Truth be told, when one’s granted the label of a “hidden gem”, it’s more often than not a dubious claim. But casual pasta joint Burrata Joy begs to differ – it is both hidden, in a corner of Katong V, and a true gem for its sprawling menu of rustic Italian dishes. It might be housed in a family-friendly shopping mall that has little else than a Yugoslavian bakery and a traditional KBBQ restaurant upstairs, but its bowls of creamy burrata and al dente pasta more than makes up for it.
Little wonder, since it’s a concept first coined by the Garibaldi Group. On that note, Garibaldi itself has unfortunately lost its Michelin star this year, but we have enough faith in this longstanding Italian kitchen – it doesn’t stop us from going back for its free-flow weekend champagne brunch.
Having first started during the initial Circuit Breaker months, Burrata Joy first budded as an online kitchen. They’re smart: they know our love for burrata in Singapore. And as expected, the menu is a showcase of burrata, all done in different ways to represent the flavours of different Italian cities. Try the Parma ($26), a classic Italian starter – rocket, cherry tomatoes, and parma ham, with a hefty 120 gram burrata ball sitting atop. It’s the type of fresh burrata that splits open once you slice through with a knife, a creamy cheese seeping into the salad. The Torino ($24), inspired by Northern Italy’s Turin, is bound to be a crowd-pleaser too for its generous heap of smoked salmon.
Don’t get too caught up with the burrata bowls though, and save some stomach space for the pasta – it’s a concept under Gustavo Lapasta. It takes a DIY approach here, and instead of Garibaldi’s fine-dining flair whereby each dish is delicately served as a work of art, the pasta sizes here are for feeding the hungry. It’s practically a family-sized serve that’s been dumped unceremoniously on a plate. Do not come here for photos, but rather, good food – you can check out the most Instagrammable cafés in Singapore instead if you're into that kind of thing.
Start by choosing a pasta sauce, ranging from the standard aglio olio ($16) to a rich pink crabmeat cream ($25). There’s an entire selection of pasta shapes too, and while you have regulars like spaghetti and penne, it’s the whole egg fettuccine (additional $2) and cheese tortellini (additional $3) that sets Burrata Joy apart from other casual pasta eateries. Plus, adding on a 100 gram burrata ball ($10) never hurts.
Time Out Singapore reviews anonymously and pays for all meals. Read our restaurant review policy here.
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