PUBLISHED October 2nd, 2015 04:00 am | UPDATED June 23rd, 2020 08:42 pm
With a glittery sign fronting its entrance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Sopra Cucina & Bar is a play on 1950s America. Keeping in line with the star-spangled theme, this film-inspired Italian restaurant in Orchard Road is beset with a beautifully embellished interior that exudes a vintage Hollywood aura.
Interior of Sopra Cucina & Bar
As we pictured Audrey Hepburn sexily lighting up a cigarette from across our table, a splendid whiff of flavour pleasantly woke us from our daydream. It was time to sample the culinary specialties of Sardinia – the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
First up, the Biscotto di Pecorino ($22++) mesmerised our sense of smell with a delicious odour of pungent cheesiness. Consisting of freshly baked pane carasau (traditional flat bread) stuffed with pecorino cheese and drenched in honey, it made for a hearty start to our meal, especially with the cheese oozing out from the grainy surface of the bread.
Biscotto di Pecorino at Sopra Cucina & Bar
It was a pity then, that the Polpo Alla Carlofortina ($20++, slow-cooked octopus dolloped with celery, olives, pine nuts, basil, and house-pour dressing was a disappointment. Potentially dynamic, this dish felt unevenly mixed, with the bitter olives drastically overshadowing the rest of the ingredients.
Thankfully, the Malloreddus alla Campidanese ($25++) deposited our souls back to culinary nirvana. This traditional Sardinian pasta dish was made up of dainty semolina shells (pasta wheat) and moreish bacon bits drowned in piping hot rosemary pork sauce.
Malloreddus alla Campidanese at Sopra Cucina & Bar
Creamy and light, the Fregola ai Frutti de Mare ($30++) was another splendid example of semolina prepared well. The petite pasta shells were lavishly smeared with a potent, yet savoury house-made sauce, while various members of the seafood family added substance to the dish.
A common staple of Sardinian cuisine, the Porcheddu Sardo ($48++) announced its arrival with a tantalising roast aroma that lingered seductively in the air. Cooked to a scintillating softness with a tantalising aroma, the 400-gram suckling pig dreamily melted in our mouths with every pleasurable bite.
Porcheddu Sardo at Sopra Cucina & Bar
If you want to play it safe, the Pizza Sopra ($28++ for 9 inches) is a great choice. Utilising a state-of-the-art oven with baking timings specific to a millisecond, the pizza was extremely crisp even though its crust was nowhere near thin. Add to parma ham, rockets, and sweetish wedges of tomato, and you’ve got a crowd pleaser on the table.
Pizza Sopra at Sopra Cucina & Bar
Expect a decent list of traditional Italian desserts like the Cannoli ($10++), an fried pastry shell filled with ricotta, chocolate and candied orange. The Tiramisu ($10++) is one for the caffeine lovers, with layers of coffee soaked sponge and mascarpone sabayon (cheese and custard).
Despite influence from the enchantment of old Hollywood motion pictures, Sopra Cucina & Bar is still a true-blue Italian establishment at heart. Great for first-timers of Sardinian cuisine or for business lunches, this Orchard Road restaurant is definitely more than what meets the eye.