Scarpetta - Pasta hype or here to stay?

Scarpetta

47 Amoy St,

Singapore 069873

Scarpetta has been on the list of to try for a period of time now. For some reason, it keeps evading us. So one day on a very rainy mid week, we decided to head down to Scarpetta. We arrived at 7pm and were told that the next seating would be between 8.15-8.45pm. There was not so much to do so we hung around and waited. In the next ten minutes, another 4-5 groups put their names down and the next available seating was now 9.15-9.45. That is the popularity of Scarpetta in the Amoy street precinct.

Luckily for us, there was a table available at 8pm and we were promptly seated. This chic 28 seater reminds us of an upgraded version of the old school pasta venue that is Pellegrinis in Melbourne. The head chef of Scarpetta is Danny Ng, who was previously the head chef at Bar Cicheti. He is known for crafting simple yet precise Italian dishes with high-quality ingredients.

There are either counter seatings or high stools and bar tables which sit 2 pax. The space is small and intimate and the music is loud and I made myself a mental note: Definitely not a place to gather with friends.

The space, though very tight, had everything you need, a little open kitchen and plenty of conversations and drinks going around. If you are at the counter, you get a great view of the chefs prepping the drinks, entrees and pastas. Something that is so visceral and charming, and perfectly Italian.

There is apparently a one hour dining time. However, we never felt like that was being imposed. Though a couple of times when we added items to our order, our wait staff would look at their watches as if to see if they could fit it in to the one hour. Though on saying that, they never said it was not possible. So, we still don't know how they enforce this one hour dining time.

What we had:

• Crab Toast (specials)

• Charred Bone Marrow Toast

• Cacio e pepe with Crispy Guanciale

• All'assassina

• Al Granchio e Limone

• Tiramisu

Crab Toast and Bone Marrow Toast

The entrees were fanastic. The crab toast was a special but it was generously topped with crab meat on a toasty, crisp base. The charred bone marrow was rich and the marrow beautifully charred and slightly smoky, nicely creamy and buttery. I would highly recommend their entrees.

Now on to the mains. We had a mix of textures across the pastas. The Cacio e pepe was incredibly peppery and was served al dente with crispy guanciale. Meanwhile the All'Assassina was served in a fiery charred tomato and chilli sauce that is spicy and smoky. The pasta is cooked until slightly caramelized and had bits of distinctive, flavorful crust. I couldn't stop looking for the burnt bits to dig into. Our last main was the Al Granchio e Limone, a taglioni pasta paired with blue swimmer crab and a hint of lemon. I liked this the most, i like my pasta completely soaked with sauces and this one hit the spot, highlighting a beautifully delicate sauce.

All three pastas had distinctive flavours and it was really nice to see the care and attention to balance the flavours and textures. It was multidimensional and we really enjoyed all three pastas.

Because our meal so far was exceeding our expectations, we decided to end with a Tiramisu. The tiramisu was light yet indulgent and the perfect classic to end the meal.

Our Tiramisu

Booking

Scarpetta does not take bookings. Turn up, put your name down and wait till your allocated timing for a table. We were incredibly lucky to get a table within 1 hour and have heard other friends wait up to 2 hours for a table.

Accessibility

The closest MRT station is Telok Ayer MRT, which is a 5 minute walk to Scarpetta. Maxwell is around a 7 minute walk, which are both great options.

The Damage

Our total bill was 158 SGD for 2 entrees, 3 pastas, 1 dessert, 2 drinks. Considering both shrinkflation and inflation these days, we thought the price to be reasonable.

Would We Recommend?

Yes. Scarpetta has gained significant popularity since opening, especially on social media platforms where diners rave about its pasta and value. When we were hanging outside the restaurant, we heard many groups of people walk past and say, oh this pasta place that is really popular and good. What did we think? We thought it was good quality, reminded us alot of Bar Cicheti and just a great place for a good meal. The portions were relatively small but they were incredibly hearty.