Sospiri combines the hearty flavours of southern Italy with a panoramic view of the Singapore skyline in the heart of the city’s Central Business District.
Braci is dead. Long live Braci.
If you’ve missed the reference, ilLido Group’s award-winning Italian restaurant Braci officially closed earlier this year. But its newest dining concept Sospiri, officially opened in June, may just be Braci’s spiritual successor.
Located on one of the roofs of the spanking new IOI Central Boulevard Towers in the heart of Singapore’s bustling Central Business District, Sospiri is a beautiful contemporary South Italian-inspired restaurant – complete with a stunning rooftop bar – that offers an expansive view of the Singapore cityscape.
More importantly, the soul of Braci is here.
That is, many of Braci’s kitchen team and front-of-house have been transplanted to Sospiri. In fact, Chef Matteo Ponti – Braci’s former Chef de Cuisine – continues to holds court here, orchestrating the endless stream of dishes inspired by the south of Italy and the greater Mediterranean that issue from the Sospiri kitchen.
What has changed though, is that unlike Braci which captivated diners with an elevated Italian fine dining experience, Sospiri offers a more communal, convivial approach. This welcome move is rather in line with a current trend in changing diner preferences, one that has recently pivoted away from stuffy and delicate multi-course tasting menus to more robust, bigger portions fit for sharing.
Which is what antipasti like the Battuta Di Tonno, Burrata di Andria con la Vignarola, Parmigiana di Melanzane, and Capocollo di Martina Franca are really good for. The latter comes as delicately sliced ham perfect for snacking over some wine or an aperitivo cocktail, while the burrata – along with its bed of broad beans and artichoke – and the bluefin tuna tartare serve as greats starter to share between two.
The eggplant parmigiana? It’s hearty enough as a main for more delicate eaters.
The pastas at Sospiri are lovely. The Pappardelle con Funghi e Bottarga is beautiful blend of the earthiness of trumpet mushroom and the savoury, briny hit of bottarga – coating those al dente pasta ribbons, while the Chitarra Cacio e Pepe al Tartufo gives the creamy pecorino and black pepper classic a fancy lift with shaved truffle. Just splendid.
For mains, the Ventresca alla Ghiotta is a must-order. We’re more familiar with swordfish belly served up as sashimi form at Japanese fine dining joints, but here they come as thick grilled slices. Moist and absolutely scrumptious, they disappeared off the plate in no time.
Meat lovers are most likely to opt for the Tagliata di Manzo – grilled sirloin – but the Scaloppine al Marsala, or tender scalloped pork loin in a most delectable marsala sauce, offer a viable alternative.
Unlike most other Italian restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice for dessert at Sospiri with half a dozen to choose from. The restaurant is named after a sweet confection, after all, traditional little Sardinian cream-filled pastries typically made with almond flour, sugar and honey. They are usually given out at weddings by the bride’s family to symbolise la dolce vita – a sweet, good life. Here you get a version with pistachio.
Also, Sospiri literally means sigh in Italian. Which is what you’re likely to do in pleasure after a gut-busting meal here.
We’re going to miss Braci, but for now restaurateur Beppe di Vito’s newest baby Sospiri is going to command our gastronomic attention quite a bit. Plus we’ll have to return some other time too, and soon, to check out its rooftop bar.
Sospiri
Address 2 Central Blvd, #07-02 IOI Central Boulevard Towers, Singapore 018916 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 12am daily
Tel (65) 9478 0906
Web www.sospiri.sg
Facebook sospiri.sg
Instagram @sospiri.sg
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