Basilico – Culinary Drama

Image · Posted by Sam Han on August 13, 2013 · 19 Comments 

With so much going on in my children’s working lives, it is hard to have lunch together as a family. I was secretly hoping to entice them for a Sunday brunch since forever and finally we did have one just this past Sunday. My post on Dolcetto by Basilico and subsequent take-aways of their desserts managed to make my children considered hard but at the very mention of a live foie gras station and they threw in the towel to have lunch with me.

Basilico Italian Restaurant – an oasis of calm, which offers supreme comfort and anticipatory service.

It was to be brunch at noon but since Sam was on the night shift, the reservation was made for 12.30pm. We were given terrace seats overlooking the pool during our phone booking but we managed to dazzle the Italian manager with our smiles and made way into the main dining hall when we arrived at Basilico. Yay!

The first thing you see upon entering the restaurant is this wide array of seafood spread on the island.

Seafood Station (click on pictures for larger view)

I have been having lots of crabs lately (approximately 4 times this week alone).
Simply boiled and chilled. Wonderful sea salty flavours coming through.
A hard squeeze of lemon to cut the excess saline taste.

Since we were on the subject of salt, let’s see the flavoured sea salt offered.

Sale Marino al Peperoncino (Chili Salt)

Sale Marino alle Erbe (Herb Salt)

Sale Marino al Nero (Squid Ink Sea Salt)

Rotiserrie station.

Rotisserie corner serving all roasts and foie gras. (Click on pics for commentary and larger view)

Roast beef

Foie gras – the star of the meal.

This chef was in charged of hotplate grilling lamb chops and fish.

Charred or pink for you?

Since the “carrot” was foie gras, we went in search for the goose and found out it was the same station where the roasts were. We place our orders and adjourned to the cheese room where truffle risotto would be cooked there. I know it’s sinful but truffle risotto and foie gras was simply too good not to indulge in. While waiting for the risotto to be cooked, let’s take a look at the cheeses and perhaps a bite of the pane offered? Cheese Room – Breads, Cheeses, Honey, Risotto live station (Click on pics for commentary)

The Cheese Room

All kinds of Italian cheeses you can find here. Some familiar, others not.

Affienaggio – Piemonte (Goat)

Pecorino Senese – Toscana (Sheep)

Pecorino Contadino – Toscana (Sheep)

Perla Grigla – Friuli (cow)

Perla Grigla – Friuli (cow)

Pecorina Zafferano – Sicilia. Zafferano means Saffron and thus the colour is deeper.

Gorgonzola Dolce – Lombardia (cow). One of my favourite with water crackers.

Grana Padano – the semi-aged hard Italian cheese, are maybe a cheaper knock-off of better known Parmigiana-Reggiano

Grana Padano is one of the world’s first hard cheeses, created nearly 900 years ago by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle Abbey, founded in 1135 near Milan, who used ripened cheese as a way of preserving surplus milk.

Blu – Trento (Goat)

Blu – Trento (Goat)

Say Cheese 😀

Honeycomb dripping fresh honey to go with the cheeses.
Do you think it’s a meter or longer?

Pane Station

Pane (breads) Station

Angelo’s (name of chef) Squid Ink Bread

It’s a must to eat this!

Squid Ink (with sundried tomatoes) and Onion Bread.

I’ve drizzled more truffle olive oil and a few slices of parmesan.

Imported Olive Oils from Italy. Take your pick. My theme today is Truffle!

Squid Ink, Onion Bread with Truffle Olio and Grana Padano – delicious and fragrant combination!

The pizza was not burnt but the charred look was because the dough was Squid Ink (famous here) with Smoked Salmon and Caviar. Such ostentatious fast food!

Mascarpone Focaccia. Italian bakers and cheesemakers are the best!

Foie Gras with Balsamic Reduction and Apple Sauce.

We had this dish several times and each time the chef plated them differently for the pleasure of our eyes.

Time to check on our Truffle Risotto.

Truffle Risotto came plain but we’d top it with Foie Gras.

Truffle Risotto and Foie Gras with Apple Sauce.

Truffle Risotto and Foie Gras with Apple Sauce.

Speechless!

Too much rich food. Perhaps a Dry Martini could help?

Suddenly a whiff of caffeine made my head turned.
Espresso Bar – that’s where my coffee would be served.

Time to scout around for something else. What over there?

That was the Italian corner. Pasta time!

Pasta Fiesta

Gnocchi – nice chewy texture and great cream sauce.

Fresh sheets of springy Lasagna with beef and Tomato based sauce.

Shell Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives.

Linguine Vongole with Chilli.

Ryan came after his gym workout and was enjoying his meal.

Sam was scalded at work (right wrist and arm) – Ouch!
But he’s having a good time being served now. He’s very happy with the food and service especially impressed with the effort taken by the chef who plated the foie gras differently each time we went for it.

Sam’s plate.

2 types of Fish, Chicken Stew, Baby Octopus and Lamb with Mint.

Couldn’t help it so just eat it.

I love freshly shaven Parma with Cantaloupe. Do you?

Hot and Cold sections

Cold Meats section

Couldn’t make out what this was but Valerie had some.

Rabbit Stew

Chicken Stew

Fish Stew

Fresh and roasted vegetables

All kinds of Fresh Mozarella and Tomatoes.

Dessert corner. There’s pastries served in cabinets and even Italian gelato booth on the other side!

My foodie poster boy, lol…

Nameless desserts because I did not note them.

Sam said the berry was berry sour :p

Chocolate Mousse

Brownie

Trifle

Chewy choux pastry-like with cream stuffed into the pastry itself and sandwiched with more cream.

We requested for tiny scoops of every flavour and the server obliged. He actually went to get a baby scoop for us, talk about fine service!

Cleaning had started when we were having coffee. It’s time to leave.

Just as we were making for the lift, I looked down and saw more food particularly the desserts at Tea Lounge located on the lobby floor.

Turning to the right, we headed for Dolcetto by Basilico. Didn’t we had brunch there?

Guess they didn’t served Macarons or did they and we’d missed it?
Oh well, like Valerie said… There’s always room for more dessert! Lavendar and Pistachio.

My boys and girls having brunch with me.
We had a great 2½ hours of bonding time 😀
Vanessa exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! It’s been a long time since we all had brunch together.”
We used to do that weekly when the girls were younger. I think we should start it again.

The Italian buffet brunch at Basilico Restaurant at The Regent Singapore serves one of the best buffets in Singapore.

With an emphasis on fresh, seasonal and authentic Italian cuisine and offering both a la carte and buffet options, the award-winning Basilico Restaurant combines culinary drama with exquisite design. Highlights include a rotisserie, espresso bar, walk-in wine cellar and with alfresco style-dining available at the terrace overlooking the pool on offer for 33 guests, the informality of Italian culture is captured to perfection. Basilico seats 202 guests in the main indoor dining area.

Basilico
Address: 1 Cuscaden Road.
Regent Singapore.
Singapore 249715.
Opening Hours:
Breakfast: 6:30am – 10:30am (Mon – Sat); 7:00am – 10:30am (Sun)
Lunch: 12 noon – 2:30pm (Mon – Sat); 12 noon – 3pm (Sun)
Dinner: 6:30pm – 10:00pm
Reservations
Instant Online Reservation click here.
Tel:. +65 6725 3232 Email: basilicogrm.rsn@fourseasons.com

Happy bonding 🙂

Filed under Bakery & Pattiserie, Beef, Beverages, Braise, Casserole, Simmer & Stew, Chicken, Desserts, Jams, Noodle & Pasta, Pizzas, Restaurants & Food Reviews, Seafood, Uncategorized · Tagged with Basilico Retsuarant, beef, Breakfast, Brunch, Buffet, Caviar, Champagne, Cheese Room, Cold Meats, Desserts, Dinner, Duck, Espresso Bar, fish, Fish, Foie Gras, food, Food Photography, fruits, Hard Liquor, Italian Cuisine, lamb, Lunch, Meat, Noodles/Pasta, Organ Meat, pasta, Potatoes, Rabbit, Regent Hotel, Rotisserie, salad, seafood, Side Dishes, Singapore, Squid Ink Bread, Sunday Brunch, Vegetables, Wine Cellar