Pietrasanta @ Portsdown Road

May 18, 2008 superfinefeline

IT was back in town for a visit so FW and I met her for dinner at Pietrasanta. FW had picked this place as she was in the mood to try out a new place. The restaurant was named after a medieval town on the coast of northern Tuscany, Italy.

It's located in Wessex Estate, a colonial-style residential area replete with lush greenery. The atmosphere is relaxed and almost resort-like with retro apartments and charming black & white houses adding to the character and appeal of the place. This heritage area is slated to be developed into an artists' enclave within an old-school setting.

The restaurant has an interesting concept in that there isn't a wine list. Guests can go into the cellar (a small room located within the main dining hall), pick a bottle of wine (each bottle has a paper price tag tied around its neck), the staff will take the bottle from you in the room, then you return to your table and wait for it to be served.

We got off to a bad start as our bottle of Prosecco Rose Santome (S$70) took close to half an hour to arrive. Our bread basket arrived cold without any saucers for us to pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into. I had to go to the counter to ask for some saucers. The service here is very slow and the staff are not trained. It was a test of patience to try to explain what we wanted to some of them.

Carpaccio Di Manzo Con Grana Padano E Ruccola @ S$15.90
Thinly Sliced Beef Tenderloin with Rucola & Shaved Parmesan
with Lemon & Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing

We shared everything as we love to try different things. Our first starter of Beef Carpaccio was excellent! The thin slices of beef were refreshingly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. The topping of Rucola (aka Arugula or Rocket) and shaved Parmesan cheese went very well with the beef. This is definitely a MUST-TRY!

Insalata Delliorto @ S$9.00
Mixed Greens with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Carrots & Onions

I didn't particularly take to the second starter of mixed green salad as I generally do not like raw carrots. FW and IT like carrots so they enjoyed it much better than I did. Raw carrots aside, the light vinaigrette dressing was most refreshing.

Ravioli di Ricotta e Spinaci con Burro e Salvia @ S$17.90
Home Made Ravioli filled with Spinach & Ricotta Cheese,
served with Butter & Sage

The ravioli had a nice firm bite with just the right amount of filling but I wished there was a little more salt in this dish as it tasted pretty bland to me. Otherwise, I am generally a fan of all the components in this dish...if only it had a little more salt.

Risotto Ai Porcini @ S$19.90
Italian Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

I love risotto and mushrooms so I had to order the Porcini Risotto. It was excellent and is definitely a Must-Try! The arborio rice was cooked al dente and had been perfectly infused with the rich, nutty flavour of porcini mushrooms and stock. The chunks of mushrooms added a nice bite to the dish. We couldn't help digging into the dish though it had the highest carb factor amongst all the dishes that we shared that night (besides the ravioli).

Considering that we had lined our tummies sufficiently with butter and consumed enough carb to absorb the alcohol, we figured that it was time to move on to a bottle of red. The Italian guy who runs the place (forgot his name) is really sweet as he was on hand to give recommendations. We told him we wanted to try something that wasn't a Chianti and he suggested the Ripasso 05 @ S$100. I didn't take pictures of the wine as I was too busy drinking it but it had a nice blackcurrant-like and almost-chocolatey flavour to it...then again, what do I know about wines? I just know "like" and "don't like". I like this bottle of wine. :) *hic!*

Rack of Lamb with Rosemary & Garlic @ S$29.90

The rack of lamb, whilst just a tad too salty, was fragrantly roasted and grew on us as we ate. The heady aroma of Rosemary made each bite of the succulent lamb particularly pleasant. After a while, we barely noticed the saltiness (or maybe we have simply gotten accustomed to it). This dish is also a Must-Try, especially with wine! :)

Il Tiramisu @ S$8.90

I was too stuffed from a late lunch for desserts so FW & IT shared a Tiramisu. I took a small spoonful just for taste and found that it was delicious though it was just a little too sweet for me. Then again, I'm not exactly a "sweet" person as savoury foods are more my thing. FW & IT loved it though so definitely give it a try!

Whilst the service officially sucked, the food more than made up for it and the dishes were inexpensively priced. This place is worth revisiting...as in addition to the good food, the casual and relaxed ambience was conducive to a night of dining, drinking and catching up with friends.

I hope the service improves as the disorganized and sluggish manner in which they operate can be infuriating. Till that day arrives, bring a gallon of "patience" with you when you dine here.

Pietrasanta
5B Portsdown Road,
#01-03 Wessex Estate,
Singapore 139311
Tel: +65 6479-9521

Operating Hours:
Daily: 12noon - 2.30pm & 6.00pm - 10.30pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)