The closest I had been to falling in love was not with a man...it was with a tub of tiramisu...Yes, laugh all you want, but it's the truth. My brother first introduced me to Gastronomia's tiramisu, that comes in convenient and neat takeaway transparent boxes, more than 5 years ago. Until today, I can still say that there are not many who can make it better than Gastronomia.
Gastronomia Da Paolo, one of the four brands under Da Paolo Group in Singapore, is an Italian Gourmet Deli Cafe that offers "a one-stop eat-in and take-out concept with wide array of professionally prepared dishes, like homemade pasta and sauces, artisanal cheeses, cold cuts, salads, pizza, sandwiches, pastries, cakes, dessert" (quoted from the official page, because honestly, I can't find any better way to describe it). As a cafe, you can pick your food right off the display and rack, then request to be heated up and indulge with a warm cup of Tekoe Tea from Switzerland or Bristot Coffee from Italy or maybe even some wine? Really, with all this convenience, what's not to love about Gastronomia?
This is a place that attracts, well you guessed it, mostly foreigners, because the food here is very 'angmoh' style (Singaporean slang for Caucasians)...I guess that's why I love it.
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| Antipasti, Cold Cuts, Cheese counter | Savoury dishes for takeaways |
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| Mix and Match, pay by weight |
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| Ready to eat pizza by the slice, |
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| Some classic pastries |
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| All this is imported from Italy |
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| Pretty cupcakes, meringues, etc |
It was with the innocuous intention to relish in my happy memory that I made a point to revisit my favourite tiramisu maker, during my last trip to Singapore last year. (oh, this post is super ultra expired, but my spirit to share with you is still ablaze!). My previous attempt to take photos at Gastronomia's Bukit Timah outlet was derailed when my camera accidentally triggered the flash, which immediately alerted the staff to tell me that no photo-taking was allowed.
So this time round, I tried to push my luck by contacting the management prior to arrival, to inquire for permission to snap some photos. The reply came unexpectedly from Ms. Francesca Scarpa herself, who is daughter of the founder and currently leads Da Paolo group as the Head of Products! I was delighted of course, but even more inspired to find out that Da Paolo Group is run by not only Ms. Scarpa. Her husband takes charge as the CEO, while her brother handles the team as the chef at the Bistro. This is a proof that a family-run F&B establishment can thrive well.
So this time round, I tried to push my luck by contacting the management prior to arrival, to inquire for permission to snap some photos. The reply came unexpectedly from Ms. Francesca Scarpa herself, who is daughter of the founder and currently leads Da Paolo group as the Head of Products! I was delighted of course, but even more inspired to find out that Da Paolo Group is run by not only Ms. Scarpa. Her husband takes charge as the CEO, while her brother handles the team as the chef at the Bistro. This is a proof that a family-run F&B establishment can thrive well.
I was very close to meeting Ms. Scarpa in person, if only Ryan had finished earlier from his meeting (I reckoned introducing the two might be a good idea). But Ms. Scarpa couldn't wait for me as she had to leave that afternoon. Fortunately, she didn't leave me unaided, because she trusted us in the good care of Tzu Fang, one of her Marketing executives, to accompany us at the Holland Village outlet.
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| Cappuccino SGD 4.50 (Regular) |
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| Beef Lasagna SGD 10.50 / tub |
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| Chicken Roast SGD 5.50 /100gr | Couscous SGD 3.50/100gr |
For lunch, Ryan had the Beef Lasagna and I had a slice of Chicken Roast (deboned chicken stuffed with veal sausages, chestnuts & raspberries) and Couscous with Wild Rocket and Sweet Potato. While waiting for the food being heated, our Bristot coffee came...What better way to start an Italian lunch but with a cup of velvety Italian Cappuccino =)
Dessert, oh yes! Three of us shared the Tiramisu, Black Forest and Chocolate 'something' (gosh, I have a fish' memory, I can't recall the name...Sorry!). While the celebrated tiramisu has noticeably changed compared to what I first had 5 years ago, I can still safely say that not many (if at all) can come close to Gastronomia's version.
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| Tiramisu | Black Forest |
Tzu Fang recommended the Amaretti del Chiostro, which is one of the visitors' favourite item. The ball-shaped sweet snack comes in individual wraps and has 2 versions: crispy and soft. We had the crispy one. For me, the Amaretti biscuit is a tad too sweet, especially after the sweet dose from the trio chocolate dessert we had, so I only managed to finish 1 piece...
Alas, I'd like to thank Ms. Scarpa & Tzu Fang for the warm welcome... I hope to check out the other members of Da Paolo Group on my next trip to Singapore.
43 Jalan Merah Saga #01-74
Singapore
Ph: +65 6475 1323
Open Hours: 08:30 - 21:30 (daily)
Da Paolo Group
Amaretti del Chiostro. Is it chocolate? Caramel? Looks like something my sweet tongue would love. X)
ReplyDeleteBtw, Ryan who? Farisa?
None of the above, Rubs. It's a biscuit, crunchy, chewy and rather sticky, so prepare your jaws lol. It's really sweet, but maybe you can handle it =D
ReplyDeleteNot Rian Farisa...it's Ryan, my friend...haha, I better keep his identity secret =P
those irresistible looking desserts! my sweet tooth just shivered react to those beautiful shots of yours, El :)
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