I can’t remember how I got to know about Angeleno. Surfing net? Instagram hopping? Reading magazine? But definitely not by word-of-mouth since my friends depend on me for recommendation. Haha.

Taken from their website, “Menu at Angeleno references the rich history of Italian-American cooking while taking culinary cues from the talent and techniques of the present. The philosophy of only offering what is best is the hallmark of Chef David’s approach and is evident in the familiar favorites Angeleno has swiftly become known for.”

It’s further read that chef-owner David Almany was from Osteria Mozza by American celebrity chef Mario Batali.

And I have since lunched at Angeleno twice. First with my girlfriend, and then a second time with my Mom. Reservation isn’t necessary as I noticed the restaurant was pretty empty during my two visits on Saturday. But as I always say, it’s better to do so. Kiasu lah. Hee.

And from the menu (pages 1, 2), we ordered:-

1) Pre-appetiser, Complimentary (above) – Ricotta cheese with toasted bread.

2) Signature crispy flatbread, $32 (above) – Melting mozzarella cheese, olive oil, sea salt.

3) Grilled octopus, $28 (above) – Romesco, grilled potatoes, lemon vinaigrette.

4) Sweet corn cappellacci, $37 (above) – Roasted mushrooms, brown butter, sage.

5) Rigatoni “alla vodka”, $34 (+ $20, lobster) (above) – Calabrian chilies, tomato, cream.

6) Pan-roasted jumbo sea scallops, $58 (above) – With artichokes, lemon, capers, white wine.

7) Grilled sea bass, $42 (above) – With seasonal accompaniments.

8) Grilled double-cut iberico pork chop, $68 (above) – Fennel pollen, olive oil, apple salsa. It’s also mentioned on the menu that all grilled items are cooked over 100% California almond wood. And when this was served, the staff asked if I needed assistance to slice my pork chop up. I turned them down. Not too girly, I know. But I prefer to be more ‘hands on’ on my chops. Rarely are my pork chops served so thick! =p

9) Vanilla panna cotta, $18 (above) – Berries, balsamic, mint.

10) Cannoli, $18 (above) – Sweet ricotta, cherries. This was a little disappointing. I felt it was a little too brown burnt.

11) Tiramisu, $18 (above) – And we were told this contained rum. Unfortunately, I don’t like my tiramisu with too much cream. So while the greedy me managed to finish most of this, I wouldn’t say it’s the best in town as Angeleno claims on their menu.

12) Latte, $6 (above)

I really like Angeleno for its ambience. It had that old American charm. Not that I have been to America yet. Ha. But really, I felt I went back in time. So much so that on both visits, we continued to stay at the restaurant even though we had finished our food. It’s a very nice place to chill as we felt detached from the ‘real world’; We were not in a rush to leave. Exaggerate you, not.

My only gripe was that the dishes were very pricey. While I believe ‘you get what you pay’, it’s still hard-earned money after all. Hmm.