Review: Oso Ristorante

I've not been back to Oso in a while, but I was impressed on my first visit, and hearsay leads me to believe that it continues to remain at the forefront of fine Italian dining in Singapore.



Oso is located on Tanjong Pagar Road, which is also home to other restaurants like Buko Nero. The restaurant also has a lounge area where you can sit and enjoy some drinks before your meal.

The restaurant is extremely popular with bankers and lawyers entertaining clients on weekdays, so either make a reservation or come during dinner or weekends.



Our lunch started with a platter of cold cuts, which Oso is particularly famed for. Their carpaccios and proscuittos are sliced to transparent thinness, drizzled with just a little extra virgin olive oil and served with gherkins and onions. Definitely a great way to start the meal.



After which, we were served a squid ink pasta with shrimp. The tagliatelle was excellent, perfectly al dente with just the right amount of turgidity to give it bite. Nor was it intensely black as most squid ink pasta tend to be, rather, it exhibited a smoky grayness that prevented the unsightly staining of teeth, which tends to be characteristic of squid ink dishes.



Our main course was a slow-roasted lamb chop, served with some toasted walnuts and onion confit. The lamb was sweet and meltingly tender, but unfortunately had a generous layer of fat on it, which, while contributing to the richness and succulence of the lamb, I could not really bring myself to eat.



Since Christmas was drawing near, our dessert was a special Christmas cake - a millefeuille of fruitcake sandwiching light layers of chocolate mousse. I thought this dessert was somewhat lacklustre, and would have preferred a more traditional Italian dessert, but I suppose Christmas requires a special touch.

Although the food wasn't as good this time round, Oso still remains one of the best Italian restaurants to go to in Singapore. Service and ambience, particularly, make the restaurant a memorable dining experience.

Oso Ristorante (Italian)
27 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel : 63278378
Website

Location: 3/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 3.5/5
Overall: Still one of the better Italian restaurants in Singapore

Technorati Tags: Reviews, Italian, Restaurants, Singapore, Oso Ristorante