While my headline seemed somewhat overambitious, 2it&drink is fast becoming one of the few restaurants I love going back to. Maybe it is because of the family-friendly ambience (anyone with a kid, niece or nephew will understand how amazing this is), the waffling aroma of sweet, savoury tomato sauce from the kitchen, watching the Chef’s theatrics in prepping the pizza dough, or, the (unbelievably) affordable lunch special of S$17++. Still, I would not have been begging my friends to meet me there if the food was not top-notch.
The restaurant has an extensive menu of classic Italian dishes, starting from with eight types of starters to seventeen flavours of pizza. The names may be intimidating, seeing that I have managed to butcher every single one of them, but they do have familiar favourites easy enough for everyone to get into. The best part about that is you can truly taste the difference between what 2it&drink has to offer compared to others at similar price points. Said best by co-owner, Roberto Perlini: “We believe in only using the freshest ingredients and highest quality produce when we prepare our food.” In fact, they are so adamant in staying true to their Italian heritage that they even make their own fresh pasta and pizza dough using techniques handed down over generations.
With a glass of Bisol Bel Star Prosecco (S$11), there is no better way to start your meal than with a hearty dish known as Melanzane Alla Parmigiana a.k.a. the creamiest cheesy baked eggplant you will ever have in Singapore. Eggplant is one of my favourite vegetables with its peculiar creamy texture that easily takes on the flavour of what it was cooked in – which is how you can tell how good that classic sweet yet savoury tomato sauce is!
While dishes like Spaghetti Alla Carbonara or Fettucine Ai Frutti Di Mare (seafood based) are great ways to taste the texture of their silky-smooth pasta, the must-try has got to be their Agnolotti Di Brasato Al Funghi. In normal speak, that is basically finely minced braised beef packed into adorable pockets of pasta and drenched in a luscious mushroom cream sauce.
This is the first time I had a non-cheese-based filling, and I enjoyed it. It looks and sounds decadent, but I did not stop popping those little pockets of joy into my mouth. The meaty flavour was well-balanced thanks to the herbs and creamy aromatic mushroom sauce.
Although, you have to come in pretty early to watch the chefs at work in The Pasta Lab, The Pizza Lab is always open for a good show as long as an order comes in! A dedicated chef work his way around the kitchen making everything from scratch, including the very dough. In fact, there is something pretty special about the dough. It actually goes through 36 hours of leavening to get that light and fluffy pizza base.
A top recommendation will be the Golosa pizza. In place of the usual tomato base, it goes for a more flavourful burst of herbs thanks to the pesto Genovese. I really loved the combination of toppings, as it was surprisingly light. I could go through a couple slices of this – no qualms about it!
Another interesting pick was the Quattro Stagioni Pizza. The tasty tomato sauce makes a return here with five different toppings to satisfy everyone’s cravings in one pizza. There’s the usual sausage, mushrooms, ham and sausages, but what really caught my attention was the artichokes. Crunchy, slightly buttery and sweet, I had a great, sort of guilt-free feel as I chomped away, lying to myself.
Though, after having both pizzas I realised something about the base. Yes, it was light, fluffy and has the beautiful charred look about it, but that’s not all. It had a slight sweetness to it, with a right amount of smoke. There was no way they could have placed a wood-fire oven where their shop was. It is all thanks to them purposefully placing olive wood at the base of their oven to get that true Italian pizzeria effect!
I don’t think it is possible to end a meal at an Italian restaurant without their tiramisu. Rather than the usual, do go for their Tiramisu Nocciola a.k.a the Nutella of the Tiramisu world. The strong and aromatic hazelnut infusion perfectly complements the coffee and rum flavours – well, there has to be reason why it has been a top flavour for lattes.
Sometimes, just sometimes, I think about their Terrina Di Cioccolato. It is essentially a chocolate lovers’ heaven. It is as it appears, a pure chocolate indulgence. Thanks to the special addition of Grappa (grape-based pomance brandy of Italy), the slight bitterness of the alcohol brought more depth to this silky smooth dessert while keeping it all surprisingly light. While many would go for the traditional tiramisu, I will be keeping my stomach ready for this terrine – or, maybe five of these terrines. Can you tell I am a major chocolate lover by now?
If you were to really ask me why I would be going back, it would be the whole package. The food is not innovative, or fusion. They just take traditional Italian fare and present it with the best skills and ingredients they have. The ambience is modern yet causal, and I can see my entire family having a great time there. Usually, we would have to sacrifice the taste of the food or choose the people you are going with. Such blasphemy – the best condiment to good food is good company! Whether I am looking for a hearty Italian meal with the Brady Bunch, or a dessert to go with my coffee as I ponder about how many terrines I should have that day, I know where I will be going.
2it&drink is located at Valley Point, 491 River Valley Road #01-01, Singapore 2348371 and includes an alfresco area. They have a lunch promotion from Mondays to Fridays, from 12.00PM to 0200PM, at S$17++. It will include a choice of one of three daily pastas or one Margherita pizza + ice cream or sorbet + coffee or tea. Takeaway service is also available.
About the Writer
Jessica is a young lady of many obsessions. She gets herself into everything ranging from the latest in the monochrome fashion world (she only wears black, and sometimes, white) to convincing the masses that Community is the best TV series ever made.
Currently, she enjoys looking like Sailor Mercury had a baby with Wednesday Addams.
