Perched atop Telok Blangah Hill is an opulent colonial building occupied by Italian Restaurant Alkaff Mansion Ristorante. The bungalow was once a highly sought-after destination amongst the entitled in the 1930s, where it was renowned for the most extravagant socialite parties.

Painstakingly restored to its grandeur in 2011, all present-day visitors are warmly welcomed to experience the glorious splendour of yesteryears while enjoying authentic Italian fare. And on Sundays, Alkaff Mansion Ristorante offers a decadent buffet spread of Italian gourmet alongside unlimited flow of Prosecco, White and Red wines for only S$98++ per adult.

The seemingly hefty price tag is actually an amazing deal, especially when compared to the average rates in Singapore’s fine dining industry. Diners get to indulge in unlimited servings of fresh seafood, fine meats, pastas in a variety of sauces, and refreshing bubbles! You would probably have to pay twice more when ordering such amounts in other fancy establishments.

So, what’s not to love about Alkaff Mansion Ristorante’s Sunday Prosecco Brunch?

The two-storey stunning Alkaff Mansion is nestled in lush greenery and its remote location offers unrivalled tranquility. Its serene outdoor area features majestic water fountains and a beautiful gazebo that overlooks Telok Blangah Hill Park.

Drivers will be glad to know that free parking is available at Telok Blangah Hill Park’s Car Park 2. Complimentary valet parking services are also offered after 6.30pm daily.

The romantic Italian restaurant is transformed to a gastronomical extravaganza with its value-for-money free-flow Prosecco Brunch every Sunday from 11.30pm – 3pm. The magnificent Tudor-style dining hall is beyond stunning with its shimmering chandeliers and makes a great Sunday lunch date destination.

Priced reasonably at S$98++ per adult and S$58++ per child, patrons get to enjoy a mouthwatering selection of authentic Italian fare. The variety is so exhaustive that you will find yourselves spoilt rotten for choice. The featured dishes may differ every week, depending on the availability of ingredients.

Executive Chef Simone Depalmas is a native of Sardinia, Italy. With his rich gastronomy experiences, we always trust him to come up with the most delicious Italian fare.

Using only the freshest produce, mostly imported from Italy directly, Chef Simone believes in creating his dishes from scratch, and that includes the sauces! His fiery passion for cooking is evident in his repertoire of hearty culinary inventions that never fail to excite us.

The antipasti menu boasts a mind-blowing array of cold cuts and delectable raw seafood, so go on and pile your plates endlessly! We particularly enjoyed the ultra refreshing Scottish Salmon ‘Carpaccio’ With Caviar Dressing.

Luxuriate further with their other signature seafood items such as Octopus Carpaccio with Yellow Frisee Salad (also Chef Simone’s signature antipasti), Black Olives and Balsamic Reduction and Seasonal Freshly-Shucked Oysters. Oh, if you are lucky to be there on days that they serve the Beef Carpaccio, you totally have to try that!

The other cured meats, namely Cold Cut Veal Loin with Tuna Sauce & Capers and Parma Ham with Rock Melon, are must-try items too. We were unabashedly ashamed of returning for seconds, thirds and more; life of a glutton, right?

The feast also includes a selection of Italian premium cheeses – including the classic burrata – that will perfectly complement your unlimited wines. We have nothing but praises for the cheeses.

The next-door room features live stations of freshly prepared Cheesy Penne Pasta, Oven Baked Beef Sirloin, Roasted Atlantic Cod and more. If you are in need of more carbohydrates to fill your growling tummies, dive straight for the piping hot slices of Pepperoni and Prawn Pizzas. Look carefully and you will notice that each cheesy pizza is decorated with pretty edible flower petals.

The selection of pastas is also on rotation, and there will always be something new to try. No matter what you have a taste for – cream base or fresh tomatoes paste – there will be something to please. Oh, there is a huge cauldron of hot soup that bears a taste of home too!

Complete your decadent meal with the prettiest desserts. The dessert table is filled with an extensive variation of Italian classics and contemporary renditions. From bite-size crème brûlée and walnut brownies to deconstructed tiramisu, the abundance of sweet treats still surprise even the most regular customers. And with authentic Italian desserts being rather scarce in Singapore, we know we can always count on Alkaff Mansion Ristorante when we need some “Italiano Desserto” fix.

The seating capacity of Alkaff Mansion Ristorante’s dining hall for Sundy Prosecco Brunch is capped at 180 pax, but you will be surprised how well received this weekly event is with the expatriate community. Reservations are definitely recommended, even if it is just a table for two. Do note that credit card details will be required for group bookings of 8 or more guests.

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante is an extremely popular events venue, especially for solemnizations and wedding ceremonies. So do call in advance just to ensure that the restaurant is not fully booked for private receptions before you drop by. Prices are also subjected to change on selected festive public holidays.

Sunday Prosecco Brunch
Sun and P.H: 11.30am – 3pm (last order/pour at 2.30pm)
S$98++ per adult, S$58++ per child (ages 5 – 12)

Alkaff Mansion Ristorante
10 Telok Blangah Green
Singapore 109178
Tel: +65 6510 3068
Nearest Station: Harbourfront or Telok Blangah

This post is brought to you by Alkaff Mansion Ristorante.

What’s better than Italian food? An Italian Sunday brunch with free flow of wine and prosecco, of course! One of the oldest Italian restaurants in Singapore, Pete’s Place at Grand Hyatt Singapore presents its Sunday Italian Prosecco Brunch (S$58++ with selected juices and coffee/tea, S$82++ for free flow of house red/white wine, prosecco, Tiger draft beer and Campari cocktails).

As soon as we stepped in to the charming restaurant located at the basement of Grand Hyatt Singapore, we knew it was going to be a good meal. Checkered table cloth, brick walls, wine cellars, and an impressive buffet spread welcomed us. It did not take us long to fall in love with this hidden gem in town that radiates an undeniable rustic enchantment.

Your feast begins at the fresh seafood section – dig in to crabs, mussels, prawns, scallops and freshly shucked oysters. Equally enticing was the cold cuts station, where we indulged in salamis, ham and endless servings of freshly shaved prosciutto with rock melon. The mains include chickan cacciatore, deep fried calamari, braised beef cheeks, and the very addictive squid ink gnocchi. Pasta lovers who cannot do without your first course will also be treated to freshly prepared pasta-of-the-day.

Wait, we haven’t mentioned that there are also freshly baked pizzas from the wood-fired oven, have we? But save some tummy space for the carving station where roasted beef sirloin and lamb leg await us. For something less heavy, there is also an oven baked whole barramundi.

We were also blown away by the dessert offerings at Pete’s Place. Chocolate pistachio cake, black forest cake, cheese cake, almond biscotti, mango mousse; Viva la dolce vita! But the tiramisu completely stole the show. It was one of the better tiramisu that we have had in Singapore, and we would come back to Pete’s Place just for this. The rocky road was also exceptional. The Sunday brunch also comes with a selection of quality homemade Italian gelato – quite the perfect ending to a marvellous Sunday.

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Pete’s Place
Grand Hyatt Singapore
10 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6416 7322
Daily: 12pm – 4.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Sunday: 11.30am – 2.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

This post is brought to you by Grand Hyatt Singapore.

Brasserie Les Saveurs at The St Regis Singapore is extremely popular for its champagne brunch. However, not many people know about the Italian weekend prosecco brunch ($98++/pax for prosecco, $68++/pax for non-alcohol) at LaBrezza, a charming and intimate restaurant which serves fine trattoria-style Italian cuisine by the poolside of the hotel.

The space, as you would expect from a poolside restayrant, is bright and airy, which makes it a perfect place for weekend brunch.

La Brezza’s prosecco brunch comes with a delectable antipasti spread which has salads, burrata cheese, salami, prosciutto, and smoked salmon. We would suggest going easy on the antipasti and save room for the ala carte orders of pizza, pasta, and grilled meat and seafood.

Under the pizza menu, there are four options to choose from: Eggs Napoli, with poached egg and tomato on grilled ciabatta bread with pesto and mozzarella; Pizza Margherita; Pizza Vesuvio, with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, Italian sausage, and roasted sweet peppers; and Gil Sformatini con Salsa al – series of three vegetable flans, parmigianino and black truffle sauce. We also had the chef’s daily risotto special – an asparagus and cheese risotto.

Following which was the Aglio Olio, which we had high expectations of because we always believe the true standard of a chef shines through his ability to whip out that most basic, yet common pasta. La Brezza’s rendition was a tad different from the aglio olio we know. This had tagliatelle tossed evenly in quality extra virgin olive oil, and a very strong note of fresh chilli. Yummy, but we will still choose a garlic heavy aglio olio anytime.

The Vongole was prepared with tagliatelle as well, which we could not quite agree because the slightly fatter and flatter texture did not bring out the fragrance of the white wine sauce – which is precisely the essence of a good vongole. That said, the sauce  was bland and lacklustre to begin with.

Our favourite was the Carbonara – tagliatelle done in a creamy and eggy sauce. We could vouch for the authencity of this dish – it was very close to the one that we had in Rome, just slightly less peppery. And can I just do a little shout out for the bacon chunks? Mildly crisp and every bit of juiciness; just the way I like my bacon to complete a creamy pasta.

That is not all. For main course, there is a selection of meat and seafood grilled ala minute over a charcoal barbeque. Start with the Grilled Australian Lamb Chop with lemon-mint marinade and roasted potatoes.

The star was undoubtedly the Beef Striploin, which you see in the first picture of this post. Tender, juicy and slightly-charred on the surface — it was more than we could have asked for. It was so good that we ordered a second portion.

Also worth a mention was the Spicy Roasted Chicken. The dish looked ordinary, but the meat was well-marinated and very tasty. The sweet, juicy and incredibly meaty King Prawns were equally well-received. The Seabass, on the other hand, was a let-down as it was slightly too fishy for our liking.

Next, we had tiramisu. It was decent with a strong coffee taste, but it lacked texture as the ratio of sponge finger to mascarpone cheese was inadequately balanced.

The other dessert that we had was the Cannoli. Deep fried Sicilian pastry with pistachio, blueberries and strawberries. Good, but not fantastic. As part of the dessert offerings, you can also get fresh sliced fruit with honey yogurt, and four different gelato flavours.

LaBrezza
29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6506 6888
Daily: 12pm – 10pm
Weekend brunch: 12pm – 2.45pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

$98++/pax with prosecco
$68++/pax for non-alcohol
$49++/child (4-12 years old)
Note: This was an invited media tasting.

If I had a dollar every time someone asked me to recommend a cheap and good buffet, I’d be a millionaire by now. There are many buffet restaurants in Singapore, but most of them are only average, while the really good buffets usually come with a relatively hefty price tag.

So listen up guys, I’m just going to say it once. The buffet lunch at Basilico restaurant is one of the best, if not the best, in the $40-50 category.

Bascilico at level 2 of The Regent Singapore is a huge restaurant. It can easily accommodate up to 200 guests indoor and 30 by the poolside. I lurve (read: not love, but lurveee) the centrepiece of the Italian restaurant, a gorgeous space which houses the antipasti counter. To the left and right of the antipasti counter, you have the hot and dessert kitchens.

I eat desserts first.

People always stare at me whenever I start the buffet with desserts. I don’t know about you, but I think it makes sense to start a meal with something that you like.

Basilico restaurant has a decent array of authentic Italian desserts and a very good selection of homemade gelato.

The Antipasti counter, at the middle of the restaurant, serves an assortment of antipasti.

The appetisers like prosciutto, cold cuts, salads, cheeses and seafood were fantastic. If you ask me the formula for love while I’m eating at the restaurant, I’d reply: parma ham and rock melon.

Cheese. Lots of cheeses. Cheeeeseeee!

From freshly made pizzas to pastas, grilled meat and fish items, the Hot station offers not just Italian food, but also a small local spread.

Obviously, you will not expect good Italian pasta and pizza like the ones you get from the best Italian restaurants in Singapore, but hey, you are paying just $42++ for free flow of everything your heart desires. It is a good deal.

It’s somewhat strange to see that the Italian buffet actually has a corner dedicated to local food like chilli crabs and roasted duck, but I guess it caters to those who want something familiar. I wouldn’t waste any space on that, though.

I like the buffet lunch at Basilico Italian restaurant. Though the buffet spread is slightly limited, the restaurant more than makes up for it with the quality of the food. The antipasto counter, in particular, has fantastic choices.

On Saturday, Basilico has a full Italian buffet (without local spread) for $46++/pax, $56 (free flow juices & soft drinks) and $98++ (free flow prosecco & wine). And on Sunday, they have a Champagne Brunch at $139++ for free flow of champagne and wine. During dinner, it is a semi buffet where you can enjoy the same antipasti & desserts buffet with the choice of 1 main course at $69++. And one more thing, reservations are absolutely necessary.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Basilico Restaurant
1 Cuscaden Road
Level 2 The Regent Singapore
Tel: +65 6725 3232
Weekday Lunch Buffet $42++
Saturday Lunch Buffet $46++
Sunday Brunch Buffet $69++
Daily Semi Buffet Dinner $69++

Note: This was an invited media tasting.

For more recommendations, read my list of the best buffets in Singapore

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