If you’re looking for a new Italian restaurant to explore, Locanda on Rowell Road can be on your list! The restaurant is a new concept by the team behind Buona Terra offering unpretentious, comforting Italian fare.
Intimate & Inviting
The word locanda means inn in Italian, and the restaurant has been designed to exude the same vibes as a family-run stay. There are red brick walls, wooden tables and small lamps illuminating all the tables.
The space also has a private area good for personal celebrations!
Locanda Menu
The menu is split across starters (bruscaccia, salads, antipasti), pasta, mains and desserts. You can try Chef Denis Lucchi’s signature onion focaccia topped with Basil & Dry Tomato ($18) or Truffle & Hazelnuts ($18).
There is also Beef Tartare ($32), Burrata with Tomato & Olives ($24) and Charcoal Grilled Squid ($28). Their pasta selection includes flavour profiles like Fresh Tomato with Capers ($20), the meaty Amatriciana ($22) and Shellfish ($28).
If that isn’t sufficient, supplement the meal with mains like Braised Beef Short Ribs ($38) or Charcoal Grilled Spring Chicken ($34).
Bruscaccia
We tried the Bruscaccia ($18) with two variations of toppings: marinated zucchini and scarmoza, and freshly-shaved truffle, honey and hazelnuts. The Bruscaccia itself is infused with slow-cooked red onions for extra flavour!
We especially liked the combination fragrant truffle, sweet honey and savoury cheese. Each bite was generously topped and had a great combination of textures.
Antipasti
They offer a dish called Gnocco Fritto ($15), a speciality from the Emilia-Romanga region of Italy. These are fried pieces of dough served with cold cuts including mortadella and salame.
This was simple but fun to eat, with a slight sweetness from the fritters pairing well with the salty meats.
We also tried the Yellowtail with Lemon ($28) and Veal Eye Round with Tuna Sauce ($24).
The yellowtail was refreshing and citrusy; while the richness from the tuna sauce complimented the veal. Both dishes were served cold but whet our appetites!
Pasta
Locanda uses fresh pasta and dried pasta in their dishes based on the different flavour profiles.
We tried the fresh Tagliolini with crab and lemon ($28), sweet and umami-packed from the infused tomato sauce. The lemon added a pleasant citrus aftertaste to cut through the richness.
Their pasta had the perfect al dente texture and carried their sauces, especially in the White Pappardelle Ragu Genovese ($24). This was easily our favourite! The ragu was rich and savoury but not overbearing, paired with the slightly chewy pasta – a must-try.
Something unique was the Malloreddus with red wine and octopus ($28). Malloreddus is a small pasta shape from Sardinia, served here with tomato sauce and tender octopus chunks.
This was another favourite of ours! Each bite was hearty and flavourful, with an enjoyable richness.
They also offer sharing options like the Spaghetti Fritto di Mare ($118), which can feed four comfortably. It came with an assortment of shellfish including prawns and scallops stewed in a red sauce.
This was on the salty side but once again, incredibly flavourful. There was a sweetness and intense seafood flavour from the shellfish which soaked into the spaghetti!
Mains
Their non-pasta dishes were also well-executed, like the Wagyu Hanging Tender Tagliata ($42). It was grilled to a perfect medium rare with crisp edges and tender meat – simple but satisfying.
The Secreto Iberico Pork ($39) had an enjoyable sweetness from the caramelised glaze on the meat. Despite the fatty cut, this was clean and flavourful!
Dessert
Their Pistachio gelato ($9) was one of the better ones we’ve tried, with a strong pistachio flavour that wasn’t too sweet!
They also have Sicilian Canolo ($15), generously piped with an orange mascarpone filling. The combination of the crunchy pastry shell and creamy filling made it a good end to the meal.
Italian Restaurant In Little India
With its comfortable ambience, quality food and great service, Locanda provided a memorable eating experience! It makes for a good place to celebrate any occasion or to satisfy an Italian food craving.
@middleclass.sg The white Ragu Parppardelle 💭 Highly recommend this Italian restaurant! #sgfood #fypsg #sgtiktok #tiktoksg ♬ La Dolce Vita – Fausto Papetti
Locanda
109 Rowell Road, Singapore 208033
Closed Mon & Tues
Wed-Fri: 6pm-11pm
Sat, Sun: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-11pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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