Popagandhi

A day in the life of the not so rich and not so famous (yesterday, and for one day anyway):

Check in to the Gallery Hotel

Dash off to spend on what would be the most expensive lunch you have ever paid for (though you don’t know it yet)

Attend the official opening of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Early Works ââ�¬â�� the focus of which, other than extolling the great legend, was also to snack on the fabulous cocktail reception held by the French embassy (and for me: stuffing myself silly with duck liver and smoked salmon)

Host a party

Having turned down an invitation (by Beppe De Vito himself, no less) to eat at Il Lido, his swanky new restaurant when it first opened, I’d already made a mental note to visit once I had the occasion to. It’s impossible not to feel compelled to, after listening to him speak of his new baby, and especially considering how any foodie worth his/her salt needs to be excited by what Beppe De Vito is up to next ââ�¬â�� he created Garibaldi, after all. Now that the foodie superstition of avoiding a restaurant until it has been fully operational for more than 2 months had long passed, and a special birthday was to be celebrated (i.e. Z’s), I decided to head out to Sentosa to dine at Il Lido.

The out of town location, I felt, was not a hindrance to the restaurant in any way. Its pristine location at Sentosa Golf Club, together with the classy interiors of the restaurant and the bar, and the neat outdoor setting overlooking lovely greens and the sea, is definitely a winner. Just be prepared to visit with someone who drives, or hop into a taxi. I hear sunset views are fantastic if you’re seated outdoors, but I wouldn’t know ââ�¬â�� I was there for lunch. The daytime views overlooking the Riau islands, and boats in the nearby waters, were picturesque enough.

Ex-Pontini chef Michele Pavanello helms the kitchen here, and while I can’t say I’m an authority on Italian food (it’s very obvious: the thought of dinner at Restaurant Ember or Mag’s Wine Kitchen always excites me more than any strictly Italian food), my tastes have changed slightly over the last few months: Ristorante da Valentino is one of my favourite new haunts, for always delivering excellent food at a price which doesn’t hurt your wallet (too much), and I even opted for some good Italian at i.t.ALIA, to celebrate my last day in India. Now we were going to see how much I really like it.

Diver Scallops with Rucola and Cherry Tomatoes

For starters, we had diver scallops with rucola and cherry tomatoes (S$27). I’m a big fan of scallops, and any restaurant that does it well immediately chalks up some points ââ�¬â�� and I’m pleased to say this version was close to perfect. The scallops were large and fresh, and had the requisite oomph effect, when chewing into them.

Now, to perfectly demonstrate the priming effect that all students of psychology learn of, the waiter’s mention of white asparagus really set me off, and I wanted it badly, even though asparagus isn’t on my list of favourite foods at all. It was only after I gave in to temptation and ordered a round of white asparagus with shavings of truffle (at S$45, this was an order that led the waiter to comment on the duo as “very, very, very high end foods”, and I agree), that I realized perhaps I was so keen on the white asparagus as I had read Chubby Hubby’s piece on white asparagus quite recently. My psychology lecturer would be pleased. I secretly renamed the dish white gold with shavings of black gold, because that’s what they are: some of the most expensive things man has ever deemed possible to put into our mouths.

White Asparagus with Truffle

Not being a fan of normal asparagus at all, I was pleasantly surprised to find it so delicious. I immediately decided to stop feeling guilty about the splurge, for if one is to put gold into your mouth and swallow it, I can at least be sure that I had it taste as good. I could also comfort myself with the knowledge that if I passed up on this rare opportunity to sample it, I would have to wait until they’re next in season (and there’s nothing I hate more than having to wait for a seasonal food I like; like waiting for razor clams).

For the main course, what called out to me was the squid ink tortelli stuffed with atlantic cod, in a sauce of crab and saffron (S$35). While the stuffed squid ink tortelli was exquisite, on its own, and the crab with saffron sauce was magnificent, on its own, the medley didn’t do it for me: it seemed off, to my untrained tongue, and I found myself preferring to eat them separately, instead of how it was intended to. I also found the squid ink aspect disappointing: I like my squid ink pastas hearty and rich, not so subtle that you can barely taste it.

Squid Ink Tortelli stuffed with Atlantic Cod with Crab and Saffron

Another view

For the other main course, the grilled lamb cutlets done in a sauce of Amarone (S$35), was a good choice. The taste of the lamb hit the sweet spot, the way I like my lamb ââ�¬â�� to pack a punch in flavour, provoke, but not overwhelm. Or underwhelm. I don’t understand why so many restaurants can’t get that right. While I liked this enough, I vaguely remember preferring the lamb rack at Valentino.

Feeling greedy, I decided to accompany my meal by pairing with a glass of Italian sweet wine, of which the restaurant has a sizeable selection. My palate for wine, while needing more refinement, was pleased by this match, which went especially well with the scallops. Two-hours-after-waking-up was never a good time for heavier wines, not for me anyway. Service, for such a packed lunch crowd, managed to be excellent, spot on. When the staff learned of the birthday in the house, they promptly presented a complimentary chocolate cake with a candle, and even took the trouble to take it back to the kitchen to be plated. By which time, while the desserts of warm flourless chocolate cake, coffee parfait, and of course, tiramisu, were tempting, we were too full.

It was an above average, satisfying meal… though it’s been a long time since I’ve been wowed by a restaurant. I worry that as my tastes grow increasingly expensive (it wasn’t too long ago that Marmalade Pantry seemed like a treat), my pockets, on the other hand, share no such growth patterns. Il Lido, with good food, fantastic ambience, a beautiful bar and great views, is an all round performer. The next time I visit, it will be to sample the sea urchin pasta, to see if it matches up to Garibaldi’s.

Contact Details
Il Lido
Sentosa Golf Club
27 Bt Manis Rd #02-00.
Tel: 6866 1977

Related
For Chubby Hubby’s review (we happen to have ordered most of the same items, and of course his pictures are more enticing than mine can ever hope to be!)
Business Times’ review
Bloomberg’s review