Grilled octopus tossed with rocket leaves, tomatoes and olives

The setting

Three-year-old Al Borgo is hardly the new kid on the Alocassia apartment block, but Chef Mimmo’s latest menu additions are reasons for a re-visit. The casual wood-swathed trattoria is built around a kitchen with an exposed brick-framed peep window so aromas swirl freely round the laidback dining setting.

What to expect

Rustic Italian classics served with pizzazz, among the new dishes, seasonal Italy-imported octopus is charred lightly on the grill, then tossed with rocket leaves, cherry tomatoes and sliced olives in a lemony olive oil dressing ($28) for a tart salad.

Also grilled are the Portobello mushrooms, sliced and served in a lip-smacking pesto sauce ($28) crowned with flash-fried prawns.

Bigoli topped with pan-fried straccetti beef slices

The home-made pastas are the best of the new lot: spinach ravioli stuffed with lamb is served in an addictive cream-laced tomato sauce while bigoli (pasta forced through a die into a long, thick tube shape) topped with pan-fried straccetti (‘little rags’) beef slices in a creamy porcini bath ($42).

For desserts, chef Mimmo proffers his homemade white chocolate cake ($10.50), perfect to go with a cup of affogato.

Homemade white chocolate cake

You may not know that

On Tuscan Grill nights (Wednesday), receive a complimentary glass of house wine with an order of a grilled main: Pick from Bistecca alla Fiorentina ($60 for 750g of T-bone steak), home made Italian sausages ($24.50) or the lamb chop with fresh rosemary ($34). The latter wins our plaudit for the fork tender meat with subtly herby notes.

Al Borgo's exterior

Al Borgo

#01-02, Alocassia Apartments

Tel: 6737 3546

Opening hours: 11:45am to 2:30pm and 6pm to 10:30pm (Daily); closed on Tuesdays.