Ciao @ Haji Lane | Bugis, Singapore
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Ciao@ being the newer kid on the block in Haji Lane, where you can find one of the largest range of quality Italian
home-cooked food, cocktails and wines. The restaurant doles out a multitude of
mainstays, from finger food to main courses – get whisked away to the rustic
sceneries of northern and southern Italy. All brought to you by the renowned
Chef Domenico, who believes that food comes from the heart and must exemplify
the passion of a chef.
Ciao@ has made it interesting that instead of whipping out your phones while waiting for your meals, why not flip the menu and engage in a game of Battleship with your friends and family! They also offers entertainment activities such as screening of live sports matches.
Ciao@ has made it interesting that instead of whipping out your phones while waiting for your meals, why not flip the menu and engage in a game of Battleship with your friends and family! They also offers entertainment activities such as screening of live sports matches.
When it comes to
Italian fare, I always go straight to the Pizza/Pizze section. For a start, we were
served Focaccia Al Rosmarino | $15 - a famous Italian bread that is enriched
with aromatic olive oil and topped with fresh rosemary and garlic (in the
foreground of the photo above).
Next, the 4
Stagioni | $20 - an enticing medley of ham, artichoke, black olives and
mushrooms sits on the pizza base, the ingredients pulled together by the
delectable tomato sauce. Best of four worlds? My taste bud was hooked on
Tartufina | $24 - mozzarella with the heavenly truffle paste spread on a pizza
base. This is only for those who loves anything truffles.
If you are up for
a twist, try Pizzawich | $15 - a cross between a pizza and sandwich. There are
nine different flavours to choose from. Caprese Di Bufala features tomato and
buffalo mozzarella cheese while Cotechnio is stuffed with special Italian pork
sausages. Opt for the Grigliato for a heartening rendition that features
mozzarella cheese and grilled vegetables.
Of course, the
right way to go about is always with the Appetiser/Antipasti, Calamari | $18 - we usually
know it as the fried calamari but the Italian’s version is pan-fried with pine
nuts, cherry tomato and olive taggiasche. Soft and chewy keeps you wanting
more, beware it is addictive!
For Italian Finger Food/Stuzzichini, Fritto Del Piceno | $16 - a fried platter of cheeses, vegetables and a chef’s surprise! If our guess isn’t wrong for the chef’s surprise, it’s olives. Love how adventurous and suggestive the Chef is, always sharing his stories in between the dishes.
Moving on to the Main Course/Primi Piatti, Ravoli Di Ricotta | $22 (as seen above) - a plate of handmade pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, and soused in fresh tomato sauce. This is my kind of Italian comfort food. Alternatively, Sughe D’ Magre | $23 – this plate of linguine served with tuna, anchovies and green olive immersed in tomato sauce. The best way is to serve it al dente :)
Like something heavier on the palate, head over for the Second Course/Secondi Piatti, Stinco Di Maiale Alla Birra |$38 - pork knuckle in beer sauce, served
with mashed potato and white cabbage. It’s tender to the extent that the beer-marinated
pork knuckle melts in the mouth, the best part is the meat falls off the bone;
all you need is a fork for this dish. The mashed potato and white cabbage goes
heavenly together with the pork knuckle.
Similar to Calamari, but slightly tougher in texture and costlier is the Bistecca Di Polipo | $30 - grilled octopus steak with sautéed
spinach.
Capping off the meal with delectable Dessert/Dolci such as Panna Cotta | $9 - a signature Italian dessert and Zia Luisa’s Tiramisu | $12 - a chef’s sister recipe, with layers of
velvety mascarpone cheese and finger biscuits drenched in coffee. Couldn’t get
enough of this soft and pillowy texture.
 |
| Credit: Ciao@ |
For those who love wines, this might just be the hidden gem for you. As Ciao@ is a bistro by day and bar & bistro by night, in short it’s a restaurant in a bar concept. The bar boasts a glorious collection of premium Italian wines, curated from 21 regions in Italy such as Prosecco Docg (Veneto) White Sparkling | $10 per glass and Marani 2013 (Sartori - Bianco Veronese) White | $15 per glass. Wine aficionados can purchase two bottles and get the third bottle at 50% off. The unopened bottle can be kept in the restaurant’s cellar for later gratification.
8 Haji Lane, #01-01, Singapore 189 201
(Front Entrance: 8 Haji Lane | Back Entrance:
39 Arab Street)
Operating Hours:
Tue - Thu: 5pm - 1am
Fri - Sat: 5pm - 2am
Sun: 11.30am - 10 pm
(Closed on Mondays)
www.facebook.com/ciaosg
..Hosted Meal..
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