Forlino @ One Fullerton

I finally paid a visit to Forlino after so long - especially when the chance came for brunch with a view. These days, ambience seems to be an attraction as well in considering dining places. Housed on the second floor of One Fullerton, accessing it is no brainer but the maze to the place is quite something. Cross the bridge, enter a winding path into the entrance of Forlino, up the stairs and into yet another maze of robin blue walls with such intricate designs - it felt like a French Rabbit Hole.



Cushy.



Lovely seats with a pretty and unobstructive view of Esplanade and the Floating Platform - this place must be packed during National Day Rehearsals! Ambience was good, music was just right for a leisurely brunch but the service was already contrived from the start - could be the particular waitress but she was attending to us most of the time!



The rest of the like-minded.



Panfried foccacia bread was served up smelling most heavenly but looked and tasted oily. A great pity that it smelt better than it tasted - in fact, tasteless most oddly.



Their choice of butter was cream-based and reminded me of cheese. No refills offered either.


Selection of appetizers that are compulsory without choices. At first glance, the appetizer platter was drab-looking.


Pan Roasted Goose Liver with Lambrusco Wine Sauce

Nowhere near the velvety-melt-in-your-mouth texture, this was a tad overcooked. There were meat balls mashed with chestnuts that came with it as well, just alright.


3 Years Old Finest Parma Ham with Cantaloupe Melon

Betraying its dull exterior to reveal a sweet melon with mildly salty ham, thought this was most outstanding.


Blue Crab Tomato Salad with Champagne Vinegar

Champagne vinegar made this a tad too sour. Croutons were overfried too.


Crispy Fried Prawns and Calamari

Overly marinated prawns made this too salty.


Tagliolini with Cod and Spicy Broccoli



Appetizer saver came in the form of tagliolini that tasted much like yee-mien. This orange-hued dish could easily pass off as carrot pasta - well flavoured and appetizing.



Crisp Duck Leg with Caramelized Shallots and Marsala Wine Sauce


I mistook this for duck confit, pretty good portions of this. If only taste measured up as well. Marsala wine sauce had a sweet aftertaste to it, so did the caramlized shallots and aromatic banana-flavoured cherries which honestly did more sweet than salty justice to this.



Duck Leg was meaty and crisp at the right places but lacking hugely in taste. A great pity though, a dash of salt could have saved it.



Wagyu Beef Cheek with 100% Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce

In comparison, wagyu beef cheek was alot more palatable.



What I did not fancy too much was - too tender. The companion however liked it - only braised beef lovers need order.


Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Icecream and Persimmon Coulis

The chocolate cake looked under the weather missing out on the rich dark chocolate exterior that comes with most molten lava cakes.



A slight prod unleashes a molten center, slightly undercooked inside but the chocoaddict polished it off nonetheless.


The kitchen kindly replaced my dessert with a marginally larger scoop of mascarpone icecream - not too bad!




Coffee and Tea

Coffee was over boiled, tea was o-k-a-y- with Lipton.

The supposed Chiacchiere (icing powder dusted fried dough) that came with the set did not arrive and we did not bother to ask either. Every table had it and only we missed out - whatever!

Based on brunch, Forlino fulfills the ambience and view requirement but quality of food...not entirely high up on the agenda.

$58++

Forlino
One Fullerton