Zafferano: The Height of Luxury
Zafferano makes a good impression. Perched on the top of Ocean Financial Tower 240 meters above ground, the view is nothing short of spectacular. The sprawling cityscape stretches beyond the horizon, and the luxurious interior never fails to remind you how entitled you are. It seems to say, you’ve made it.
The restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine, with inspirations drawn from various parts of Italy from Milan to Sicily, following in the footsteps of Chef Marco Guccio’s upbringing. We sat down to try some of the restaurant’s new dishes:
Food
Marinated Scottish Salmon, Green Asparagus, Red Radish, Trout Roe $28
This is a good looking plate, but underwhelming in taste. While the salmon tasted fresh, the flavour was too nuanced, and the marinate didn’t really shine through. The roe provided some texture to the dish which I enjoyed.
Pan-seared Hokkaido Scallops, Jerusalem Artichoke Cream Veloute Sautéed Chanterelle Mushrooms $34
The first thing that struck me about the dish was the creative use of artichoke. I love artichoke, but it can be a pain to eat, and its texture isn’t its best quality. But done as a sauce, it eliminates all those problems while retaining the flavour.
The scallops however were not seasoned well which was a pity. The mushrooms on top were also too strong for my taste, and overpowered the scallops. It’s a dish that requires some rebalancing.
Hand-crafted Agnolotti filled with Oxtail, Celeriac Puree and Toasted Pistachio $28
Agnolotti is ravioli but with a heavy meat filling on the inside. The oxtail was done well, it was tender with good flavor, but the star of the plate for me was the celeriac puree. The sweet & nutty flavour with its velvety texture completely won me over and made the dish for me.
Char-grilled U.S. prime beef short rib, roasted potatoes and asparagus, veal reduction $50
Warm plates! They are quite a rarity in Singapore, and essential for any high-end restaurant. I dug in as soon as the food arrived while my dining partner attempted to take the perfect picture. For the most part, the plates here did the job, which left me confused as to why some of the components on the dish were not hot.
The beef was really tender but lacked a melt in your mouth quality that would take it to the next level. For a $50 dish, the side of half of a small potato a single spear of asparagus and a little bit of artichoke just doesn’t cut it.
Cold Strawberry Soup, Homemade Yogurt Ice Cream, 12 year Aged Balsamic $18
The concept of the dish is a novel one. The execution however leaves a little bit to be desired. The soup itself is too sweet, but it’s balanced well when you take it with a scoop of yogurt ice cream. The balsamic vinegar also helps to balance the flavours but there’s not enough ice cream or vinegar to do the dish justice.
Dine in the Skies
As the night winds to an end, and the wine glasses run dry, the sparkling city skyline seems to bid us a second welcome. It’s a beautiful sight, and it felt like I was sitting on a throne looking down at the rest of the world. Even the service there was fit for the setting – waiters with solid knowledge on what they are serving are hard to come by, and their attention to detail impressed me. Every time I left my table and returned, my napkin was folded neatly back on the table.
Zaffereno got the aesthetics right, but certain items on the menu need to be reconsidered. It’s hard to outright recommend Zafferano considering the multitude of Italian alternatives, but its location and service lends it a certain charm that attracts a well-heeled crowd.
Getting there
From Raffles Place MRT, take Exit J and look for Ocean Financial Tower.
Where: Level 43, 10 Collar Quay, Ocean Financial Tower
Score: 6/10
Website: http://zafferano.sg/
This post was brought to you by Zafferano.
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