Tucked away in a quiet lane in Serangoon Gardens is a hidden gem of an Italian Restaurant. Baci Baci (meaning "kisses" in Italian) has been popular with the residents who love its relaxing and romantic atmosphere that reminds you of eateries in Italy. And of course, they come for the food - Baci Baci brings in ingredients from Italy (cured meats, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, etc) where it matters most in order to replicate the Italian experience.
Mmmmh, know what I'm talking about? 😋
Of course we start with some wine.
For the white wine, we have the Montresor Soave Classico from Veneto. This dry wine is crisp and really easy to drink, and would pair well with seafood, poultry, vegetable dishes and pastas (possibly creamy dishes too). It's so nice chilled, but not too cold as the nuances of the wine comes through better when it's not icy.
For the red, we have the Borgo del Mandorlo, Primitivo from Puglia. You are greeted by a bright nose of orange spice, blackberry and dark cherry jam. The accents of anise and violet with the lush black fruit notes would pair well with roasted meats and game.
Baci Baci has its own wine cellar, stocked mostly with Italian labels but there are a few select ones from other countries too, like New Zealand and Argentina. Feel free to ask for recommendations.
STARTER: Antipasto Baci (S$40, serves two)
This is a feast of an antipasto platter. You have hams lining up on one side (parma ham, cooked ham, sopressa and mortadella), and cheeses (taleggio, parmesan, fresh burrata) on the other side along with Italian cherry tomatoes, green and black olive, sundried tomatoes, mixed green salad, and garlic and tomatoes bruschetta.
PASTA: Risotto Baci (S$30)
Italian rice, fresh scallops, fresh mint and burrata cheese.
This is one of the most delicate risotto dishes I've tried. It's certainly well-cooked, with a slight al dente bite. The scallops are sweet and fresh, gently elevated by the mint and creamy burrata. Personally we love shaving a lot of hard cheeses onto risotto, so this might have been light on flavour for us.
PIZZA: Submarine (S$29)
Spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola, mortadella, pistachio, rocket salad, tomato.
Now this was one of the biggest highlights. We were told this was a rolled pizza but couldn't imagine it. When this dish arrived, we were blown away. This is just gorgeous! Warm crusty pizza rolled with thick layers of cheese and topped with ham and pistachios. The arrabbiata sauce delivers quite a kick too. Colour, crunch, chewiness and flavour in every bite. Calling this a submarine doesn't do it justice. Submarines can only dream of being this good.
MAIN: Porchetta (S$38)
Slow roasted pork belly with crackling skin rubbed with herbs, served with apple puree, grilled vegetables, truffle sauce.
DESSERT: homemade tiramisu (S$18)
This is big enough for two, and after so much food, it would be wise to share this! Other desserts include affogato, panna cotta, creme brulee, lava cake, chocolate salami, and gelato.
Of course, stay a while more and have a nice coffee. They serve Lavazza here.
We really enjoyed our experience here, and are making plans to come back to try more dishes. My friend says it's almost like a meal in Italy itself. Service is warm and the staff are knowledgeable. While it will be a long while before it will be wise to travel, especially to Europe, we don't have to miss out on culinary experiences that are close to the real thing.
Check out Baci Baci's menu in full here.
BACI BACI
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bacibacirestaurant/
27 Lichfield Road
Singapore 556847
Tel: +65 9820 7969 / +65 6243 7036
Open daily from 12:00pm to 14:00pm and from 18:00pm to 22:00pm
Many thanks to Alberto for the invitation and kind hospitality.
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