Morsels of Délice: Altro Zafferano - So Italian and so Awesome

Thursday, July 4, 2024

Altro Zafferano - So Italian and so Awesome

Back here again after so many years since my last experience at Zafferano, before the “Altro”. It was great and so I had been wanting to come back. So I finally able to do so, and this time, the good sentiments are even stronger because of the pronounced distinctive taste of Italy in the dishes, the tour of rooftop bar overlooking Marina Bay and the awesome service.

The southern Italian cuisine here tells stories about the sunny coastal region of Italy. I can actually taste it in dishes, which has this lovely rustic italian tang, infused with fine, delicate savour of modern fine dining. So Italian, so delicious, so satisfying. The food here is such a delight for the palates.

The view, yes, the view from Altro Zafferano is breathtaking. The bird’s eye view of Marina Bay from level 43 is one of a kind experience. In fact, patrons can freely transverse between the main dining hall and the rooftop bar to enjoy the view every now and then. And this place is a must-visit during NDP rehearsals since seeing the fireworks from here is simply glorious. I’m already planning my subsequent visits till next year already! The interior is of modern, relaxing with a touch of class, perfect for dates, great for gatherings and personal indulgence, like in my case.

The service here is splendid, taking very good care of us patrons despite being really busy with the full house. They make the effort on check in on me to see if I want to take breaks between dishes. Also, very good recommendation made on red wine. And they have this warm personality that reflects the sunny vibe of Southern Italy.

Oscietra Caviar, Sea Urchin Ice Cream, Seaweed Waffle is so creamy and luxurious. The sea urchin is uniquely made into ice-cream to create a softer taste of umami that goes perfectly with the sweet clear brininess of the caviar. The waffle adds a nice crunchy texture and sweetness to making it more exciting.

Amuse bouche of Tomato Foam with Dried Olive bits wows me over at first spoonful. It tastes simply so Italian! I immediately think of the sunny fields of tomatoes in Italy when I savour this. I love this so much.

Homemade Sourdough Bread with sweet tangy tomato sauce and olive bits is so rustic and unique. This tomato dip is a must-try because there is no other dip like this. The taste reminds me of sunny sweetness. And best of all, the bread is served piping hot. I go, “wow!” when I am plying a piece of the bread to see the steady stream of wisps of steam escaping from the bread.

Canadian Lobster here is most probably the best lobster I ever have. The lobster is tender with a touch of springiness and packed with briny sweetness. Its texture and taste is perfect match with the crunchiness and clean vegetal taste of the accompanying vegtables, especially the turnip-like Kohirabi. Sanbaizu and White Peach Emulsion adds the tang and sweetness to make the taste even more exciting.

House-made Tagliolini is oh-so-smooth in texture, I love it! With Alaska King Crab and Sea grape, this pasta is packed with lots of nuanced flavours that I totally appreciate. And milky brininess amazingly develops with more bites of this dish.

Acquerello Risotto with Red Prawn Tartare immediately fills me with this feeling of happiness at the first bite. The taste of risotto soaked with the savoury sweet broth of tomato, perked by by Sweet Pppers and Black Olives, is so comforting. And this rice is perfectly cooked to feature that starchiness and a good bite at teh core of each grain. The sweetness of Red Prawn Tartare can amazingly come through the flavour of tomato to make risotto taste heavenly good.

Bangalow Pork Chop is so tender and juicy, featuring a good bite and that lovely char to accentuate the meaty sweetness. 'Reggiana', braised lee and fennel pollen add the extra dimension and excitement to the taste.

Jac Wagyu MBS7 + Striploin is so succulent and rich in taste. Black Shallot, Smoked Marrow Jus cuts through the rich meaty flavours to elevate the taste to awesomely good. Baby Corn is great for between the bites to refresh the palates.

Apple Sorbet is very refreshing.

Amalfi Lemon with Pink Pepper and Limoncello Granita is refreshing, mildly tangy and creamy. And it has white chocolate in substitute of pastry base. I love this change. The perfect dessert to indulge in after the very filling pasta dish and meat.

Cheese Selection with Artisanal Onion Jam is an amazing marriage of pungency of cheese and pungency of onion. It works beautiful to create this robust, exciting, well-rounded taste. Crispy Bread is good for adding the crispy texture.