Pasta & Pizza in town with an Asian Twist 🍕🍝
𝑷𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒐 is a cosy restaurant tucked away in Shaw Center at Orchard. They specialise in serving Italian cuisine with an Asian twist. I’ve had their food a few years back and recently found out that they have introduced some new items on their menu so I swung by to try them out.
For starters, we got the 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 and 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝 to share. Between the 2, I prefer the latter as it was flavourful yet light at the same time. Good Caesar salads are hard to come by but this version includes everything I love, like a hard boiled egg with a jammy yolk, and sliced smoked salmon. The 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 is pretty decent as well, but I found the Sriracha Honey Dressing to be too sweet for my liking. Nonetheless, my partner enjoyed this very much and even requested for another serving of the dip on the side!
For mains, we got a pasta and pizza each to share we I couldn’t decide on which I wanted more.
The 𝐏𝐚𝐝 𝐊𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚 features toppings like the traditional Thai spicy minced chicken, shredded mozerella, Thai basil and a flowy egg. Flavour-wise, it tastes almost like the traditional Pad Kra Pao dish, but the rice is substituted by the pizza dough. Asian-fusion dishes are often a hit or miss (often misses) but this version is definitely a hit! For those who cannot take spice, the chillies are pretty easy to remove where the runny yolk helps to counter the spice too. Highly recommend!
Next, if you’re a seafood and pasta lover, get the 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞! Featuring linguine pasta, fresh crabmeat (a lot of it) tossed in a spicy cream sauce, topped with a snow crab claw and black lumpfish caviar. I’ve had many versions of Granchio pasta dishes before, and Picolino’s version may be the best I’ve had. The crabmeat was so generous that every strand of pasta is coated with some crabmeat, and there was still more crabmeat left at the bottom of the plate which I gladly mopped up with the remaining pizza crust.
To end off the meal, we got their 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐮, a classic that can never go wrong.
If you’re looking for some good Italian cuisine in town, look no further and swing by Picolino.
Address:
Picolino
Shaw Center
1 Scotts Rd, level 03-23/24
Singapore 228208
If you’re curious about what makes Picolino stand out in the vibrant Orchard dining scene, here’s a bit more from my experience. The restaurant’s cozy setting makes it a great spot for casual dates or catching up with friends. Beyond the unique Pad Kra Pao Pizza, which perfectly balances spicy and savory elements with the richness of runny egg yolk, the Granchio Linguine is truly a highlight. The generous amount of fresh crabmeat and the addition of black lumpfish caviar give the dish an upscale touch. I loved how the spicy cream sauce infused warmth without overpowering the seafood. For starters, the Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad was a pleasant surprise—light yet full of flavor, thanks to the jammy boiled egg and smoky salmon slices. On the other hand, the Sweet Potato Fries paired with the Sriracha Honey Dressing provide a sweet-spicy kick, though I personally found the dressing a touch too sweet. However, my dining partner was eager to have extra dip! One insider tip is to check if there are any current promotions—when I visited, Picolino was offering a 30% discount, making the experience even better. The Shaw Center location is convenient and easy to find, nestled right at 1 Scotts Road, level 03-23/24. Whether you’re craving classic Italian comfort food or want to try something with an exciting Asian twist, Picolino is definitely worth a visit. I’ll be coming back to explore more of their innovative dishes!
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