I have never really catch his name but that Indian baker working at Mondo Mio makes such delicious ciabattas and breadsticks I often caught myself eating more than my fair share.
It was not until the 10th year anniversary of Mondo Mio this year that I managed to make my first ever visit to the restaurant, and it was such a shame since the cooking by Chef Antonio Bisogno had already left an indelible impression on me.
The complimentary bread basket aside, the antipasti, to the primis right down to the dolce were delicious, making this one of my best Italian experiences in a while.
The Insalata di Baccala ed Agrumi ($16) was the ideal Antipasti to start the ball rolling. You get slices of chilled bay leaf steamed cod mixed with cut grapefruit, mandarin, kiwi, all fine produces of Italy, before orange olive oil are generously drizzled over. It was a simple zesty dish, but one that tested the finesse of the ingredients.
I also like the Rosoni Di Zucchine alla Griglia Ripieni ($14). Italians does wonders with eggplants and zucchinis and I would not expect less of this grilled zucchini wrapped around mozzarella and ham, finished with mint béchamel sauce. The savoury notes from the mozzarella and ham was well balanced by the refreshing zucchini and mint béchamel.
Primis are not sloppy either. I would not have imagine an extraordinary pizza until Chef Antonio decided to impress me with his Pizza con Rucola Pesto ($22), a pizza with the one-of-a-kind rocket pesto base. Pestos are usually made of basil, but this particular one was blended out of fresh juicy rocket leaves, and you can only imagine the whole new spectrum of tastes I am getting. A rather basic composition, this pizza was topped with mozzarella, salami, ricotta and cherry tomatoes. Voilà! It was Mama Mia!
Pastas are freshly made in house daily at Mondo Mio’s open kitchen. The Gnocchetti in Salsa di Scampi, Zafferano e Gamberoni (Homemade gnocchetti in scampi salsa with saffron and prawns) ($28) and Tagliatelle Fatte in Casa con Crema do Melanzane e Cicale (Homemade tagliatelle with eggplant sauce, with sauté crayfish) ($26) are two recommended items from Mondo Mio’s newly revamped menu and they were excellent.
Chef Antonio certainly did not disappoint with his Secondi and the quality of his meat dish was consistent with the rest of the meal. The Scaloppine al Marsala (Pounded veal fillets with Marsala red wine sauce and roasted vegetables) ($24) was an absolute delight. I laid the vino flavoured char grilled sliced veal over some hot bread, poured some olive oil over and created my own open bistecca sandwich.
Dolces are one indulge that should never be compromised in an Italian kitchen and I reckon Mondo Mio’s decadent Pistachio Tiramisu ($12) deserves an award at the Campidoglio Championships. I have had plenty of Matcha/ Hazenut/Pistachio Tiramisus but most were either too sweet, too creamy or an overdose of the Marsala wine. The “Goldilocks” pistachio Tiramisu here however has the optimal ratio of mascarpone to cheese, of Bailey’s and pistachio, and much like a well concocted cocktail, the notes of each component blends in beautifully without a single clash of flavours. As I finished my last bite I thought to myself “La Dolce Vita”.
PS: Next time back, I will definitely ask for the bread maker name and thank him for his bread.
The above article is written by Guest Writer @ramenking2016. You can find him on instagram where he shares his love for food and travel.
Mondo Mio
#01-02A Riverside View, 30 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238251
Tel: +65 6736 2503
Operating Hours: Lunch – Daily 11am-2pm
Dinner – Daily 6pm-10.30pm
Website
From 25 September to 15 December the restaurant will be offering a special four course set menu priced at $45 (see Website for more details)
