The Place The Waterfall restaurant at Shangri-la Singapore feels like an oasis from the rest of the city. It is always a nice idea to have a restaurant right beside the pool, especially one which feels like you are in a tropical resort. Helmed by Chef de Cuisine Marco De Vincentis, the focus here is on Southern Italian cuisine to showcase the freshest seafood and pastas. The restaurant spots a colonial look, with a long communal dining table right at the end for some added privacy. Otherwise, it may be a good idea to dine at one of the dreamy outdoor tables on a cool day while people watching.

The Food  The menu has been refreshed recently at The Waterfall, with 27 new a la carte creations and six new desserts including homemade pastas, fresh seafood and Southern Italian signatures.

Southern Italy is renowned for its fresh and crisp salads, where we tried some of the new salad selections include the Canestrato Pugliese e Pomelo, a refreshing mesclun salad with black olives, canestrato cheese, white balsamic dressing with fresh pomelo wedges for a citrusy tang; Polipo Alla Griglia and Fagiolini with grilled octopus, green beans, potatoes and lemon dressing; and Manzo Black Angus Marinato, marinated Black Angus beef with pine nuts, rocket and pecorino cheese. I can’t say no to refreshing bites before my mains these days.

On pasta, it is worth noting that the pastas are all handcrafted at The Waterfall, prepared with some of the recipes Chef Marco inherited from his grandmother. We tried one of the new highlights on the pasta menu, the Spaghetti Al Nero Di Seppia, Scampi E Datterini, homemade squid ink pasta flavoured with rich scampi sauce and cherry tomatoes with a tinge of chili. The result is a hearty seafood combination.

For mains, Chef Marco draws inspiration from the fresh produce of the Mediterranean, presenting Dentice Rosa Al Forno, Con Scampo, Patate Olive E Ciliegini, his signature baked pink snapper with roasted scampi, creamy herbed mashed potato, black olives and cherry tomatoes; and Filetto Di Orata Ai Pastacchi Di Bronte E Capperi Pantelleria, roasted sea bream with ground pistachio and Pantelleria capers.

On desserts, the refreshed dessert selection include the Semifreddo Al Torrone E Uvetta, a unique homemade nougat parfait with salted caramel sauce and raisins, Torta Al Limoncelo and Cioccolato, chocolate cake with soft limoncello cream and glazed chocolate ganache, and Biscotto Ai Frutti Di Bosco, Salsa Marasche, mixed berry biscotti with morello cherry sauce and popcorn ice cream.

The a la carte dishes are priced from $14++.

Rants If you do not drive, getting here can be quite inconvenient. That said, there is a shuttle bus service to and from Orchard Road. For more details, do contact the hotel.

Will I Return Again? The Waterfall restaurant is a nice option to consider if you are looking for an Italian restaurant with a resort-like ambience which doesn’t burn a big hole in the pocket. The menu is extensive and stays true to its Italian origin, and if you fancy, there is a weekend Italian brunch buffet option too.

Make your reservation instantly at The Waterfall here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

The Waterfall
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore
22 Orange Grove Road
Level One, Garden Wing
Singapore 258350
Tel: +65 6213 4138/ 4398

Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday: 12noon to 3pm ; 6pm to 10.30pm

Ranted by The Ranter