iO Italian Osteria Singapore

ABOUT

The sleepy neighbourhood of Hillview has found a gem in iO Italian Osteria, the sister outfit to popular Italian restaurant Etna in Duxton. The warm, cosy space is lively and buzzing, constantly filled with the chatter of the many diners — it’s hard to just walk into iO expecting a seat — and sta ...More

The sleepy neighbourhood of Hillview has found a gem in iO Italian Osteria, the sister outfit to popular Italian restaurant Etna in Duxton. The warm, cosy space is lively and buzzing, constantly filled with the chatter of the many diners — it’s hard to just walk into iO expecting a seat — and staff bustling about with steaming plates of pasta.

It’s hard to resist starting the meal with bread, because the ones here are baked fresh in-house and speckled with delicious tomatoes or mushrooms. The Roman schiacciata, for instance, is a golden-brown flat bread with crispy edges, which you either enjoy plain or stuffed with earthy truffle. A must-order is the porchetta, rolled pork belly roasted until the skin is crackling with savoury juices and the meat is super tender. Pastas are the star for main courses — the baked lasagne, grandma style, is absolute comfort food. But the home-made tagliolini is a dish you’ll come back for, with the springy strands of pasta tossed with generous amounts of garlic, olive oil and chilli, and fresh, chopped prawns. Our tip: Order to share, so you can dig into more dishes. (Aug 2018)

DISHES WE LOVE

Assorted Homemade Bread, Baked Risotto, Grilled US Ribeye, Dark Chocolate Lava Cake