Much has already been said about Fortuna, the buzzy Italian joint that opened in Tanjong Pagar this June, with some claiming that the restaurant serves up some of the best pizzas and pasta in Singapore. That’s some high praise, seeing that there’s certainly no shortage of exceptional Italian restaurants on our island. So we waited for the dust to settle – four months to be exact – made our bookings for a weekday night, and hoped for the best. Read on to find out more about our experience and our top picks off the menu.
The vibe
Fortuna retains the lively, familial atmosphere of an Italian trattoria, sitting comfortably somewhere between a casual osteria and a formal ristorante. The interiors are kept simple and clean with wood and red accents, and by night the space is bathed in a warm, inviting light. But it’s not all prim and proper here. Founder Egon Marzaioli doesn’t mind some chatter and commotion, and might even pull out all the stops for a birthday celebration with hilarious karaoke lights and tambourines.
The restaurant was set up in Sydney back in 2021 by three friends: head chef Omar Tutino who trained under Michelin-starred chef Antonio Cannavacciuolo; renowned pizzaiolo Giorgio Sorce who’s ranked #87 worldwide; and hospitality maestro Egon himself.
The menu
Dubbed Singapore’s first Sicilian-Neapolitan restaurant, Fortuna brings the best of South Italy to its cosy 50-seater space.
It’s almost a crime to not start with the pane di casa (woodfired bread) ($15). The puffy bread is topped simply with a spread of salmoriglio, an Italian sauce with olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs. It’s then doused in a fresh layer of oil before it’s cut up before your eyes. Have this with the burrata ($26) with taralli breadcrumbs and housemade chilli oil. There’s also a jar of homemade chilli on every table so feel free to lather it on as you like.
Pasta at Fortuna is made the traditional Napoli way – no eggs, just semolina and water. There are six choices on the menu, but for first-time visitors, the mafalde ($34) and spaghetti ($38) are non-negotiables. The former comes in a tangy tomato sauce made of not just one but two San Marzano tomato variations for a more complex taste. And the ridges in the mafalde are ideal for holding bits of that glorious 24-hour slow-cooked ragout. But the best part is how the provolone is torched at the table, giving the entire dish an added layer of smokiness.
King Mazara prawns, a type of Sicilian deep-sea shrimp, feature as a key ingredient in quite a number of dishes here, and most prominently in the spaghetti. Al-dente noodles are coated in a ridiculously rich and heady prawn bisque, then crowned with tender bits of Mazara prawn. Homemade chilli, parsley, breadcrumbs and a spritz of lemon spunk up the dish so it doesn’t get too cloying.
For something different, there’s the ‘1000’ layers lasagna ($36) with Italian spiced sausage that comes in a white provola fondue instead of the usual tomato sauce. You’ll taste hints of black pepper and turnip greens in between the layers too. But with the other pasta dishes being excellent as they are, this unfortunately pales – quite literally – in comparison.
Now, the pizza. Where do we begin? First, it’s necessary to mention that the dough is proofed for at least 50 hours, lending an incredibly fluffy and chewy texture to each slice. There’s also an option to choose between a smaller, 22cm or four-slice ‘piccola’ (from $23), or the larger 30cm or six-slice ‘grande’ (from $28). But who are you kidding? Go straight for the eight-slicer. Seven options sit on the current menu, with two new flavours in the works.
You won’t go wrong with classics like the margherita (from $23) and diavola (from $27). Or opt for the more unique Sitari (from $35) with wagyu tartare, lemon zest, cured egg yolk, and capers mayonnaise – yes that’s right, mayo on pizza in a traditional trattoria. A new flavour called ‘Fortuna’ is in the works, and we love its straightforward but moreish combination of anchovies, San Marzano tomatoes, basil, and olives.
No meal here is complete without trying the signature fried and baked pizzas. The dough is gently fried and then cooked in the oven again to dry out the extra oil and achieve an extra crunchy texture. Try the gambero and stracciata ($38) combination featuring Mazara shrimps, cheese, sundried tomatoes, pistachio pesto, cured egg yolk and lemon zest. But our favourite is the mortadella and pistachio fried pizza ($35). Don’t forget about that jar of chilli oil on your table – it’s great for pairing with leftover crusts.
The dessert menu is a lean and straightforward one. Get the Fortunamisu ($18), which sees Savoiardi ladyfingers soaked in Bialetti coffee and topped with chocolate crumble.
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