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Forlino

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published on May 19 2009 - 15:10

The first thing to know about Forlino is you should completely ignore the PR hype about its chic and sexy interiors. The temporary entrance is a service back door; the stairwell is decorated by strangely proportioned antlers; and the labyrinthine corridors not only look like a knock-off of Parisian confectioner Ladurée, they’re entirely at odds with a dull dining room whose tables are so big you need semaphore flags to communicate withyour dining partner.
Left: Chilled roast veal. Right: Tagliatelle with duck ragout

Instead, focus on the food which, on the evidence of a recent Friday night, more than justified the hype. Whether it was the amuse-bouche of delicately flavoured liver pâté on a sliver of toast or the diamond-shaped cut of golden fried polenta, it was obvious that on that night the kitchen – helmed by Michelin-starred chef Osvaldo Forlino– was at the top of its game.

The culinary pleasures were copious. Cod and potato were mashed into fragrant balls of mousse. An already excellent vitello tonnato, thin strips of perfectly roasted veal arranged in a pretty flower around a mound of tuna and caper-scented sauce, was lifted with bijoux wedges of figs; while the tender pile of grilled eggplant layered with mozzarella needed nothing more than a sigh of contentment. The quality of the kitchen’s ingredients became clear upon the arrival of an al dente risotto, rich with the earthy notes of beans and pork strips, while the handmade tagliatelle tangled wondrously with a ragù of duck slivers and foiegras. Also worthy of mention wasthe trio of fried lamb chops: here the lightly crumbed shells cracked opento reveal a gooey layer of béchamel sauce embracing moist, pillowy meat.

Desserts, too, were exemplary. The highlight was a flat dome of pannacotta trembling deliciously on the edge of liquefied milk; its creaminess was a lush counterpoint to the syrup and flesh of golden figs. The pièce de resistance was the petits fours: nuggets of pure dark chocolate that deserved their own entry on the main dessert menu, and little snowy swirls of meringue that fairly melted before they even touched the tongue.

Sadly, the wait-staff’s ineptitude detracted from the kitchen’s hard work. Clearly out of their depth in a fine-dining setting, they were awkward and unnaturally stiff. And what’s with the ridiculously pretentious routine of presenting guests with a tray of rolled-up napkins? More serious missteps included leaning across a diner to clear plates and bumping into chairs; and with so many staff milling about, it was inexplicable why our dessert orders were ignored for 15 minutes. The last straw? Discovering we’d been charged for an extra bottle of water, and having to deal with the insistence of the maître d’ that we’d had two bottles. But for these blunders, Forlino would have been agenuine six-star experience.

Words by:

Daven Wu

Forlino details

Address
#02-06 One Fullerton
1 Fullerton Road

Transport
Nearby Stations: Raffles Place

Telephone 6877 6995

Main courses from $28.00 to $42.00

Open Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm; Mon-Sat 6.30-10pm.

Forlino website


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Distances are estimatives, and are calculated as a straight line between the two venues. Current walk or drive distance may vary.
Distances are estimatives, and are calculated as a straight line between the two venues. Current walk or drive distance may vary.
 

Readers' comments

  • Shaiful Zulizan said: “Bad Experience”

    "Bad Experience" during Valentine Day Hi there! Just to share my bad experience and some pointers during my dining at "Highly Proclaimed" Forlino Restaurant. MY VALENTIME BAD DINING EXPERIENCE. - Host don't know where to bring us to our table. - Captain (anoying), keep on asking us how the food? - Server keep on asking do we take pork? (I tought our menu does not have pork when we ask?). - Most of the food was terrible (Fishy & overly-salted and their chef said that how it should be cooked). - Portions of food too small (it only took 3 or 4 bite to finish it). - They dont served ice-water (but when ask for warm water they served me ice-water!). - Service was slow & staff got no initiative. - And no apology or sorry was said to us after this whole incident. I really hope the management look into this matter to improve their next valentine day event. Sincerely Shaiful Zulizan

    Posted on Mon 15 Feb 2010 13:19:36

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