Buona Terra had never crossed my radar. So when I was taken there for an anniversary dinner recently, I was apprehensive yet excited at the same time. The restaurant is situated at an extended wing of an old colonial black & white bungalow along Scotts Road. Despite the vintage architecture, the restaurant was wittily decked out in crisp white linen against soft glowing lighting and splashes of bright fun art on the walls. We were greeted by a team that’s warm, polite and attentive. Dinner is a fixed menu consisting a total of 6 courses. Every single one was delicate and elegant!

A foursome of starters to tease our appetites…

These appetizers were a medley of fascinating tastes and textures. From the salty creamy cod of the Baccala’ Mantecato, to the crunchy cuttlefish and the delicacy of the tomato. Take each one in in a single mouthful and feel the flavors meld in the mouth like a fairy tale!

Yellowtail Carpaccio, Citrus, Sea Asparagus, Horseradish Snow ~ An impressive first dish ! The yellowtail sashimi was first given a cold snow shower, before we dug into a sweet firm meat. Ultra fresh and absolutely delicious with the snow dusting which melts upon meeting the tongue!

Mozambique Scampi, Puntarelle, Black Garlic, Anchovies Sauce ~ A lovely creamy anchovy sauce totally brought up the sweetness of the meaty scampi. Traces of garlic is present in the sauce as well as the black ring holding the it in. A nice little warm kick to the entire experience.

Turbot, Black Trumpet, Truffle, Celery Root, Lovage ~ Another terrific creation, a firm turbot fillet in a light celery emulsion. The flavor was clean and on point; and very hearty at the same time. I loved the way the fish was grilled without drying out.

Fusili, Baby Squid, Cuttlefish, Capsicum, Ink Sauce ~ By this time I was already starting to fill up. But the pasta looked too pretty to skip. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver as I thought the overall execution in taste was rather plain. I have a heavy palate, so this just didn’t work for me.

Stuffed Quail, Salsify, Coffee, Chanterelle Mushrooms ~ I know I said the Carpaccio was impressive… but the Quail was my favorite of the evening. The entire combo was Perfect from taste, flavor, textures to presentation and creativity. The quail meat was firm yet tender, cooked just slightly pink, with a little bit of stuffing which enhanced, not overwhelm. The little drumstick was deboned and grilled to a nice toasty finish. Super moist and tender, oh I could have a few more! The mushrooms, coffee tinted sauce and a crispy salsify root for crunch.

Sweet Ending….

White Strawberry, Mascarpone Cream, Basil, Prickly Pear Granita~ Oh how I adore this cold granita which adds such a delightful feeling to this creamy, fruity mascarpone dessert in the mouth!

Milk Ice Cream, Chestnut, Hazelnut~ For all the ice cream addicts in us.. this can’t go wrong!

No respectable restaurant would let you leave without a little Petit Four! Goodbyes are hard, but these made it sweet!

I like, no.. I love Buona Terra for its quiet and exclusive location. I like that it’s not overly huge. The staff was excellent, well trained, and very knowledgable. The food was clean yet unique. A little bit of theatrical but nothing that screams gimmicky. Unlike some Michelin establishments which can be immoderate and stuffy; Buona Terra is neither!

BUONA TERRA @ 29 Scotts Road, Singapore 228224. Phone +65 6733 0209

Disclaimer – This is not sponsored post!