La Strada

#02-10 Shaw Centre
1 Scotts Road



Les Amis. I’ve faithfully avoided the infamously pricey group of restaurants, largely due to the rumoured wallet busting prices. So it was comforting to learn La Strada wasn't very much pricier than the Italian joints I've hit in the past.

Service

The first question posted by the waiter was, “Sparkling, still or iced water?” It was a good start as I had a special regard for Singapore’s tap water. The waiters were attentive and swift. I was also suitably impressed that they did not have to check with us whose order was up.

The Ambience

The décor was pleasantly unintimidating. The space felt uncluttered, with understated dark wood floors, quiet quality furniture.

The bread basket came with a surprise. Pizza styled tomato sauce laden bread! Followed by the real thing.

Prosciutto cotto e funghi

Mushrooms were full bodied, lightly sautéed with the right amount of bite. The ingredients were deceptively simple; Italian gammon ham, mozzarella and tomato sauce. The quartet of quality ingredients embraced one another to produce a down to earth taste of a freshly made pizza.

My appetizer soon arrived.

Carpaccio Di Manzon

The menu describe this dish as “thinly sliced wagyu beef, drizzled with truffle mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, shaved parmesan and rucola” Sounds good? Tasted good. I know many have dismissed truffles as being overpriced mushrooms, but anyone who has tasted the truffle mayonnaise would agree how much so little can do so much to dress up a common Italian dish.  

Pollo

I merely got two bites of Pollo, a char-grilled baby French chicken but throughly enjoyed the herb dried grilled, tender, juicy, smooth piece of baby chicken.

Finally, my main arrived, I’ve opted for something that always sounded good but ends in bitter disappointment. Of course, I’m talking about ravioli. I mean, pasta wrapped with something special. How can it be bad? It was, many times over my years of enjoying Italian. Still, one more bad order couldn’t hurt. Could it?

Ravioli

The filling this time is braised quail with root vegetables in a raisin sauce. Not looking good. I went for the unusual raisin sauce with the pointed tips of my fork. It was a expectedly sweet, with a taste I just couldn’t quite understand. What I understood, was that it tasted fabulously decadant. Delighted, I spooned my first piece of ravioli. As I slipped the velvety piece of meticulously made piece of pasta in, my heart was pumping in estatic anticipation of what the fillings would be like. It. Was. Sublime. The quail with root vegetables were moist and rich. Complicated together yet displaying simplistic individual flair.

What this dainty piece of pasta did, was to restore my confidence in ravioli. They do make it this good, you’ll just have to look a little harder. Although my seach has not ended, it's nice to know I can always come back for more Ravioli here.


Ambience 12/15
Service 12/15
Food 13/15


Will I come again?


Yes, if not for anything else, the Ravioli that made my day.