I have read lots about Portico from fellow blogger MyFoodSirens‘s blog entries and instagram pictures. And the opportunity came to check out Portico when my girlfriends decided to meet for lunch on a Saturday for a change. We normally meet for dinners. And I must say it’s so hard to find an Italian restaurant for lunch on Saturdays. Oh wait, I am the only one who feels that way? Hmm…

To say the address to Portico as 991B Alexandra Road isn’t exactly wrong. However it’s better to say Portico is located at 991 Alexandra Road, Block B. To enter the estate, one should walk along Alexandra Road after alighting the train from Labrador Park MRT station. And what looks like an industrial estate is actually a development comprised of 9 blocks of office space, etc. And yes, Portico is located at Block B.

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

1) Luncheon meat fries, $8 (above) – With yuzu mayo.

2) Salt and pepper squid, $8 (above) – With roasted garlic aioli.

3) Bisque of lobster, $18 (above) – With butter brioche, whole tiger prawn. This was rich and good.

4) Wild mushroom risotto, $26 (above) – With eryngii mushroom ragout, tempura enoki mushrooms.

5) Seasonal seafood capelini aglio olio, $28 (above) – With garlic chips, crispy shrimps. Generous serving of small octopus, mussels, clams, firefly squid roe and a prawn.

6) House coffee glazed Saint Louis pork ribs, $33 (above) – Served with baked potato fan, sour cream, chives, crispy bacon, and charred broccoli with gruyere cheese. This was probably our least favourite of the 3 mains. While the meat was tender, it somehow lacked the wow factor. And it’s a pity that the melted cheese on the brocooli had hardened when it was served to us.

7) Deconstructed blackforest, $14 (above) – 70% dark chocolate mousse, edible hazelnut soil, cherry coulis, caramel ice cream. I first got to try chef Nixon Low’s creation at Petit Menu, so it’s definitely a must to order this when chef Nixon is now one of the chefs behind Portico. However, this did not impress as much. Probably too many eateries doing deconstructed cakes.

8) Latte, $7 (above)

It was a pleasant lunch for us ladies. Food was good while service was not too bad. The waiting staff would check on us every now and then. I’m actually curious about their omakase menu where one would sit at the bar counter and interact with the chefs. Oh yes, one gets to watch the chef prepare the dishes and be served personally by them too. However, it seemed like Portico has removed the omakase menu cause I can’t find any information from their website anymore. So hmm… But there’re a few other desserts on the menu which I am interested to try. So I guess I be back to try their desserts. =)

Related posts:

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