PUBLISHED November 19th, 2015 06:20 pm | UPDATED June 6th, 2016 11:50 am
One of the swankiest rooftop establishments in the CBD, Zafferano is THAT restaurant you see in the movies, where dapper spies rendezvous for information-swapping sessions. Located on the 43rd floor of Ocean Financial Centre, this sexy Italian restaurant and bar is blessed with a view that overlooks the Marina Bay district, as well as Singapore’s captivating cityscape, depending on where you sit.
We’ve already experienced the culinary magic of Chef Marco Guccio – see here for our review of the dinner menu – so we were psyched to try the smorgasbord of delectable dishes he’s come up with for Zafferano’s all-new Saturday brunch menu.
Available on the first and last Saturdays of every month, the new brunch menu has the quality of an a la carte menu, but is just as gut-busting as any self-respecting buffet – you’ll see why in a minute.
Antipasti Selection
Following the traditional Italian meal structure of four courses – antipasti, primi, secondi, and dolci – the antipasti section already features seven different items. We recommend going for the firm and fleshy Live Oysters and the ‘Flambé’, succulent baby lobsters served with brandy and mayo sauce. We also enjoyed the selection of Cold Cuts and the ‘Fritto Misto’; a mix of deep-fried calamari, anchovies and prawns.
Pasta Selection
The primi – usually hot, non-meat dishes – course was equally inspiring with four delicious variations of pasta. Layered with minced beef ragout and béchamel sauce, the Lasagna embodied the comforting nature of Italian food, while the Gnocchi, handcrafted potato dumplings tossed with wine-flavoured seafood, was a work of art in itself. Unfortunately, for all its exquisiteness, the Superfine Risotto Acquerello with Iranian saffron is more style than substance; you’re better off using your calories on the Ravioli. These little dumplings of heaven are stuffed with juicy bits of veal, splendid slices of porcini mushrooms, and topped a fragrant truffle emulsion.
Roasted Whole French Spring Chicken
Our first main was the Oven-baked Sea Bass, where the fillet of fresh fish is served with tomatoes, olives, capers, and fresh herbs. While the silken fish flesh dissolved with every mouth-watering bite, its overall flavour profile was rudely interrupted by the coarse sourness of the olives. The Slow-cooked Pork Belly was sadly underwhelming. The pork fat was overly sticky and it’s flesh a tad bit too chewy for a slow-cooked dish. A rare blot of disappointment on an otherwise fine meal.
So we suggest going for the Roasted Whole French Spring Chicken instead. Mixed with crunchy bell peppers, sweet red onions, and luscious mushrooms, the plump bird was tender, savoury, and deliciously crisp at the same time. A decadent finish was ensured with Zafferano’s range of classic Italian desserts, and our personal favourites had to be the creamy Panna Cotta and fluffy Tiramisu.
Dessert Selection
While the business outfits and prices might intimidate some at dinner time, brunching at Zafferano is, in all honesty, a relaxed affair. A solid list of Italian dishes and a killer-view are major plus points, and makes this sky-high establishment a perfect place to spend quality time with family members and friends.
Zafferano’s Italian Saturday brunch ‘The Italian Table’ is served from 11.30am till 2.30pm, and priced at SGD88++ per person inclusive of free-flow of soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea, SGD108++ per person with free-flow Prosecco and SGD138++ with free-flow of champagne.
Available on the first and last Saturday of each month.