PUBLISHED December 5th, 2012 12:21 am | UPDATED June 2nd, 2016 02:06 pm
Italian restaurants in Singapore! Another one? And another one? If like me you’ve noticed that every other week a new trattoria or pizzeria or ‘fine dining’ Italian has opened up, you’ll be wondering what is going on…well…just like in New York, the Italians are secretly plotting to create, yes, that’s right, our very own Little Italy in Tanjong Pagar! But seriously… if we speak about Italian restaurants in immigrant terms, you can’t help but mention one of the older generation venues which is still around and going strong, Senso.
Established in 2000 (12 years is very old in restaurant terms), Senso has for many years been serving up quality Italian food, coupled with consistent, impeccable service (I’ve dined here several times over the past 3 years). Personally what draws me so much to Senso is its unique setting. The place is impressive, entering through the elegant white doors you suddenly realise how expansive Senso really is, and perhaps most beautifully exemplified by its courtyard, which looks (quite stunningly) like a cross between an old Hutong and a Roman villa.
It is this kind of atmosphere that lead to me to have my birthday brunch here last year in their private room. Let’s face it, brunch is a national sport here in Singapore. And there are two main camps; the expensive Champagne hotel brunches (anything from $140-250 per person), and the much cheaper riverside brunch (perhaps $20-50). There is seldom much in between, apart from a few like Senso, who offer free-flow prosecco and buffet/a-la-carte brunch at $98++.
I’ve always been a firm believer in quality vs quantity…the ideal of-course being a large quantity and great quality cuisine…mwahaha! Whilst the Senso brunch certainly does not have the quantity of choices that you’ll find in a hotel brunch, boy is the quality there. For example, there might only be 6-8 cheeses (as opposed to 30+ at hotels) but these 6-8 are ALL excellent, and it means you realistically get to try all of them! Other great items on the menu are the oysters, beef carpaccio, calamari and of course lamb rack, Italian sausage and Parma ham, all as part of the buffet.
And if you feel so inclined, there are also several pasta dishes available for order a-la-carte. As for the prosecco….oh so drinkable – a touch of sweetness but surprisingly full-bodied enough to take on most of the dishes on offer 🙂
Yes, you are still paying about $100 per person, but compared to other free flow brunch spots out there, Senso offers quite a reasonably priced alternative.
Now, seeing as it’s the festival…and truffle season! time for a truffle shuffle over to Senso to try some of their ‘festive’ treats.
Let me start out with something that remains firmly rooted in my memory, the Blue Mussels Creamy Soup with Saffron and shaved White Truffle ($38). When I say this was absolutely gold, I mean both its colour and its uniqueness of flavour. The soup is just perfectly seasoned, creamy without being too rich and very more-ish.
I’m afraid I cannot however share my excitement with the Goose Liver ‘Rougié’ ($32) or the Kingfish Carpaccio (with shaved White Truffle, sour Lemon Cream and Micro Herbs – $72). The liver was by no means poor, but just average when I was expecting a Versuvian explosion of flavour. As for the fish – it just lacked depth of flavour and the fish monumentally overpowered the subtle truffle.
Swooping in to save the day was the Homemade Taglierini Pasta with White Truffle and aged Parmesan ($72) and the Venison Medallion with Amarone Red Wine sauce and Pepper ($48). Beautiful homemade pasta complimented perfectly by Parmesan and truffle. As for the Venison, well cooked with a red wine sauce that leaves you soaking up the remnants.
Despite increasing Italian competition in the area, Senso is still a formidable player, consistently serving up tasty Italian food. Just be sure to book early if you’re planning to a brunch visit.
Senso Ristorante & Bar is located at 21 Club Street, 069410.