Forlino

Courtesy of Singapore’s Women’s Weekly, P and I had a 1-for-1 voucher for the “Degustation” meal at Forlino Italian Restaurant.

This is one of the few expensive and higher-end restaurants that we have been to. And the experience was indeed much more special. The waiting staff were polite, attentive and friendly. They explained each dish with patience and enthusiasm. We were mere students, nothing like the other guests in the restaurant who were working professional adults. And moreover, we were having the 1-for-1 special, but the same professionalism was still extended to us.

Since we were having the Degustation Menu, there wasn’t much of a choice of food we could make. Well, it seemed that before the meal, we had not planned on ordering any drinks. But somehow, the atmosphere was good, the cocktail list looked appetizing and we ended up ordering 2 glasses of cocktails – the tequila based Margarita and rum based Daiquiri. The interesting thing about the Margarita was that there were salt crystals along the edge of the wine glass. Previously, I have had a glass of Margarita at a cafe/pub in East Coast before, but there weren’t such salt crystals.

First course – Amuse Bouche, which was essentially single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre. There was also complimentary bread to go with it. Something unique was the combination of sea salt and bread. We were rather intrigued that salt could actually go well with bread, unlike the conventional pairing of sugar with bread.

Next up was the Crab Salad with Wild Rucola, Sweet Pea Leaves and Cantaloupe. Ok, I am no fan of vegetables, thus I didn’t quite enjoy the bed of greens beneath the crab. I did, however, enjoy the freshness of the crab meat. Unlike the crabs we often eat at seafood places, you could truly taste the sweetness and seafood freshness of the crab meat in this dish.

Pan Roasted King Scallops with French Beans and Hazelnuts! Being seafood lovers, the both of us loved the scallops! This reminded us of what we had at Dozo. The scallops were semi-cooked, with the outside being a little burnt, while the inside was slightly raw. It was cooked perfectly! P adores such dishes, where the outside is cooked, while the inside is slightly raw. The scallops, needless to say, were fresh and juicy. No need for any fanciful sauces or condiments, the scallops, when cooked in the right way, will taste fabulous.

The first few dishes were not too strong in taste. But the Tagliatelle with Duck Confit and Goose Liver was a different story. It was a tad too oily and salty. Perhaps it was the combination of duck confit and goose liver which made the entire dish quite rich in flavour. Not to say that it wasn’t good, but we felt that it was a little overwhelming and the tagliatelle ended up rather oily as well. Still, the duck confit was tender; the goose liver melted in my mouth.

The final dish before desserts – Roasted Suckling Pig with ‘Pimento’ Peppers and Spiced Apple Sauce. It is the first time that we’re having roasted suckling pig in a non-Chinese restaurant. It was slightly different from the traditional Chinese ones. This version was less dry and bit more juicy. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender. But somehow, we felt that the last 2 dishes were too strong in flavour. Hence, it seemed that we ended up the cooked dishes with a mouthful of oil and salt.

Finally, dessert of the night – Liquorice Crème Brûlée with Raspberry Gelato. I was hoping to be able to try Forlino’s Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Banana Gelato and Rum Sauce. But sadly, it wasn’t part of the Degustation Menu. Nothing too special about the desserts. However, after 2 consecutive rich dishes, the gelato was refreshing and a good way to wash away the oil.

The meal ended off with a cup of tea and petit fours.

Total cost for 2: $221.28

Great food, awesome atmosphere and hospitable serves – Forlino does live up to its reputation of being Singapore’s finest Italian restaurant. Plus the great company – what more can one ask for?

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