Solo Ristorante - Fresh, Clean Taste and Full of Flavours

Imagine my surprise when I first step into Solo Ristorante to find that it is very crowded already on a Monday afternoon. And fifteen minutes later, it's full house. I know the reason why after a dining experience here, where I enjoy awesome food prepared in the open kitchen–one can see the head chef and his team hard at work here–and great service plus some Italian music.

And the set lunch here is pretty kind to the wallet 😉

Gamberi E Radicchio is such a beautiful dish in both taste and looks. The succulent, plump, creamy prawns are packed with the lovely briny sweetness, accentuated by the light spiciness of the seasoning, zest of the tomatoes and hint of bitterness of the onion. This is good that I bite off the base of the prawns' heads to slurp up the super creamy and briny gland in there. This is one of tastiest parts in fresh prawns.

Fluffy bread with olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar. Will be great if served warmer.

Tagliatelle with Marinara Squid, Oregano and Smoked Garlic Cream tastes so unique yet familiar at the same time, just like the restaurant's slogan. I love this paste dish so much because of the myriad of  harmonised flavours, with a bit of spiciness for the kick. The squid rolls, which hold lots of sauce in their cores, is amazingly tender. And I like the flatter shape of tagliatelle to induce the feel of smoother texture when biting into it.

Zuppa D'astice is Lobster Bisque with orange and star anise. Very rich in taste and full of the essence of lobster, I like it very much.

Limone E Meringa has the exact right balance of sourness and sweetness. The sweetness of custard and vanilla meringue is complemented by the zest of strawberry coulis and lemon. What makes this dessert special is the consistency of the lemon curd, which is more like ice-cream than custard. I love this uniqueness, and it gives more texture to the dessert. Also juxtaposes well with the slightly stickiness of the meringue. A sweet, nice dessert to end the meal with.

Lovely white wine recommended by the staff. It becomes really sweet when eaten with the food 👍

The interior of the restaurant is a cross between lovely, quaint, intimate dining space and chic, cool bar. At the same time, there is a certain coziness hanging in the air. Great to feel all comfortable and just enjoy the good food. Sitting at the bar counter entitles one to an unbridled view of the kitchen, where all the heat of the action is. Surprisingly, while seated here, one can feel the passion of the chefs at work and have the hot piping food served straightaway from kitchen by the chefs, but will not feel heat from the stoves, ovens and grills. So one will still look and smell all good after a meal here beside the kitchen.

The service here is very friendly and responsive. A more senior Indian staff is especially thoughtful, advising me on the portions of the food since this is a huge concern for solo diners like me.

I totally love the food here and look forward to come back again.

Thoughts: Super Flavourful Dishes and Energetic Kitchen + Service Crew

45 Amoy Street

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar or Chinatown