Rosso Vino

Rosso Vino
15 Merbau Road

https://www.rossovinosingapore.com/

Calzone Rosso Vino (SGD $27)

Unassuming, Memorable, Traditional Italian Dining Experience

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $62 per person.


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Established since December 2013 by chef Antonio Familiari and hotelier Salvatore Adaldo, Rosso Vino is a traditional and unassuming Italian trattoria, well-regarded for their warm hospitality and classic fare made using fresh ingredients. While relatively under-the-radar in terms of media coverage, Rosso Vino has strong word-of-mouth, helping them consistently win awards that place them among the best Italian restaurants in Singapore.

Ambience at Rosso Vino channels the trattoria vibe; casual, rustic, and relaxing. Offering both indoor air-conditioned and outdoor al-fresco seating options, accomodating up to 100 people, this casual restaurant is decently comfortable and suitable for lingering meals. Sturdy wooden furnishings, warm spot lighting, and shades of crimson, mahogany, grey, and medallion colours lend an intimate feel, while the well-stocked wine shelves beckon invitingly.

Service at Rosso Vino reflects the trattoria style; warm, polite, and friendly. Led by General Manager Carlo Mazzaglia, the experienced senior staff engage readily in friendly banter, and demonstrate deep product knowledge, able to describe dishes. The junior staff may lack the requisite knowledge, but make up for it with chirpy willingness to assist and proactive enthusiasm. Orders are introduced as they're served, and I note staff quickly clean up when diners leave.

Food at Rosso Vino features classic Italian trattoria dishes; homely, comforting, and authentic. With a focused menu of Italian favourites with options for gluten-free and vegetarian, Head Chef Francesco Serra and the kitchen team ensure each plate is a delight with its simplicity and fresh ingredients. Portions are sized for individuals, but are certainly suitable for sharing. Prices are moderately affordable as befits a trattoria, budget about SGD $62 per person for a 5-course meal.


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Rosso Vino Exterior

Rosso Vino Interior

Seating Outdoors

Seating Indoors

Desserts

The Cocktail Naples (SGD $18) resembles the Italian city it's named for; beautiful, lively, and passionate. This features a blend of rum, prosecco, orange marmalade, lemon juice, earl grey syrup, and egg white. Has a bright fruity zesty floral sour sweet boozy flavour, excellent. Highly recommended!

Cocktail Naples (SGD $18)

The Cocktail Rome (SGD $18) features a blend of bourbon, prosecco, peach puree, lemon juice, simple white sugar syrup, and peach liqueur. This was a tad overly fruity sweet for me, I didn't enjoy it as much.

Cocktail Rome (SGD $18)

The Wine Terre Di Ala IGP Umbria, Italy 2018 (SGD $14) is a white wine blend made from 70% semillon golden grapes, and 30% sauvignon blanc green grapes, produced by the Paolo E Noemia D'Amico winery in Vaiano, Prato province, Tuscany, Italy. It has a pale green colour, with aromas of morning dew, kiwi fruit, honey, and lemon. The body is crisp, smooth, and dry, with tastes of straw, honeydew melon, pear, and lily flower. Has a pleasant floral fruity sweet flavour, refreshing with a clean finish.

Wine Terre Di Ala IGP Umbria, Italy 2018 (SGD $14)

The Wine Il Ponte IGT Tuscany, Italy 2018 (SGD $15) is a red wine blend made from 34% merlot purple grapes, 33% cabernet sauvignon black grapes, and 33% syrah red grapes, produced by the Agricola Il Ponte winery in Capalbio, Grosseto province, Tuscany, Italy. It has a deep red colour, with aromas of vanilla, black cherry, cloves, and smoke. The body is glossy, smooth, and complex, with tastes of cinnamon, blackberry, redcurrant, and oak. Has an intense fruity earthy sweet flavour, harmonious with a lingering finish.

Wine Il Ponte IGT Tuscany, Italy 2018 (SGD $15)

The Carpaccio Di Polpo E Avocado (SGD $17) was a seasonal Christmas 2021 special. Thinly sliced octopus, silky smooth and tender with bright natural sweet savoury flavour, surround a mound of juicy diced tomatoes with vegetal sweet flavour, dressed with creamy avacado tartare and lemon juice with zesty vegetal earthy sweet sour flavour. Fresh and appetizing, a good start. Worth ordering!

Carpaccio Di Polpo E Avocado (SGD $17)

Carpaccio Di Polpo E Avocado

The Fritto Di Calamari (SGD $17) features bouncy fresh calamari squid rings, coated in a light crispy batter, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served alongside mesclun salad and tartar sauce. Bite in and you get a satisfying sweet salty savoury peppery spice flavour, yet still tasting the distinct freshness of the calamari squid. Even better with the creamy tartar sauce and its milky sour sweet tangy zesty notes. Good!

Fritto Di Calamari (SGD $17)

Fritto Di Calamari

Fritto Di Calamari

The Bufala E Prosciutto (SGD $23) features a base of fresh crisp lettuce with vegetal sweet bitter flavour, surrounded by thin wispy strips of succulent air-cured prosciutto crudo / parma ham with bold meaty salty savoury flavour. A creamy buffalo mozzarella cheese sits in the center, lending mild milky cheesy sweet notes. Classic appetizer, so yummy. Good!

Bufala E Prosciutto (SGD $23)

Bufala E Prosciutto

The Penne Al Tartufo E Funghi Porcini (SGD $25) was excellent. The star is the rich creamy truffle and porcini mushroom gravy, perfuming the dish with a fragrant earthy aroma. The penne pasta tubes have a light chew to texture, with the gravy lending a bold earthy savoury salty flavour, delicious. Fresh coriander lends a burst of contrasting colour. Highly recommended!

Penne Al Tartufo E Funghi Porcini (SGD $25)

Penne Al Tartufo E Funghi Porcini

Penne Al Tartufo E Funghi Porcini

Loved the classic, authentic Fettucine Bolognese (SGD $23), which held bright vegetal sweet savoury flavour from the rich bolognese ragu sauce. The handmade fettucine pasta noodles are flat and wide, with a slight chew to texture, picking up the gravy so well. The bolognese ragu features fresh tomato and tender minced beef in generous portions, slow-cooked over hours till it's rich and thick. Completed with shavings of parmesan cheese with salty cheesy flavour, and fresh coriander with a burst of contrasting colour. Highly recommended!

Fettucine Bolognese (SGD $23)

Fettucine Bolognese

Fettucine Bolognese

Pleased with the classic Italian rendition of Spaghetti Carbonara (SGD $25), which held robust sweet savoury eggy cheesy salty flavour from the rich cream sauce thickened with eggs. The long cylindrical spaghetti pasta noodles have an al-dente chew to texture, with a slight firm dense bite, and the gravy sticks well. Garnished with pork bacon, parmesan cheese, and black pepper, which lends robust meaty salty savoury cheesy peppery spice flavour, utterly delicious and super filling. Highly recommended!

Spaghetti Carbonara (SGD $25)

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

The house signature folded pizza, the Calzone Rosso Vino (SGD $27) features their classic hand rolled pizza dough which is medium thick with a light chew and bready sweet smoky flavour. Layered with rich fresh tomato sauce with bright vegetal sweet flavour, and gooey mozzarella cheese with cheesy savoury salty flavour which stretches beautifully. Garnishings of tender pork ham with meaty savoury flavour, and bouncy button mushrooms with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, are generously stuffed within as well. The edges of the calzone tend to have air pockets, but the center is thick with ingredients. Served with fresh crisp rocket leaves / arugula on the side, lending sharp vegetal bitter earthy flavour. Highly recommended!

Calzone Rosso Vino (SGD $27)

Calzone Rosso Vino

Calzone Rosso Vino

The Filetto Di Manzo Alla Griglia (SGD $43 for 200g) has a char-grilled angus beef tenderloin steak, done to a perfect medium rare as we'd requested. Sliced through easily, with the beef tenderloin being so tender and juicy, with big meaty savoury flavour. Sits on a bed of creamy grainy mashed potatoes infused with truffle oil, resulting in a fragrant earthy sweet savoury salty starchy flavour. Large crunchy stalks of grilled asparagus with smoky vegetal sweet flavour, and tender moist sauteed beech mushrooms with vegetal earthy salty flavour, complete this dish. Worth ordering!

Filetto Di Manzo Alla Griglia (SGD $43 for 200g)

Filetto Di Manzo Alla Griglia

Filetto Di Manzo Alla Griglia

A classic Panna Cotta Raspberry (SGD $13) that was well-executed. The panna cotta itself had the right texture, with a dense bouncy springy feel, not watery or flimsy, having bright milky sweet flavour. The raspberry glaze lends sharp fruity sour sweet flavour, helping to contrast the milk pudding nicely. Good!

Panna Cotta Raspberry (SGD $13)

Panna Cotta Raspberry

The Tiramisu (SGD $16) was certainly decent, but I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't as spectacular as their other desserts. Felt it was because the portion of ladyfinger biscuits / sponge finger biscuits was rather little, so several mouthfuls missed out on the airy spongy texture and bready sweet flavour. Otherwise, the mascarpone cheese was properly creamy thick with milky sweet flavour, and the espresso coffee infusion is nicely fragrant with toasty earthy notes. Could be improved.

Tiramisu (SGD $16)

Tiramisu

The Affogato (SGD $9) was a winner for me. The thick, creamy smooth vanilla ice cream with bright floral milky sweet flavour, held up well. The rich and fragrant illy coffee espresso shot, low on acidity and bitterness, with bold floral chocolatey earthy sweet notes, complements nicely. Finished with crunchy roasted coffee beans on top. Excellent for its rich smooth mouthfeel and pleasing taste. Highly recommended!

Affogato (SGD $9)

Affogato

Affogato

No Italian meal is complete without Limoncello (SGD $Complimentary), and they end it right at Rosso Vino. This lemon liqueur is bright and refreshing, with tangy zesty sour sweet flavour, cleansing the palate. Good!

Limoncello (SGD $Complimentary)

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