Pontini

CC,  Beeps and I stoleaway for a pampering lunch at Pontini. It's one of those tranquil places that constantly flies under the radar with its unassuming vibe. It seems that only people in-the-know would patronize this restaurant. Of all of the times I've dined here, I've never had to make a reservation, for  lunch or dinner. It's just that "hidden". While the meat and fish dishes aren't particularly standout, the pasta and pizza courses are more than decent, generous in portion and priced reasonably fair. In light of the fact that Pontini is more fine-dining than smart casual, the price range is more than affordable. I also like the service here, unintrusive but observant, polite and efficient.

We had a Pontini Pizza ($18) with parma ham, mushroom, artichokes, to share. This was huge! and ridiculously cheap for its size and quality.

I'm not a fan of artichokes, so I got them to put the artichokes only on one side of the pizza, which they were more than happy to oblige. Thumbs up for service.

I love how the pungent saltiness of the Parma ham ribbons contrasted with the earthy white button mushrooms and the smokiness of the wood-fired pizza. Well balanced and totally indulgent.

I haven't had risotto in a while, and the Risotto alla Crema di Zucca, Capesante e Tartufo Nero ($34) pumpkin cream risotto with black truffle and scallop, reminded me just what was it that I loved so much about this Italian rice primo. Mashed pumpkin accented the starchy concoction with a delicate sweetness while black truffles provided a perfumed infusion. The scallops, while plump and sweet, were a tad, just a tinge, overcooked. Otherwise, this was a rather memorably good dish.

Pontini offers a 2-Course Executive Set Lunch ($38 with antipasti buffet or dessert buffet) or a 3-Course Executive Set Lunch ($42 with antipasti buffet and dessert buffet). Quite incredulously cheap, in my view. We later understood why. The antipasti and dessert buffets were lackluster, and the mains were ho-hum. The best part about the Pumpkin Ravioli was its bolognese sauce. The pasta was undercooked, tough and tasteless.

The Pan-Seared Snapper Livornese-style fared much better, with nice searing on the crust.

We liked the Foccacia Bread, warm, soft and fluffy, served with an olive tapenade dip, tomato salsa and olive balsamic emulsion. Plus, it's huge! We couldn't finish this.

Pontini
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel
392 Havelock Road
Level 2
Tel: 6233 1133
Opening hours:
Lunch 12:00pm - 2:30pm (Mon-Fri)
Dinner 06:30pm - 10:30pm (Mon-Sat)
Closed for lunch on Saturday and the whole of Sunday
Please note that there's a dress code