The second and last stop for Restaurant Week for me was Basilico at Regent Hotel.

The normal price for the dinner cost $74++ but for restaurant week it’s only $55++.

The main course is served to us while the appetisers and desserts are buffet style. I am actually not a fan of buffets and I was actually after their main courses! Getting full is totally not my objective of a good meal thus buffets doesn’t appeal to me. However, as the concept here is kind of different, I decided to give it a try! The choices of main course all looked so good I couldn’t decide what to have.

Smoke salmon, mussels, prawn, pork

Cos salad with truffle dressing and truffle salt, with shaved parmasen, smoked duck, asparagus and egg plant

Second serving of salad with the same dressing as I loved the truffle dressing! I didn’t know why I didn’t grab the tomatoes during the first round.

Grilled Angus Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Norcia’s Black Truffle Polenta and Baked Artichokes

From the name of the dish, it is obvious that this will not be the best steak because it is not rib eye. To me, rib eye is the best cut as the fats give steak the best flavour. Indeed, this was good but not the best. The cooking was done to perfection with the meat very evenly grilled to the correct doneness as ordered.

Carnaroli Rice with Saffron Flower, Pan Roasted Foie Gras, Porcini Mushroom and Pugilia’s Primitivo Wine Reduction

After long thought, I opted for the saffron carnaroli risotto with foie gras. No regrets! I’m not a huge fan of risotto but I’m definitely fine with it. I think it is an acquired taste, to like risotto, as I didn’t really like it the very first time I had it. The saffron is quite distinctive in this especially towards the end of it. This risotto was done al dente with the rice being slightly hard but definitely not the sort that would stick to your teeth. The sauce was very flavourful and slightly cheesy.

The foie gras was served on a separate plate. The serving was generous and it was delicious, but would have been better if it was seared with salt instead.

Among the desserts I liked the gelato best, but only strawberry flavour suited my taste here. The other flavours were not my type. Anyway this could be the best strawberry gelato I’ve eaten as it’s not sour, like most strawberry gelatos are, or too sweet like artificial flavouring would be. It’s just right.

This is not the usual international buffets that most Singaporeans will be after. Typical Singaporeans charge to the sashimi counters during buffet, and I’m sure you know of somebody who does that. I think Basilico offers more of a fine dining buffet rather than a casual laid back buffet such as The Line. The theme is Italian and they abide to it strongly in a way. You won’t find any sashimi here, so if buffet=sashimi to you, do not choose this place! Finer ingredients can be found such as truffle salt, truffle salad dressing and truffle honey and the service was very attentive and good. If you appreciate hams and cheeses, you’ll find a good selection here. The ambience was lovely too, very quiet and private unlike rowdy buffets like The Line where you would find noisy large groups and young kids. So I’d recommend this place if you’re looking for a romantic fine dining like option! Or if you like buffets but would want some ambience too. If you’re looking for a casual hearty buffet, this is not the place. If you want to pay a lower price and could do without the main course, lunch would be an option where they have more dishes (like meats, pizza etc) on the buffet tables. They do have an a la carte menu too, which I think I would opt for if I were to return again.

*****

Ambience: 8/10

Food: 8/10

Value: 7/10 (restaurant week)

Overall: not a bad choice for a fine Italian dinner

*****

Basilico

1 Cuscaden Road,

Level 2

The Regent Singapore

Tel: 6725 3232

*****

Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.00pm