About Waterfall Ristorante Italiano
Many Singaporeans are familiar with The Line, one of nation’s most loved buffets. But in Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore lies another gem of a restaurant that most aren’t well acquainted with yet. Nestled amidst the lush garden flora of the hotel, the aptly named Waterfall Ristorante Italiano offers diners a classy yet casual experience. We were pleased to try out their new menu just after they had undergone a revamp. Now known as the Waterfall Ristorante Italiano, an all new authentic Southern Italian menu is offered by new Chef de Cuisine Marco De Vincentis, who arrived in Singapore just a month ago. The new menu features fresh, seasonal produce from handmade pasta, fresh seafood, and grilled cheese, to oven-fresh pizza and Italian wines.
In this review, we evaluate the different dishes offered in their Southern Italian menu, from starters to desserts, and give you our recommendations.We were greeted with a warm bread basket featuring four different types of soft, fluffy rolls. The slightly crispy crust gave way to a chewy, stretchy interior. It went really well with the smooth and refreshing tomato dipping sauce. The 4 types of bread are herbed, wholemeal, sesame, and tomato which had a slight orange tinge.
Antipasti (Appetizers)
For our appetizers, we had a Parmigiana Di Melanzane ($20) and an Insalata Di Arance Finocchi ($16), both available for lunch and dinner. The Insalata Di Arance Finocchi is a light and refreshing salad of orange, fennel, black olive, cherry tomato, and Tropea onion which helped to whet our appetites with the juicy orange pieces. The Parmigiana Di Melanzane is an eggplant parmigiana, a classic Italian dish. Carefully sourced eggplants are layered with stringy, melt in your mouth parmigiano cheese and chunky tomatoes which cut through the slight saltiness of the creamy cheese. This was a big hit with my dining companion and one of Chef Marco’s favourites.
Pasta Della Casa (Handmade Pasta)
A hot favorite was the Spaghettoni Ai Ricci Di Mare ($29), homemade Spaghettoni – a form of thick Spaghetti – tossed with fresh sea urchin, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and herbs. I loved how exotic this dish tasted.
The spaghettoni was cooked al dente and each strand was coated with just the right amount of creamy sea urchin sauce. It is advisable to share this dish as it might be too rich for some though I loved its mix of creamy, herby and aromatic garlicky taste profile.The Paccheri All’astice ($32) features a uniquely shaped pasta. Chef Marco recalls linking this Paccheri pasta to huge piece of garden hose as a child. The homemade pasta is cooked al dente before being tossed with an addictive blend of lobster sauce, cherry tomato,brandy, chilli, basil, parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Crowning it is a half lobster and a meaty crab claw, adding balance to this dish.For the last of the pasta, we had Tagliolini Al Pesto Siciliano ($22) which is a taglioni pasta tossed with pesto sauce, cooked Sicilian style. Making up this dish are chopped tomatoes, ricotta cheese, pine nuts, basil and roasted almond. I loved how the roasted almond slivers added crunch to the smooth, slippery pasta. Unlike the two other pastas, this wasn’t too rich and will appeal to those who prefer their pastas on the lighter side.
Secondi (Seconds)
Next, we had this delicious Pargo Cozze Patate E Cime Di Rapa ($38), a roasted red snapper served with potato, broccoli, mussel and parsley. The snapper was tender and fresh, with the ingredients served submerged in broth. Two varieties of potatoes were included – purple and the usual yellow ones, which added variety. I would have loved this dish more if the mussels served were bigger. Nevertheless, health conscious diners are sure to love this.To conclude our savory items, we had a Porchetta Sarda ($35), roasted suckling pig rolls served with rosemary potato and spring onions. Roasted vegetables completed the dish which was served on a grill pan. I enjoyed the potatoes which while looking simple, had a crispy exterior which breaks at the slightest touch, giving way to a soft, crunchy and fluffy interior.
Dolci (Confectionery)
We ended our meal with some sweet treats like Italian Gelato ($2.50 per scoop) and a Tiramisu ($15) to share. Dusted with a layer of cocoa powder and served chilled, it was a perfect ending to our meal. Light on the tongue, the ladyfinger biscuits oozed with coffee upon a slight touch of the fork. To accompany our meal, we had a medium bodied wine from the Boccalino. It is Waterfall’s house pour wine from Sicily called Nero D’Avola. It is one of Italy’s most important indigenous red wine varieties. Instead of the usual wine glasses, we sipped our red wines from the Boccalino, a unique porcelain cup which looked like a mini teapot.Trying my hand at dispensing some wine from the wine barrel that just came in that day.
Waterfall also has pasta art available for all children who dine at the restaurant to express their creativity using uncooked pasta.Here I am channelling my inner da Vinci on the pasta art
Final Thoughts
I love how the homely decoration and the warm lighting makes diners feel as though they are at home. With an exclusive private dining room fitted with a show kitchen, it is an ideal venue for cozy dinner parties, informal gatherings or culinary workshops.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my Southern Italian meal at Waterfall. The complex mix of flavors, fresh seafood and handmade pastas are reasons every Italian food enthusiast needs to visit this place.
Top Picks:
Appetiser: Parmigiana Di Melanzane ($20)
Pasta: Spaghettoni Ai Ricci Di Mare ($29)
Main: Pargo Cozze Patate E Cime Di Rapa ($38)
Average spend per person: $50-$100
Waterfall Ristorante Italiano
Address: 22 Orange Grove Road, 258350, Shangri- La Hotel, Singapore
Contact: (65) 6213 4138
Go here to make a booking!
This post is brought to you by Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
