Thursday, December 29, 2011

pizza and burgers

I like Mario Batali because Anthony Bourdain respects him. And he kicks ass on Iron Chef America. His food's not bad, either.

Hello, Pizzeria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands Singapore!

Mozza Caprese, with whole roasted tomatoes, basil pesto and burrata. S$15++

Pizza with bacon, salumi, fennel sausage, guanciale, tomato & mozzarella. S$28++

Lasagne al forno, the Sunday piatto del giorno. S$28++

My dream lasagne. Just look at those sexy layers.

Verdict: I was very satisfied with the three dishes that we ordered at Pizzeria Mozza. Their version of Insalata Caprese was not the simple and rustic salad that I'm (still) looking for, but it was over-the-top luscious and elegant. Burrata, man!

I knew about the sourdough pizza crust and made sure to eat fast. Right out of the oven, it was crispy but substantial, and having absorbed all the beautiful tomato sauce and meat juices without disintegrating, incredibly flavorful. But after it had cooled down, the chewy crust gave my jaws a real workout and I just couldn't eat the last piece.

The lasagne was wonderful. It's the way the classic baked lasagna from our childhood should have been and but never was. Whenever I close my eyes, I can still smell it. I would go back to Singapore for this, it was so good. Hey, can we get this frozen in take away trays? I would smuggle it in and build a freaking brick oven in my backyard for it.

Sadly, I was overwhelmed by the meaty combo of meaty pizza and meaty lasagne, and felt sluggish and heavy afterwards. Ah, well. Next time I'll freak my companions out and get the pizza with anchovy or broccoli.

The same day that we had lunch at Pizzeria Mozza, we had dinner at db Bistro Moderne. A good pizza deserves to be followed by a good burger, right? 

Hello, db Bistro Moderne at Marina Bay Sands Singapore!

The Original db Burger. Sirloin burger filled with braised short ribs and foie gras served on a parmesan bun, S$38++. 

To see is to believe.

Whole Maine Lobster. Chef's recommendation, S$85++.

Profiteroles. With hot chocolate sauce and praline ice cream, S$15++.

Verdict: Let's face it, many many people go to Daniel Boulud's restaurant for the foie gras burger. It's on their bucket list, it's their Everest, it's their ultimate indulgence... Seriously, folks, nowadays you can get all the ingredients in your local deli and make it at home.

Still, I'm not sorry that I ordered it. It was a nice burger and reasonably priced for the quantity and quality of its ingredients, but I wasn't bowled over. Not the restaurant's fault, I suspect. A foie gras burger is just not that exciting for me. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had eaten the components separately-- seared foie gras first, maybe a steak tartare, some tender short ribs, parmesan bread on the side. (That sounds pretty good to me, actually.) Having them all together in one bite didn't do much for me.

I convinced Ma to order the lobster instead of duck confit because who knows when we'll ever get to see a whole Maine lobster again? We very rarely get it here and nobody can cook it properly. Congratulations to executive chef Stephane Istel. That lobster was perfection.

The entire meal, possibly the entire day, I was looking forward to dessert at db Bistro Moderne and the profiteroles did not disappoint. Imagine cool ice cream with a hint of hazelnut, topped with light and airy pate a choux and drowned-- drowned I tell ya-- in warm chocolate sauce. It was like eating giant Ferrero Rochers. It was the best chocolate/ice cream dessert I've had this year.

I'd say that I had a good day.

Pizzeria Mozza and db Bistro Moderne are next to each other on the Galleria Level of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, across the theater and CUT by Wolfgang Puck. db Bistro Moderne does not answer their email (I sent four!), so I just walked over after lunch at Pizzeria Mozza to book a table for dinner. It was a Sunday and both places were quite busy, so I would recommend making reservations if you're going on a weekend.

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