Italian food is divine and having Italian food in Italy is a privilege of a special kind. I guess by the same yardstick, having it anywhere outside of Italy should take away significantly from the experience? Well, in my opinion it does. Whilst you can replicate the recipes with local or air flown vegetables, meats and cheeses, what cannot be replicated is the homely atmosphere of a trattoria, the owner bustling around to check all is in order and the sheer delight of walking from the chilly outdoors into the warm, cosy interiors of a mama's kitchen with a glass of Chianti red to give you company. Ah bliss!
In my quest to find the closest cousin to the above Italian atmosphere, I have relentlessly pursued Italian restaurants in Singapore's hot and humid climate. Whilst I've enjoyed some places for their food, others have been big let downs on all counts from service to food to the faux ambience. I had almost given up hope of having a hearty Italian meal in Singapore till I discovered Pasta Brava.
Tucked away in quiet Craig Road close to the business district and newly rejuvenated area of Duxton Hill, Pasta Brava is easy to miss. Housed in a charming shophouse, Pasta Brava's decor is classic Italian. All you see from the outside are glass paned windows through which smiling faces of diners catch your eye with much more gravitas than any 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' billboard could ever do. On entering the restaurant, the vibrancy of the place almost takes you aback. Walls are adorned with paintings by the owner's brother and colourful drawings by former and current patrons. There is a choice of ground floor and first floor seating and I much prefer the former to soak in the ambience. Pasta Brava's ever-smiling owner, Rolando Luceri is on premises each time I've been there and is a perfect gentleman. Soft spoken with a heavy Italian accent, which is a bit of a surprise since he has been in Singapore for more than 40 years. Yes, you read that right - Forty years! A hotelier by experience, he has worked extensively in Asia including a long stint with the Oberoi group in India.
Now to the raison d'etre for my visits. The food menu is quite exhaustive. A staple order has always been the fried Calamari Fritti (SGD 16) which is simply wow. Another delicious appetizer - Prawns Gamberi (SGD 17) - is highly recommended for its butter garlic mix with a dash of brandy. Pasta Brava offers a range of regular pasta dishes as well as an assortment of home-made pastas. If you like your pasta with seafood, you've come to the right place. The Stracci Al Gamberi (pasta with prawns in saffrom cream sauce priced at SGD 23) is just what your dietician asked you to stay away from. Wee bit extra creamy but absolutely lip smacking. Spaghetti with clams (SGD 19) is another favourite of mine. The generous portion of clams has to be the largest I've seen in a pasta dish in Singapore. Another seafood pasta of crab meat topped with a sliver of red mullet is nice but at SGD 30 seems overpriced. If you like fish cooked the Italian way like I do, give either the sea-bass fillet in lemon sauce or the John Dory with olives (SGD 28 each) a try. You'll not be disappointed.
Pasta Brava has a relatively small wine list vis-a-vis other Italian joints in Singapore. However, the prices are reasonable. There is a good variety of Chianti Classico's in the SGD 90-120 range. What makes the wine menu special is the availability of wines from Friuli, Abruzzo, Campania regions of Italy which usually don't show up on other fancier wine menus. Now for the desserts. A must-try is the super yummy chocolate lava cake served with vanilla ice cream (SGD 12). Sadly, the tiramisu and panna cotta (SGD 10 each) are strictly okay. The portion sizes are decent but the preparation lacks authentic taste which is a pity because these desserts are typically whipped up by Rolando or one of the family members themselves.
Did I mention the tables are covered with white chart paper and crayons are provided as well ? You are encouraged to make drawings (vivid drawings on walls testify to talents of previous diners) and if you are bereft of any such talent, the chart paper is used by waiters to note your main course order thus eliminating any confusion. The service is cheerful and efficient. With Rolando around, it is tough to have a bad service experience here.
I highly recommend a trip to Pasta Brava for a dinner with friends or even a romantic date. If you are looking for a high flying corporate entertainment kind of venue, this is not the best choice. However, if it is genuine Italian food in a setting that oozes soul and charm that you crave, Pasta Brava beckons. Till your next vacation takes you to Italy, getting to Craig Road will have to suffice.
In my quest to find the closest cousin to the above Italian atmosphere, I have relentlessly pursued Italian restaurants in Singapore's hot and humid climate. Whilst I've enjoyed some places for their food, others have been big let downs on all counts from service to food to the faux ambience. I had almost given up hope of having a hearty Italian meal in Singapore till I discovered Pasta Brava.
Tucked away in quiet Craig Road close to the business district and newly rejuvenated area of Duxton Hill, Pasta Brava is easy to miss. Housed in a charming shophouse, Pasta Brava's decor is classic Italian. All you see from the outside are glass paned windows through which smiling faces of diners catch your eye with much more gravitas than any 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' billboard could ever do. On entering the restaurant, the vibrancy of the place almost takes you aback. Walls are adorned with paintings by the owner's brother and colourful drawings by former and current patrons. There is a choice of ground floor and first floor seating and I much prefer the former to soak in the ambience. Pasta Brava's ever-smiling owner, Rolando Luceri is on premises each time I've been there and is a perfect gentleman. Soft spoken with a heavy Italian accent, which is a bit of a surprise since he has been in Singapore for more than 40 years. Yes, you read that right - Forty years! A hotelier by experience, he has worked extensively in Asia including a long stint with the Oberoi group in India.
Now to the raison d'etre for my visits. The food menu is quite exhaustive. A staple order has always been the fried Calamari Fritti (SGD 16) which is simply wow. Another delicious appetizer - Prawns Gamberi (SGD 17) - is highly recommended for its butter garlic mix with a dash of brandy. Pasta Brava offers a range of regular pasta dishes as well as an assortment of home-made pastas. If you like your pasta with seafood, you've come to the right place. The Stracci Al Gamberi (pasta with prawns in saffrom cream sauce priced at SGD 23) is just what your dietician asked you to stay away from. Wee bit extra creamy but absolutely lip smacking. Spaghetti with clams (SGD 19) is another favourite of mine. The generous portion of clams has to be the largest I've seen in a pasta dish in Singapore. Another seafood pasta of crab meat topped with a sliver of red mullet is nice but at SGD 30 seems overpriced. If you like fish cooked the Italian way like I do, give either the sea-bass fillet in lemon sauce or the John Dory with olives (SGD 28 each) a try. You'll not be disappointed.
Pasta Brava has a relatively small wine list vis-a-vis other Italian joints in Singapore. However, the prices are reasonable. There is a good variety of Chianti Classico's in the SGD 90-120 range. What makes the wine menu special is the availability of wines from Friuli, Abruzzo, Campania regions of Italy which usually don't show up on other fancier wine menus. Now for the desserts. A must-try is the super yummy chocolate lava cake served with vanilla ice cream (SGD 12). Sadly, the tiramisu and panna cotta (SGD 10 each) are strictly okay. The portion sizes are decent but the preparation lacks authentic taste which is a pity because these desserts are typically whipped up by Rolando or one of the family members themselves.
Did I mention the tables are covered with white chart paper and crayons are provided as well ? You are encouraged to make drawings (vivid drawings on walls testify to talents of previous diners) and if you are bereft of any such talent, the chart paper is used by waiters to note your main course order thus eliminating any confusion. The service is cheerful and efficient. With Rolando around, it is tough to have a bad service experience here.
I highly recommend a trip to Pasta Brava for a dinner with friends or even a romantic date. If you are looking for a high flying corporate entertainment kind of venue, this is not the best choice. However, if it is genuine Italian food in a setting that oozes soul and charm that you crave, Pasta Brava beckons. Till your next vacation takes you to Italy, getting to Craig Road will have to suffice.
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