PUBLISHED March 26th, 2012 10:51 am | UPDATED June 6th, 2016 01:45 pm
I had heard that the Bukit Timah neighbourhood of Binjai Park has become home to some new establishments of late, and so always keen on snuffling out new hidden gems I ventured off to check out one of the said…Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria.
The restaurant is owned by Luca Lannone, one third of the brothers behind the restaurant Limoncello in Robertson Quay. Though I have to confess I’m not a huge fan of the latter, I feel in striking out on his own this brother is much more at home in this cosy trattoria which really feels like you could have just stepped into somewhere for lunch in the Bay of Naples. Think exposed brickwork, decorative tiles and warm colours which give this place a lovely traditional, old world feel.
Being lunchtime, my dining accomplice Hehzee and I were only in for a glass of wine each. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised that you could enjoy a glass of decent Italian wine for only $10 a glass and we found that the Regaleali Bianco and Rosso were the perfect, light, lunchtime accompaniment.
Always harbouring a weakness for a Caprese ($18) we of course started off with this. A spot-on serving size with melt-in-your-mouth buffalo mozzerella and juicy tomatoes.
The Carpaccio di manzo ($18), with it’s tender slices of beef served atop a bed of rocket salad with sliced mushrooms and parmesan cheese was finished off perfectly with a subtle lemon sauce. Both of these starterss were just right in that they by nature are simple dishes which should let the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves, which I’m happy to saywas very much the case.
As tempting as the pizzas from the wood fired oven might have been, we opted for a pasta and seafood dish for main. On the pasta Hehzee merrily munched away on the hearty Fettucine alla nocerina ($25), a creamy, meaty and apparently very satisfying dish of home-made fettuccine pasta and pork sausage which was delicately flavoured with black truffle.
Though I was leaning towards trying out one of my all time favourites Risotto ai frutti di mare ($24) in the end I opted for Frittura de pesce ($26). Having fond memories of tucking into similar dishes on the coast in Italy, there was something that I couldn’t resist about the generous mixed platter of calamari (which had just the right level of light chewiness) and prawns (nice, big and juicy) served with a rather tasty spicy tomato sauce on the side.
Although we weren’t planning on ordering dessert, the owner made a very nice gesture (despite not knowing our Nomad origin) and sent over a complimentary slice of lemon cake. Made from his own mother’s recipe from the Amalfi Coast, with appetizing slices of lemon making up a bed for the rest of the cake which was deliciously moist.
Capri is a great little spot of a neighbourhood eatery where you can expect tasty, hearty, no-fuss fare. If you live in and around the Bukit Timah way you should definitely know about this place. Of if you’re like me and you’re just a curious cat who likes discovering new neighbourhoods then Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria is a good as reason as any to do just that.