L’Operetta

Cutting the burrata

I’d read about L’operetta and wanted to try this Italian restaurant that served authentic pizza from Naples, with a Japanese owner and chef.

It’s at the end of what I call the “dead zone” of Boat Quay – the section past BQ Bar to the bridge, but its overtly opulent and brightly lit decor is at least sure to attract some attention from those coming from the bridge end of Boat Quay.

Friday night, and the place was 30% full when we got there at 8.30 …  Hmmm …. the waiter (who we found out started that night) had difficulty finding our reservation … Hmmm … Took us a while to even get our menus and wine list … Hmmm …

Then things turned around.

Burrata with prosciutto, baby tomatoes and arugula

Not long after we’d ordered, the Japanese Maitre D (also MD), Taka, came and started chatting to us about the Burrata he was serving.  Burrata is an epiphany for me – mozarella cheese made not from milk but from a mix of mozarella and cream, encased in a mozarella skin, imported from the heel of Italy (where he pointed to the heel of his very cool shoes), Puglia. Fresh, rich, creamy-as-hell, this thing is absolutely gorgeous.   Served with thinly shaved prosciutto, arugula and sweet sweet baby tomatoes, this pillow of cheese seemed almost to fill your mouth with more cheese than you put in there Definitely one to share because of its richness, and the size of the dish, but oh so good.

For some reason I didn’t go for the pizza and ended up ordering a sea urchin and grey mullet roe pasta which came disappointingly with lots of brocolli in it, and I think that flavour overpowered the delicate uni flavour I was expecting.  The uni and grey mullet roe did add a creaminess to the pasta, but perhaps not the best dish to complement the burrata.

On the other hand, the pizza that D ordered, totally did.

Napoletana-style wood-fired pizza with mozarella, prosciutto and rocket

Read the ieatishootipost post for details of the pizza (and watch the video!).  It is definitely different from what you can get in Singapore – the dough is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and chewy – almost naan-like.  And the toppings are simple and delicately flavoured.

The pizzas are all under $30.  The place is fun and the chef comes and chats to the tables to get feedback on the food.  And they have burrata :).  I just wish I worked around the Raffles Place area – that’s where I’d be lunching.  But I’ll be going back there again.  Oh yes.

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