It is actually just two years ago since I first tried the food of Massimo Bottura. It was love at first bite and first conversation as he is an extremely charismatic and kindhearted person. I have therefore tried a few of his restaurants since then, but untill now never outside Italy.
Just a few months earlier to my visit to Singapore he opened a branch of Torno Súbito there. Celebrity chefs know from finedining usually expand into casual food, but not Massimo. All of his restaurants have a tasting menu besides the a la carte menu. The concept of Torno Subito is built around beach vacation in Italy in the 1960. This is a colorful and playful theme which fits in perfectly with the personality of Massimo.
Within minutes after sitting down our table would be covered in the most beautiful and delicious looking snacks you could imagine. So if you thought for a second it would be casual experience generous amounts of caviar truffle a long with the intricate presentations would set you straight.
The first dish of the menu was a take on the classic and simple melon with Parma ham. However the chef used to work in Dubai where pig is naturally not on the menu so he substituted the ham for hamachi and served it with a sour cream sauce. A dish that had the same simplicity to its as the original, it was just as delicious and I loved the creativity that went into reimagining this simple dish.
When Massimo opened Gucci Osteria in Beverly Hills he naturally put a burger on the menu and being in USA he served it in a paper box like the y do at McDonalds. The next dish would also be served in this box but it would contain a slice of pizza. A slice of pizza topped with very generous amount of black truffles and underneath porcini mushrooms. So absolutely nothing traditional about this pizza but it was delicious.
And now for the first pasta dish of the evening. A bottone Di parmigiana which was stuffed with eggplant, tomato confit and a smoked provola cheese. Comforting and classically delicious flavors.
Small pieces of pasta the size of a white bean was served with a simple Sicilian red prawn and smoked paprika. A nice dish but it didn’t live up to the same level as the previous dishes.
The next one would however. A beautiful piece of monkfish served with a spinach an Eastern Europe soup inspired by borch soup with lot of beetroot. Such a beautiful serving and the flavors were spot on.
As you might have noticed the inspiration from the menu was not only be Italy which you could also see in the final main which reminded me of a traditional middle eastern kebab. A lovely dish but to me it lacked a bit of the magic that the other simpler dishes had that elevated them.
I remember Massimo saying many times that when you leave a dinner table in Modena your mouth should still taste like cheese. It its therefore tradition that all of his restaurants have tortellini with Parmesan cheese sauce as an either pre dessert or dessert. It’s simply such a conforming and delicious dish regardless of the temperature being 10, 20 or 35 degrees. I love it.
For our dessert we would have a traditional tiramisu but naturally done with a few twist such as adding a crispy element to the traditional dish. Delicious as always.
For those of you that have never tried Massimo cooking I would really advise you to do so. It is clear that regardless of which country he has a restaurant he will always start with Italian traditions and product and he will treat them with lots of respect. Treating something with respect to me also means that you grow these and adds new layers to the story such as he does here. You should therefore neither expect traditional or avant- grade food but a nice spot somewhere in between. A place with delicious food that both surprises and comforts you each in their own way. Lastly it is a fun place simply because it has the same bubbly energy as Massimo and waiters with a very welcoming personality.
Practical information
Location: Singapore
Head chef: Alesio Pirozzi
Menu: Tasting menu $120
Website: Home – Torno Subito
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