Da Paolo at Holland Village Revisited

It’s been quite some time since I last stepped into a Da Paolo restaurant here in Singapore. I remember the 90s when Da Poalo ruled the roost in the upmarket Italian dining scene here, then all the other competition came along and it seems to take a bit of a back seat for a while. Still there, still reliable, but not making any waves – like an old dictionary on the bookshelf. Meanwhile, they quietly opened their Gastronomia outlets of convenience takeaways in every major mall around town and beyond, which for me at least, had become more the ‘face’ of this home-grown brand as Da Paolo as a restaurant faded on my radar….until recently when I was enticed back to the restaurant at Holland Village.

 

What a surprise to see how things have changed yet remained the same. Firstly, the second generation Scarpa’s have taken over, which – for an old brand often means breathing in a much needed breath of fresh air. Secondly, while many of the old faves remain, the menu, like the light, airy, ‘holiday’ feel of the restaurant, has been refreshed…or is it that my acquaintance with the restaurant has been refreshed after such a long hiatus?  Either way, the food was good, the ambience friendly and relaxed, making it a restaurant I would return to.

 

Lingering over lunch, the restaurant’s bright airy feel with its light décor inspires a holiday mood. In such surroundings on a hot midweek afternoon, you just had to start off with a flute of prosecco.

 

Our rather large group of eaters grazed over lunch, ordering a plethora of dishes to be passed round and shared. You couldn’t go wrong with the moist, tender Parma ham with rock melon ($22), and the beef carpaccio with rocket salad and parmesan ($24), both Italian classics which has been on their menus since 1989.

 

They were predictable though, and I much preferred the Roasted Scallops with cauliflower cream ($26), with those lovely soft, grilled, smokey scallops; and the unusual salad of roasted duck liver with baby spinach, raisins, green apple and balsamic cream ($23), which contrasted savoury liver with crisp apples, sweet raisins and spinach.

 

For mains, the Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia ($26), or squid ink spaghetti and cuttlefish, stood out for its rich buttery flavour  (though there’s no way to eat this elegantly ….black teeth syndrome!), but I also enjoyed the meaty duck liver tagliatelle ($26) in veal jus balanced out with tangy cherry tomatoes, and the Tagliatelle al Granchio ($26) with crabmeat, tomatoes and cream. 

 

I wasn’t so hot over the meats, but if I wasn’t going for pasta – which they do very well indeed! – I’d order the Pan Fried Sea Bass with Celeriac Cream ($32). Nice, tenderly done and light.

 

But leave your diet at the door and make room for dessert. And make it the Crespelle Agli Agrumi ($12), or crepes with citron sauce (read crepes suzette) and blood orange sorbet. It was heady, creamy, with pillow soft crepes and a zingy sorbet to lift it. It’s just perfect for a hot afternoon. Another must have is the Coconut Pannacotta ($12) with fresh raspberries, light, just sweet and so smooth!

 

Da Paolo brings in its own wines as well, so take the opportunity to drink plenty. Of the 76 labels they carry, absolutely do not miss the sparkly Fallegro G Gagliardo which only goes by the glass at $12. Crisp, fruity and delightfully happy, this is a bubbly to start off any lunch, and a definite must have with the girls. The Bonarda DOC, i Gessi, Lombardy 2009 is another lovely wine – a big, fruity, plummy red which goes at $110 per bottle.  

 

A lovely restaurant for a celebration, for a casual but stylish date, or for lingering with the girls. However, it’s too relaxed and happy for any corporate pow-wows, so leave the power talk at the office. Life is too short to be working ALL the time! Not cheap though….

44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-56
Tel: 6476 1332