I have a confession. Up until a couple of years ago, I didn’t get why people liked pizza so much. Pizzas always seemed mediocre at best to me. On hindsight, it was probably just because I wasn’t eating good pizza. And good pizza is what you will definitely find here at Spizza Mercato. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Green Apple & Lychee Quencher, Spizza Signature Cooler Mango & Passionfruit, White Glacial Mint, Peach ‘Bellina’
First up we tried four Spizza ‘Fabbri’ Coolers (S$6.80). I’m not a huge fan of sweet drinks and I can’t say any one of them particularly stood out for me. They will hit the spot when it’s blazing out and those partial to fruity drinks will probably like these.
Insalata Greca
The Insalata Greca (S$12.80) is a tasty way of getting some servings of veggies before the carb-fest later on. Tossed with a dressing of vinegar and salt and bursting with fresh produce and cubes of feta cheese, this is one salad that’s a joy to eat. Then again, pretty much anything with cheese is a joy to eat in my opinion.
Burratina with Insalata Greca
If you’re a huge cheese lover like me, one antipasto you have to try is Spizza Mercato’s Burratina (S$22). It is astonishingly good. So much so that I was too busy eating it to try and take a proper close-up photo. Their Burratina is specially flown in from Italy and is served with parma ham and rucola salad. The cheese is exquisitely milky and is perfectly complemented by the saltiness of the parma ham. This is one dish I would be highly reluctant to share. Considered yourself warned.
Green Spinach ‘TRIANGOLI’ stuffed with spinach and mushrooms in porcini & cream sauce
Of the pastas sampled I preferred the Green Spinach ‘TRIANGOLI’ stuffed with spinach and mushrooms in porcini & cream sauce (S$18). Spinach and cream is one of my favourite food pairings and the ‘TRIANGOLI’ had me helping myself to seconds. The sauce was rich but not cloyingly so. Choose from seven pieces (S$14) or 10 pieces (S$18). It doesn’t look like much when it’s served but it’s surprisingly filling. I would recommend getting the smaller portion, especially if you plan on ordering other food.
Squid ink Taglierini with Mixed seafood in Tomato Sauce is part of the create-your-own-pasta menu.
Squid ink Taglierini with Mixed seafood in Tomato Sauce (S$20) is not a combination I would have picked myself, but it was nonetheless very enjoyable. The freshly made taglierini was infused with squid ink and was perfectly al dente. It came with juicy prawns, mussels and calamari that went great with the tomato sauce. This dish was part of the “create your own pasta” feature that Spizza Mercato offers. It has a whole host of pasta and sauce combinations so you can customize a pasta that is totally suited to your palate.
Gondola Isabella, $25
Now on to the pizzas. The Gondola Isabella (S$24) completely blew me away! The Isabella came with tomato, mozzarella, parma ham, rucola salad and parmesan cheese. It was presented to us in the shape of a boat which was not only utterly adorable and Instagram-worthy, it also super-charged the cheesiness. Oh my goodness, I was in heaven.
Look at all that cheese!
The centre portion was generously stuffed with melted cheese. Definitely go for the middle of the boat if you like cheese; that’s where you would get the most. Any large pizza can be made into a gondola (except sweet pizzas).
Gluten-free Donna Pizza
Unfortunately, after the stellar Isabella, the Gluten-free Donna Pizza (S$23) fell flat. And not just because of the flat-bread-like consistency of the crust from the gluten-free flour used. Consisting of tomatoes, mozzarella, artichokes, mushrooms, cooked ham and olives, the Donna is one of the few pizzas in Singapore where you’d find artichokes used as a topping. The gluten-free option is a boon for those of us who are gluten-intolerant. The Donna is not the only pizza that comes gluten-free. You can make this request of any pizza in Spizza.
Tiramisu
Desserts consisted of tiramisu (S$9.50) and panna cotta (S$8). The tiramisu was made in-house and was the perfect ratio of coffee, cocoa and mascarpone cheese.
Panna Cotta
The panna cotta was delightfully creamy and smooth. The raspberry sauce was just the thing needed to cut the richness of the flan.
Retail section
Spizza Merato also has a gourmet retail section where you can pick up premium ingredients and kitchenware to whip up your own Italian feast. They carry some of the very same ingredients used in their dishes. Everything from pastas, flour and pre-packaged sauces and soups are available here. This is also where you can get that delectable Burratina to eat in the comfort of your own home.
Torta pizzas and Paninis
People who work in the area can also buy some torta pizzas, Paninis and pastas to take away. I’m one of those who work nearby. I know for sure I’ll be coming back again.
Spizza Mercato
13 Stamford Road
#B2-52 Capitol Piazza
Singapore 178905
Tel: +65 6702 1835
Opening hours: Daily 10.30am – 10.30pm
