Since 1995, Michelangelo's has been a restaurant synonymous with good Italian food cooked with sincerity. Fast forward to 2010, and the restaurant still does not disappoint. Many will recall its iconic and affable owner Angelo Sanelli, who left the restaurant a few years ago to pursue his personal interest. The remaining business partner Michael Hadley did not abandon ship and continues to delight regulars with its refreshing menu, and in the hope of winning new converts. The 90-seater restaurant affords indoor and alfresco dining options. The décor is simple with tables complemented by highback chairs and tufted long benches. Lighting is kept to soft glow that still allows you to see your food and dining partner, while providing the perfect ambience for an Italian lunch or dinner. Helmed by executive chef Victor Tan who has 14 years of culinary experience, he interprets Italian classics using the best ingredients in establishing the menu. A true test of any Italian restaurant would be to try Italian classics like Calamari Fritti. The meal began with a delightful plate of crunchy squid rings encrusted by a thin batter made from Japanese rice flour. The result is a golden crackly texture with a chewy but soft centre. Served with tomato and tartar sauces, the dish was good to the last crackly piece. Regulars will be pleased to know that the owners have kept some of Michelangelo's culinary DNA - the menu classics - and one of these must-try signature dishes is the Quarantaotto. The USDA boneless beef short ribs are braised for a minimum of 48 hours where the cooking process turns the premium cuts tender and unctuous. What's most unique about the dish is how the ribs sit on a shallow serving of sherry wine set in a dish with a bowl-like footprint. Complemented by delicately whipped truffle scented potatoes, the pairing is heavenly. If you're game for some seafood spiked with a famous tipple then the Penne Sambuca e Gamberi would be the perfect deal sweetener. Here, fresh and plump tiger prawns are sautéed with butter, shallots, spicy chilli, sun-dried tomatoes. It is then tossed in light tomato cream sauce and served with 50cl shot of Italian sambuca. The penne is perfectly al dente while the Italian sambuca is the perfect foil for the bouncy crustaceans. For mains, do try the Pollo al Mattone - a slow roasted spring chicken rubbed with a dusting of Tuscan herbs served "al succo" with new potatoes and salad. The Italian phrase is used to describe how the bird is cooked in a bath of its own juices for a good twenty minutes. Hence, it's best to order this dish when you start ordering the appetisers. The wait reaps dividends and diners will fall in love with the bird that emanates an appetising scent of herbs - most noticeable is the rosemary - where a fresh sprig is inserted in the centre of the dish. Cut into four pieces, the bird is tender and easy to tackle and you'll want to mop up the sauce with cuts of the meat. To round of this indulgent Italian dinner, you should make a beeline for the Tira Mi Su Traditionale - Michelangelo's legendary dessert of sponge cake combined with sweet whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, coffee liqueur, cinnamon and cocoa powder. About five fresh raspberries are perched on the square-shaped tiramisu, complemented by a large shard of crackly caramelised black and white sesame seeds. The fresh raspberries pair well with the soft tiramisu where the right amount of coffee liqueur teases the palette. Mop up with mint leaf and raspberry sauce and you'll want seconds! Wines served by the glass are limited here but wine by the bottle has an impressive spread. Service is attentive but also unobtrusive, leaving diners time and privacy to enjoy their meals. Waiters are observant enough to spot water to be topped up, plates to be cleared while keeping an eye on your hand signals if you need someone to attend to you. Weekend dinners starting on Fridays get especially busy so it's best to reserve a table ahead. Michelangelo's is the perfect culinary respite if you're yearning for an elegant Italian dinner that satiates you with Italian classics with room for other Italian creations with a contemporary twist. Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-60 Chip Bee Gardens, for reservations call 6475 9069 or email

reservations@michelangelos.com.sg

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