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Singapore, May 30, 2010- THE year-long wait for Italian restaurant Gattopardo to open has been worth it. The seafood restaurant, helmed by former Domvs chef Lino Sauro in a partnership with the Garibaldi Group, was delayed because of renovations at The Legends in Fort Canning Park to turn the building into a hotel. It finally welcomed diners last month, and both my visits there left me totally satisfied. The interior of the 98-seat restaurant is not particularly striking. It looks half Western and half Japanese, largely because of a sushi bar counter at one end complete with seafood chillers. The purpose is to showcase the restaurant’s fresh seafood, especially the fish from the Mediterranean Sea, which is placed on ice in the glass chillers with price tags to make it easy for diners. General manager Alessandro Calabro, a Sicilian who is also a partner in the business, happily explains to diners how the chef, who is also from Sicily, will prepare the unusual-looking specimens. If you are not keen on the available catch, you can order from the a la carte menu instead, which offers plenty in its lists of starters, pastas, pizzas, main courses and desserts. Generally, the seafood in the chiller, especially the fish, which is sold whole, costs more than the menu items. For example, a John Dory can cost more than $100. But you cannot really go to Gattopardo and not order seafood. If you are a party of two and want variety, order the il crudo Italiano ($120 for two persons), a selection of raw seafood of the day which Mr Calabro describes as Italian- style sashimi. It is expensive but you get to enjoy delights such as sea urchin and Hokkaido scallops as well as lightly marinated tuna. You can still enjoy seafood, however, without having to pay very much. There is plenty on the menu, including the signature Gattopardo seafood stew in terracotta pot ($38), which is not only my favourite dish but also one that offers the best value as it is enough for two persons. Packed with chunks of fish, clams and mussels, the broth is hearty and best drunk hot. And the terracotta pot does a good job of keeping the heat in. The only gripe is that the mussels shrink to almost pea-size. But at my first dinner, I was with a friend who had just had two wisdom teeth removed that day and asked for no shellfish in the stew. The chef replaced it with more varieties of fish and, perhaps to balance the fish flavours, put in more olive oil. The result was stupendous. The broth was richer and the olive oil not only gave it more flavour but also helped to keep the heat in longer. Another fish dish to try is the fresh sardines stuffed with pine nuts, baked black olives, bread crumbs and raisins ($24). I am usually no fan of fresh sardines as they can taste pretty fishy and may come with little bones. But the version here has turned me into a convert. Not only is the fish boneless and not fishy, the melt-in-the-mouth texture and combined flavours of the other ingredients make the dish a dream. Not a seafood lover? That is no reason not to enjoy Gattopardo either. Check out the sweet red onion pudding with light saffron ragusano cheese fondue ($24), which is a delicious starter that also comes in a portion generous enough to share. What are also ideal for sharing are the pizzas. I have tried two, neither of which looks like the traditional pizza I know. The Gattopardo ($24), comprising white garlic focaccia with smoked mozzarella, Italian sausage, onion and potatoes, is more a focaccia sandwich with the pizza topping turned into a filling. Then there is the Arrotolata ($24), which has ingredients such as smoked mozzarella, suckling pig, porcini mushrooms, grape sauce, rolled in a piece of dough like a sausage and baked. Before serving, it is sliced into long pieces and rucola leaves are strewn on top. Both are good, though I prefer the soft focaccia to the thicker dough in the Arrotolata. Among the desserts I have tried, my vote goes to the rum “baba” sponge cake ($14), which is soft and moist and tastes simply heavenly with a dollop of fresh cinnamon cream. Gattopardo, which is Italian for leopard, is named after a famous Italian novel about life and society in Sicily in the 19th century. But foodies here will soon likely associate the name with something else – good Sicilian food in the 21st century, right here in Singapore. MUST TRY The perfect dish for cool evenings but thanks to air-conditioning, I am happy to have this any time. GATTOPARDO
LifeStyle paid for its meals in the eatery reviewed here.
Signature Gattopardo seafood stew in terracotta pot ($38)
The serving is generous and the broth is lovely.
Address: Hotel Fort Canning (The Legends Fort Canning Park), 11 Canning Walk
Tel: 6338-5498
Opening hours: Noon to 3pm, 6.30 to 10.30pm daily
Food: ****
Service: ***½
Ambience: ***
Price: Budget from $80 a person. A three-course set lunch is available at $34.
