very satisfying main for the gentlemen and ladies.Chef Silvio took much pride in showcasing his handmade macarons and we could see the reason why upon the first bite. It was almost love at first sight (and first bite). While I dare not claim to be the connoisseur when it comes to macarons, I do know how to appreciate a good one when such comes across. A crisp shell with an inner jam-filling that did not fail to surprise us. While we tucked in to our sumptuous dinner, it would be hard not to indulge in the other aspect of art displayed by Chef Silvio as the paintings on the wall were all his masterpieces!Having tried other comparable Italian restaurants such as Burlamacco and Alkaff Mansion recently, I felt that Trattoria Gallo d'Oro is definitely worth a visit to truly experience Chef Silvio's creations. One of the most dynamic Chefs with an friendly disposition, he certainly made every guest felt welcomed at his restaurant. Particular about the careful construction and presentation of his dishes, Chef Silvio pays the highest regard to ingredients and transforms them into masterpieces such as his paintings.We particularly enjoyed the ambience as the casual setting made it a place where one would feel comfortable knocking some pints over and tucking in a hearty meal!Will not be long before our next visit, till then! continue reading

The dinner started with deep fried calamari and soft shell crab. It was fried nicely. Crispy and tasty and you do not feel the oil as well which was good. then for main, we had linguine with live prawns, garlic, and diced tomato. This dish was not bad either. Nicely flavored and prawn was fresh and tasty.Next up was oven baked whole sea bass with leeks and cherry tomato. This dish was kind of disappointing. The fish had very strong fishy taste which I do not enjoy at all. Luckily the dessert saved the night. Coffee aroma tiramisu was really good. All you wanted from a good piece of tiramisu can be found in this. continue reading

My friends and I were looking for a place for our quarterly get together. One of them suggested dining in at Trattoria Gallo D’oro (The Golden Rooster) which is an Italian restaurant located at Central Mall. Frankly, it is my first time to this mall and I got confused between this mall and the one at Clarke Quay. Do note that it is two different malls, this Central Mall is located at 7 Magazie Road. This place is definitely less popular among the public, gauging from the crowd there. The restaurant is at level 1, and level 1 is more of like the open street type, somewhat like level 1 of Bugis Junction. The restaurant is helmed by Master Chef Carlo Marengoni who specialises in northern Italian home-styled cuisine. We had made reservations prior to coming and we are seated immediately. The decor of the restaurant is very simple and very cozy. I felt as though I was at a friend's place instead of a restaurant and I immediately felt very relaxed here. The chef is a very friendly man as he mingled with us a little and he took the trouble make some recommendations to us as we are all quite new to Italian food. The chef's philosophy is "Have food, must share" which is why the dishes here are generally prepared for sharing and placed in the middle of the table. We ordered a total of 7 dishes. First up was the appetizer, the Burratina di bufala con pomodorini $18++, or more simply, buffalo burratina cheese. The cheese looks more like large whites enveloping large yolks, and the exterior of the cheese is actually quite hard. However, once you cut it, it is actually quite soft and the cheese is actually rather sticky. I was expecting it to be very heavy in taste, but surprisingly, the cheese is actually quite light tasting and does not have a very strong cheesy taste. I love spreading it with the bread that they serve. Speaking about the bread, it is very unique as well, with what tastes like vinegar green chilli within the bread. I also love the soft, slightly saltish and chewy texture of the bread.The next dish we had was the Sardine fritte $25++. Although it was stated that it is a main, it felt more like an appetizer instead. When we say sardines, we normally think of those canned Ayam brand sardines. Once you had the sardines here, you will never look at sardines the same away again. The sardines here are flown in from Italy, and it is then deep fried until crisp and served with onions and lemon. Even though it is deep fried, it is not greasy at all and it is really crisp to the bite. I felt as though I was eating fried crackers because of its savoury taste. The onions and lemon also add some zesty tang to the sardines. This is one main that I will definitely recommend. We ordered one of the pasta dishes as well, the Casonsei alla Bergamasca $20++ or stuffed veal ravioli, is served with crispy bacon. The ravoli is basically pasta wrapped around the veal filling. I would say it resembles the wantons, only that the filling is different. One good thing about the ravioli is that since it per piece, we can simply scoop one ravioli up easily with our fork and savour it. The filling inside the ravioli, the veal (beef), is tender, juicy and very tasty. The crispy bacon condiment further lifts up the taste of the dish as the bacon bits are very savoury and provide a burst of flavour when biting into it. Although it was a pasta dish, it did not feel too heavy on the carbohydrates because of the veal filling inside. We also had to order their Involtini di manzo ripieni $28++ which is the rolled beef with mozzarella and tomato sauce. Although the beef is very tender, I did not actually taste any of the cheese within the beef, so that is quite a disappointment. I was expecting the cheese to be gooey like eating a pizza but it wasn't the case. In addition, the beef taste is rather strong, and even though I ate only two pieces or “roll”, it made me sick of the taste quickly and I did not reach out for a third serving. However, I must commend the rich tomato sauce which is very tasty. The next main that was served to us was the Branzino intero al forno $29++, which is oven baked whole Sea Bass. The sea bass was flavoured with leeks and Italian herbs and it is quite light tasting so it is actually quite suitable since most of the dishes that we had was rather strong tasting. The fish does not come with any sauce or dressing, but even so, the meat is still tender and flavourful as it is naturally seasoned by the herbs. I really enjoyed this dish a lot. However, I think it would be better if the chefs could cut it up (not sure if there is such a service if we request) for us since it can get quite messy if each diner takes his own share.Last of the mains is the Pollo al forno rustic $26++, or simply roasted chicken with potatoes, olives and shallots. Different parts of the chicken is used so depending on which part that you got, the meat will be different. The portion of the chicken which I got happens to be the chicken thigh which is very tender and juicy to the bite. The taste of the chicken meat is also great as it is well seasoned and tossed with the herbs with a nice olive oil fragrance to the chicken. The cubed potatoes are slightly hard on the outside and soft on the inside. I believe they may have lightly fried the potatoes to achieve the slightly hard exterior of the potatoes. Finally, we are served dessert, which is the Torta della Nonna con gelato, $10++ or Grandmother’s custard cake with vanilla gelato. The cake is sweet and crusty at the ends and soft in the middle. I don’t really have a sweet tooth, so I found it to be too sweet, but for people with sweet tooths, this would definitely be alright for them. I particularly enjoyed the vanilla gelato. It is so smooth and not too sweet nor overly heavy. Overall, I found this place to be quite cozy and relaxed with its warm and soft lightings. The Italian food here is homely and as authentic as it can get. It is a great place for friends and families who want Italian food since the mall is away from the main crowd. In addition, the concept of sharing the food is a further draw for friends/families to bond over food. We are definitely coming back here in future for our get togethers. Service is also great as the chef was very friendly, recommending the food and checking with us on how we felt about the food. The service staff also topped up our water frequently and were prompt to replace our cutley after a few dishes were served. Tips:- Do make a reservation as the restaurant is quite small and there is limited seating capacity- Do take note that it is closed on Sundays, so do not make plans for it if you are planning to come on a Sunday continue reading

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! continue reading