Grissini

Grissini
392 Havelock Road
Level 1 Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/singapore/grand-copthorne-waterfront/grissini/

Josper Grilled Octopus (SGD $42)

Among The Best Italian Restaurants In Singapore

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9
Value for Money: 9
Spent about SGD $44 per person.

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I have good memories from previously dining several times at Grissini, the in-house restaurant for Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel. Named after the Italian word for 'breadstick', Grissini specialises in traditional Italian dishes. Their Head Chef, Mirko Vinci, hails from Apulia / Puglia, South Italy, and he serves up thoughtfully curated, authentic Italian dishes with a refined dining experience befitting the hotel's 5-star status.

Ambience at Grissini is warm, cozy, and inviting, with clean, elegant lines. The atmosphere exudes a sophisticated class, warm lighting with dark wooden furnishings on plush carpets, with heavy curtains against the windows. The actual floor space is rather small, with a maximum seating capacity of 50 people, and loud conversations will carry. Fortunately, most of the time, there is a sense of privacy and exclusivity. There is a small al-fresco outdoor seating area too. Advance reservations are recommended if visiting during dinner.

Service at Grissini is consistently good, nearly achieving fine dining status. Staff are professional, friendly, and efficient. They offer greetings upon entry, and are quick to seat guests. I note they're able to broadly describe components of dishes and ingredients. Some staff will happily engage you in conversation, while others won't. I like that staff check on your dining experience, and clear away empty / dirty plates quickly throughout your meal. However, I wish they were more proactive in topping up drinks.

Food at Grissini is focused on traditional, authentic Italian cuisine, with a range of rotisserie / grilled meats, fresh seafood, salads, pasta, pizzas, and desserts. The highlight remains the josper grilled meats and seafood. Generally, dishes are well executed, made with fresh ingredients, and tasty. Portions are sized for individuals, and prices are comparable to other fine-dining restaurants, being upper mid-range to high. Budget about SGD $44 per person for a regular meal with drinks here.

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Grissini Exterior

Grissini Interior

Grissini Menu

Seating Outdoors

Seating Indoors

Josper Grill Station

The Cocktail The Godfather (SGD $18) features a blend of whisky and Amaretto almond flavoured liqueur, giving it a strong boozy nutty sweet flavour. Stiff and unyielding, like its namesake.

Cocktail The Godfather (SGD $18)

Cocktail The Godfather

The Cocktail Mango Mania (SGD $18) features a blend of bourbon, mango juice, lemon juice, red wine, and red wine syrup. Lift the light bulb to mix all the liquids together, creating a fruity sweet earthy sour boozy blend of flavours.

Cocktail Mango Mania (SGD $18)

Cocktail Mango Mania

Cocktail Mango Mania

The Beer M Brew (SGD $10) is a flavoured pale ale, brewed by the Archipelago Brewery in Singapore. It has a hazy amber copper colour, with aromas and tastes of caramel malt, vanilla, pandan / screwpine leaf, and coconut. The body is thin, lively, and complex, with bold earthy sweet bitter metallic flavours. This is a speciality craft beer, brewed especially for the Millennium Group of hotels.

Beer M Brew (SGD $10)

Beer M Brew

The Grissini / Breadsticks (SGD $Complimentary) is a house signature. These long, pencil-shaped, dry baked bread are coated in cornmeal, and have a super crisp, crunchy texture. Really satisfiying, I like that these retain their crisp texture for a long time. But it's the light grainy sweet flavour that make these breadsticks addictive. Served with a thick, creamy, sun-dried tomato aioli, which has bright vegetal earthy sweet flavour, so yummy. Highly recommended!

Grissini / Breadsticks (SGD $Complimentary)

Grissini / Breadsticks

Grissini / Breadsticks

Had the Tuna Tartare (SGD $24) on a recent prior visit, and it's as good as before, albeit with a smaller portion size since our feedback. It features a base of creamy smooth mashed avocado, with a mild vegetal earthy flavour, topped with chunks of juicy bouncy raw tuna fish marinated in light soy sauce, giving it a bold savoury salty flavour. Garnished with crisp crunchy bread croutons with good bready salty sweet flavour, this dish is dressed with crunchy curly endive / frisée, juicy sun-dried cherry tomatoes, and olive oil. Pretty on the plate, and tasty enough to make you keep eating. Good!

Tuna Tartare (SGD $24)

Tuna Tartare

The Linguine Allo Scoglio (SGD $32) is a beautiful summer pasta dish. It features long, flat, al-dente linguine pasta noodles, tossed in a house-made tomato passata with white wine, chili, parsley, and extra virgin olive oil. This results in a juicy, thick, rich gravy that is bright, fresh, and vegetal earthy sweet in flavour. Garnished with a range of fresh seafood, all having a bouncy chew to texture and delicate sweet savoury flavour, including white clams, black mussels, scallops, and a large partially deshelled tiger prawn. A satisfying and luxurious plate of pasta. Highly recommended!

Linguine Allo Scoglio (SGD $32)

Linguine Allo Scoglio

Linguine Allo Scoglio

The Home Made Potato Gnocchi (SGD $28) was the weakest dish of our visit. These hand-formed potato gnocchi have a light sticky chew, and are fairly dense, with little flavour. The garnish of wild rocket leaves / arugula lend a touch of vegetal bitter flavour, while the heavy sauce of cream and saffron is light on milky savoury salty spice flavour. Overall, the main problem is the one-note taste which doesn't excite or entice. Could be improved.

Home Made Potato Gnocchi (SGD $28)

Home Made Potato Gnocchi

Home Made Potato Gnocchi

The Lobster Tagliolini (SGD $44) is a luxurious pasta dish, with a large whole Boston lobster, plated over long thin soft tagliolini pasta noodles, tossed in a house-made tomato passata with white wine, garlic, parsley, and lobster bisque. This results in a rich creamy thick stew-like gravy, with bold crustacean briny salty sweet savoury flavour. Served with juicy cherry tomatoes which burst with bright vegetal sweet flavour. The lobster meat is fresh and succulent, with a bouncy chew and delicate sweet savoury flavour. But as with all lobsters, 1 is never enough. Worth ordering!

Lobster Tagliolini (SGD $44)

Lobster Tagliolini

Lobster Tagliolini

Lobster Tagliolini

The Broccoli & Italian Pork Sausage (SGD $24) has a thin, crisp, square pizza crust with light bready grainy sweet flavour, topped with tender morsels of broccolini florets, chunks of skinless Italian pork sausages, juicy San Marzano tomato paste, and stringy mozzarella cheese. You can taste each ingredient distinctly, yet it all combines into a bold vegetal sweet savoury salty cheesy mix of flavours that is so delicious. Highly recommended!

Broccoli & Italian Pork Sausage (SGD $24)

Broccoli & Italian Pork Sausage

Broccoli & Italian Pork Sausage

We enjoyed the Ortolana (SGD $22), with its thin, crisp, square pizza crust with light bready grainy sweet flavour, topped with tender morsels of sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, artichokes, straw mushrooms, cream, fresh basil leaves, basil pesto, and stringy mozzarella cheese. This has a robust vegetal earthy herbal salty savoury mix of flavours, which is surprisingly appealing and tasty, unlike similar versions elsewhere. Good!

Ortolana (SGD $22)

Ortolana

Ortolana

The vibrant and colourful plate of Josper Grilled Octopus (SGD $42) features tender roasted baby potatoes, juicy heirloom tomatoes, chewy Kalamata purple olives, and large chunks of bouncy chewy josper-grilled Mediterranean octopus tentacles. Served with a classic pinzimonio dressing (lemon juice, black pepper, salt, olive oil), this has lovely vegetal earthy sweet savoury smoky flavours. While the octopus is clean-tasting and fresh, we wish it had a deeper smoky sweet flavour. I recall this dish being more tasty in the past. Worth ordering!

Josper Grilled Octopus (SGD $42)

Josper Grilled Octopus

Josper Grilled Octopus

The Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek (SGD $45) has tender roasted vegetables (asparagus, baby potato, cherry tomato, carrot, shallots) with good vegetal sweet smoky flavour, and 2 medium sized chunks of tender juicy braised Australian wagyu beef cheek with robust meaty savoury salty flavour, over dense creamy potato mousse which has lovely sweet savoury flavour. Served with a piquant red wine and beef au jus on the side. A delicious and hearty dish. Good!

Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek (SGD $45)

Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek

Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek

Loved the Sea Salt & Coffee Cake (SGD $15) dessert. This has fresh juicy sweet seasonal fruits (blueberries, strawberries, blackcurrant, lingonberries) plated with crunchy nutty sweet caramelised hazelnuts, soft spongy pistachio fanancier crumble with good earthy nutty flavour, and a rich chocolate sauce. But the stars are the creamy pistachio gelato with nutty sweet flavour, and the rich coffee infused chocolate lava cake dressed with sea salt crystals. The cake has a soft grainy texture with deep chocolatey sweet salty flavour, and a thick molten chocolate center that oozes out when cut. Utterly delicious and addictive. Highly recommended!