Laidback luxury at il Cielo – Sustainable Seafood Festival 2014

About il Cielo and the Sustainable Seafood Festival

We love our seafood – perhaps too much. More than 87% of the world’s oceans are overfished, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) believes we’ll run out of fish in a few short decades. In response, WWF has launched the Sustainable Seafood Festival, which runs until 15 June 2014.

Some of Singapore’s top restaurants are participating in the “Pick the Right Catch” movement, which prepares MSC certified products for consumption. That way, awareness is raised for how it’s possible to enjoy fish responsibly without worrying about endangering our oceans.

Hilton Singapore’s il Cielo has also gone the sustainable route. Their a la carte promotional menu for the Sustainable Seafood Festival promises a tantalising feast in a very exclusive setting.

Overlooking the city lights by a rooftop pool terrace, I found il Cielo effortlessly elegant despite its laidback vacation vibe. Perched on the top floor of Hilton hotel, the cosy 48-seater also has seats by the pool so guests can lounge in the open air while enjoying classy Italian cuisine. Enamoured by the resort-feel luxury of dining by the pool, I was already half won-over when I walked in.    

We visited Il Cielo to try out a special selection of dishes created in support of World Wildlife Fund’s Sustainable Seafood Festival. Meticulously crafted with sustainably sourced seafood, this menu will only be available until June 15.

Apart from the highlights from their special menu, we also took a look at some of their signature items that guests can always expect to see on their menu.

The food at il Cielo

The signature Burrata mozzarella with olive caviar ($38) is one of their crowd favourites. Made only upon order, the kneaded soft buffalo cheese was surprisingly light on the palate while retaining its thick consistency. Topped with a smattering of olive oil caviar, each mouthful was delectably milky and soft without the usual cloying aftertaste of cheese. 

We both LOVED it.

We also enjoyed the Bosco Pizza ($45) with porcini mushrooms, Italian chorizo sausage and truffle. When the pizza was placed on our table, we were hit instantly with the heady fragrance of white truffle slices and truffle oil. Generously sprinkled across the pizza, the truffle chips were a perfect accompaniment to the juicy porcino and sausage.

I’m a die-hard fan of anything truffle but this won me over not just because of the generous amount of truffle. The crust was thin and light at the edges and softer towards the centre. Neither overly crisp nor doughy, the crust was a perfect vessel for the congregation of flavours it held.   

The Rainbow barley orzotto ($35) was one of the most impressionable items on the special MSC menu so definitely worth the mention. Barley is most often seen in its liquid form here in Singapore – but the Italians prefer their barley cooked as a carb. The orzotto was similar in consistency to a risotto but less creamy and hence less held together.

The texture of cooked barley is familiar, much like large grains of rice. Coated in a buttery saffron sauce with parmigiana cheese and the strong flavour of capsicum, the barley orzotto leaves a distinctive taste. I still prefer my barley in a drink, though. The orzotto, while interesting, still wouldn’t usurp the risotto as my all-time-favourite Italian dish.

That said, I do appreciate that the fresh cockles were succulent and cooked just right.

The taste of lemon zest wasn’t actually pronounced in the Lemon tagliolini with prawns ($38). Tossed like an aglio olio, this special menu item stood out for one sole reason – the prawns. If you’re a fan of large prawns, you’ll enjoy biting into these whole succulent prawns. The texture and sweetness of the prawns actually resemble that of lobster meat. 

Of all the special MSC menu items, the Slow-roasted Chilean seabass ($40) was our favourite. I adored how the white meat of the fish fell apart in glistening chunks. Despite being dressed in a fish stock and mustard emulsion, the freshness of the seabass was unmistakable.

The dollop of smoky, tangy mustard on the side was not crucial to our enjoyment of the fish – it really is good enough on its own. 

il Cielo Verdict

The sheer freshness of the seafood on the special menu was enough to convince me that il Cielo takes pride in using only the best ingredients. Of course, this comes at a heftier price than your average sit-down diner but as you can see, prices are still very reasonable.

For the exclusivity and ambience you’re getting here, it’s a great bargain as you’re paying similar prices at other hotel restaurants located on the ground floor that teem with people. il Cielo is also one of those hidden gems great for having intimate dates at.

Aside from the feel-good vibes of saving the ocean, il Cielo’s special menu is really about delivering finely executed, authentic Italian food. If seafood is not your game you can be rest assured that they also serve up a mean pizza and satisfying pastas.

And of course, dinner by the pool with a view of the city? Absolutely.

Getting to il Cielo

Dress Code: Smart Casual
Reservations: 6730 3395
Address: 581 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238883, Hilton Singapore.

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This post is part of TSL’s community initiative, which raises awareness pro bono for notable causes.