Though technically an Italian establishment, Oca Grassa, which means Fat Goose, hardly looks the part – the clean, minimalistic all-white two-storey shophouse nook is the domain of bespectacled head chef Edwin Lau (formerly of Club Street’s Spanish tapas joint La Cicala), 29, whose penchant for experimentation has made him an expert of sorts on curing and aging meats. He’s also a master at the grill; for starters, Lau cooks a mean octopus – soft and succulent hunks are tossed with potato confit, mango and avocado for a bright, summery salad ($20); and while there’s a choice of three pastas ($20-$22) mains-wise, not ordering Lau’s specialties would be sacrilege. The monster 1.2kg Florentine steak, char grilled to perfection and served on a disc of sizzling Himalayan salt alongside silky truffle mash ($158), can easily feed four, or plump for the 250gm rib eye with mustard sauce ($40). Desserts can be a hit-and-miss affair, so order wisely: a clever twist – with pomegranate granite, pink guava crème and avocado pudding – to an Italian classic of panna cotta was the clear winner for us.
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