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Even as the nation transitions slowly back to “normality”, unprecedented times like these present many uncertainties which we have to adapt and react to. With social distancing, dining restrictions and working from home still in place, many F&B players in the industry are forced to modify their business model, accommodating to the new norm of takeaways and deliveries. As eateries struggle to survive in the midst of this pandemic, Michelin Chef Beppe De Vito took a bold step to introduce his latest addition to The ilLido Group of award-winning restaurants, Grammi.
Not your typical 20- to 30-seater dine-in space, Grammi is a new-age online establishment that focuses purely on delivery. Italian for ‘gram’, Grammi represents Chef Beppe’s meticulous approach to quality food and recipes in which he personally found solace in while growing up in Italy.
Delivering wholesome and easily accessible Italian-Mediterranean cuisine to your doorstep, Grammi not only has an extensive ready-to-eat menu with up to 50 choices, but it also features a variety of groceries and beverages for your everyday comfort. In order to check out their vast selection, I got a range of dishes from the different categories to try.
My meal started out with an appetiser of Grammi’s Buffalo Mozzarella Salad (S$16)—a no-frills dish consisting of heirloom tomatoes, sliced avocados, and buffalo mozzarella drizzled with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. With only three main ingredients, it was the freshness of the products that made all the difference in this Buffalo Mozzarella Salad.
One bite into the heirloom tomatoes and their sweetness easily rivalled its store-bought counterparts. To my surprise, every single tomato had a natural nectarous taste that paired perfectly with the rich and milky buffalo mozzarella. Adding a burst of Italian flavour to the salad was the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, completing the dish with a tinge of acidity. If you have some plain crackers at home, try topping it with the elements of the Buffalo Mozzarella Salad for a nice little canapé treat!
A classic Italian-American comfort food, Baked Penne (S$14.80) is a dish that will never go wrong. Drenched in creamy tomato sauce, basil pesto, topped with a generous amount of scamorza cheese, my tray of penne was baked till golden brown and slightly dried on the surface.
The use of penne for this dish was a brilliant choice as the pasta served as large straws that enveloped the sauce in with each bite. Despite the use of scamorza cheese, the Baked Penne was not too cloying thanks to the slightly sourish tomato sauce. The burnt bits of over-baked penne ends were also an interesting addition for that extra touch of charred smokiness, giving the dish that extra depth of flavour.
No need for all the Italian extravaganza? Then opt for Grammi’s convenient and fuss-free option—the bento meals. With five different mains including one for our vegetarian friends, these hearty bentos are priced from S$13.80 and comes with a choice of two sides.
The Pork Bento (S$19.80) immediately hit the spot with its lip-smacking delicious braised bellota pork—a cut of meat from acorn-fed Iberico pigs usually bred in Spain. Enriched with the ideal ratio of tenderising fat-to-lean meat, the pork carried deep succulent flavours.
Complementing the melt-in-my-mouth tender meat was a pumpkin puree and balsamic borettane onions which had the right amount of acidity to counter any excess greasiness. To complete my bento, I paired my mains with Truffle Mash and Balsamic Zucchini. Despite the zucchini being rather forgettable, the Truffle Mash was, needless to say, amazing. Aromatic truffles with smooth and creamy mash potatoes—what can go wrong?
For an authentic Italian ending, I knew I had to try their Tiramisu. Easily one of the 10 best tiramisu I’ve tried in Singapore, Grammi’s Tiramisu (S$16.90) had the perfect amount of mascarpone-to-sponge fingers proportion in every mouthful. The mascarpone was light and airy, making them an excellent pairing to the dense sponge fingers which were soaked in liqueur.
If you are looking for a good night’s sleep, this Tiramisu might just be your medicine. Although it is filled with the aroma of the coffee, this dessert is, in fact, caffeine-free. Just be wary that it contains alcohol, so keep it away from your kid who might be eyeing the dessert from afar!
Aside from regular ready-to-eat meals, Chef Beppe and his team also launched Grammi Grocery, an online grocery concept delivering gourmet products made using quality ingredients. From fresh produce like Spinach (S$5.20 for 100g) and Wild Rucola (S$5.20 for 100g) to pantry staples including Salt Flakes (S$7.80) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (S$7.50), Grammi’s grocery items are selected to ensure that they are packed with the flavour and nutrition as Mother Nature intended.
On days which you are feeling lazy, why not turn to Grammi Grocery’s ‘Heat N Serve’ range of pre-cooked items? An express lane to Italian’s slow food culture, you can get a plate of freshly cooked pasta in a matter of minutes using the Homemade Egg Tagliatelle (S$7.50) and Bolognese Pasta Sauce (S$11.50). Other pre-cooked items include Lasagna (S$16.90), Seafood Soup (S$10.50), and Beef Cheek (S$21) which can be kept in your fridge for up to three days.
To celebrate Grammi’s launch, get to enjoy 20% savings on every order with the promo code ‘GRAMMI20’ from now to 30 June 2020. Since Father’s day is around the corner, why take the opportunity to treat your family to a classic Italian flair?
Expected Damage: S$11.80 – S$26.50 per pax
