Wine & Chef: Italian-Asian Dishes & Italian Boutique Wines From S$7/Glass Along Keong Saik Road

Finding a new place for a date or gathering can be such a fuss at times. Located at Keong Saik Road, a five-minute walk away from Outram, Wine & Chef might just be the next ideal place to visit. This is our second visit and its still as good as before.

The restaurant has just released a brand new menu featuring a range of Italian food with an Asian twist, and we were eager to try the dishes.

Wine & Chef has a cosy interior with warm lights and wooden furnishing, giving the restaurant a rustic yet homey feel.

Wine lovers will be delighted to find that Wine & Chef provides a large range of Italian boutique wines to choose from, to pair with the wonderfully-crafted dishes.

We tried six of their recommended dishes on the menu and each dish came with a different wine pairing.

We started with Gorgonzola (S$9++) and Italian Ciabatta (S$5++). One of the oldest cheeses in Italy, the Gorgonzola was served with a side of olives, walnut and honey.

The cheese had a rich and creamy texture that melted right into the warm, toasted Ciabatta. I’d recommend drizzling a little honey for a sweet contrast to the savoury and fragrant pairing.

If you’re looking for a wine to pair it with, go with a well-balanced and sweet Prosecco Extra Dry to mellow out the heaviness of the cheese.

Some may find foie gras greasy or creamy, but the Seared Foie Gras (S$16++) by Wine & Chef had a delicate texture and was light on the palate. Maybe a bit too light in fact.

It was seasoned with sea salt, pistachio and balsamic reduction to cut through the buttery richness of foie gras. The homemade apple and thyme brandy compote added a sweet touch to the dish as well. You’ll want to opt for a wine with low acidity to balance out the flavours.

The Scallop Capellini (S$28++) came next. The dish was visually appealing, with bright splashes of orange and red colours. When I took a mouthful of it, the umami flavour filled my palate.

The angel hair pasta was cooked together with truffle, ikura, shallots, shio kombu (kombu salt), furikake and pomegranate, creating a burst of sweet and saltiness. Not to mention, the pasta also came with fresh Hokkaido scallops that were soft and chewy.

Paired with a rose wine, the sweetness of the dish became even more pronounced. This is no doubt my favourite dish from Wine & Chef!

For those who prefer something heavier as a main, the Nduju Pasta (S$28++) is a perfect choice, topped with a sweet and succulent crayfish.

The star of the dish should have been the Nduja (spicy pork salami), but the salami wasn’t as prominent as I had expected it to be, and the dish could have been more savoury.

Pairing the dish with a glass of Sangiovese (Italian Red Wine) added an earthy aroma, which complemented the tangy tomato-based pasta well.

Their version of the Pork Roulade (S$24++) might be more familiar to our local taste buds. Served with polenta, broccolini and achar (Asian pickled vegetables), the dish was pretty colourful.

The crispy skin and tender meat were made by slow roasting the pork for a full day, however, I felt that the meat was slightly underseasoned.

The Linguine al Granchio (S$38++) was highly raved about because of the creamy sauce made from Sri Lanka crab roe simmered with butter and seasoned with parsley.

The great serving of crab meat gave the dish a tinge of sweetness, making it a hearty and comforting dish to end the tasting with. Pair this with the Romagna Albana (Italian white wine) to enhance the sweet and lingering after-taste of the crabmeat.

While some dishes like the Pork Roulade needed a little more seasoning, it was an overall lovely place to dine at!

Wine & Chef serves up great Italian cuisine that goes beyond the stereotypical dishes. With Asian twists on their dishes, this restaurant is likely to appeal to the local crowd’s cravings.

Expected Damage: S$40 – S$80 per pax