A friend recommended this Italian restaurant to my family. The name iO stands for Italian Osteria. Osteria (pronounced ost - er ee - er) is a word evoking hostelry and hospitality.
The location is the new HillV2 complex. Up an escalator. Jumping fountains in the middle of the area and restaurants surround you.
io is a large restaurant with wooden tables and chairs but the ceilings are so high it's not noisy. They have been busy all week and the evening I was there the restaurant had two sittings. The owner and her daughter are busy bustling about and the other staff are equally brisk. You only need to half raise a hand and somebody comes rushing over to take your order or answer a question.
A member of my family had lunch there midweek and liked it so much he made a follow-up visit and ordered food for a party.
I was initially rather sceptical. The bronze effect cutlery stacked in help yourself sections on the table was two shades of gold and black.
The menu was handily printed on a paper placemat. Each section suggested see daily specials chalked on black boards.
I found a slightly sparkling white house wine which was OK, for price and style.
Aubergine
My starter was Malanzane alla parmigiana, aubergine or egg plant, in a parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. It is a classic dish. We shared my aubergine starter. So far so good.
My main course was meat and mashed potato, braised beef, which was copious and delicious, home cooking style.
We diners sat debating the difference between the traditional meet and two veg expected by the British diners of retirement age - dating back to postwar Britain, where rationing continued until 1950 and restaurants advertised 'meat and two veg' which was the wartime standard requirement.
Nowadays the Californians and many Europeans serve a vegetable as a starter. I as a Brit am horrified that no greens appear with the main course unless you pay for and know to order extras.
My dining companions suggested that having vegetables first and none with the main course is an Italian tradition. I don't think it's a merely Italian custom. In Hatch End, Italian restaurants such as Fellini, Casa Mia and Dona Teresa will serve you a main course of chicken, fish, whatever, with a copious selection of cooked vegetables, potato and two vegetables.
Those of us watching our health and diet as well as our budget like to have two vegetables with the main course.
I had to admit I was quite full at Io Osteria, and I had had a vegetable starter.
But the piece de resistance was the desserts.
Having a shared started and shared dessert, only one glass of wine and no coffee, our meal cost the equivalent of about £20 each which we considered very reasonable. Shopping around the bakery section which had four kinds of tarts for desserts or for sale, plus the other displays of food for sale, created an interesting evening out.
Plates were different colours, brown, white or green. Desserts were colourful. My favourite was the Sicilian dessert cake. It contained chocolate and marzipan. If you've had cassata Siciliana, you will be familiar with the ice cream with lots of colourful titbits of different flavours. The Sicilian cake is similar in concept, a mixture of colours and flavours. A delight for the eye and tastebuds.
Alternative desserts were cheesecake, a chocolate and hazelnut cake, an almond cake, lemon meringue, and more.
The owner Anna, daughter Dalila, and staff are all cheerful and chatty.
You'll find more news of them on trip advisor, Hungrygowhere, yelp, Instagram and Facebook.
The toilets are across the public courtyard. (Which is why my hair is not combed in the picture.) After your meal it's a chance to glance at the colourful jumping fountains outside.
iO Italian Osteria
No 4 Hillview Rise
#02-01, HillV2 Singapore 667979
Phone:(65) 6710 7150
Open daily 10-10.
info@sicilia-mia.com
www.io-osteria.com
The location is the new HillV2 complex. Up an escalator. Jumping fountains in the middle of the area and restaurants surround you.
io is a large restaurant with wooden tables and chairs but the ceilings are so high it's not noisy. They have been busy all week and the evening I was there the restaurant had two sittings. The owner and her daughter are busy bustling about and the other staff are equally brisk. You only need to half raise a hand and somebody comes rushing over to take your order or answer a question.
These ladies are sitting on high on bar stools watching food being cooked in the open plan kitchen.
A member of my family had lunch there midweek and liked it so much he made a follow-up visit and ordered food for a party.
I was initially rather sceptical. The bronze effect cutlery stacked in help yourself sections on the table was two shades of gold and black.
The menu was handily printed on a paper placemat. Each section suggested see daily specials chalked on black boards.
I found a slightly sparkling white house wine which was OK, for price and style.
Aubergine
My starter was Malanzane alla parmigiana, aubergine or egg plant, in a parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. It is a classic dish. We shared my aubergine starter. So far so good.
My main course was meat and mashed potato, braised beef, which was copious and delicious, home cooking style.
We diners sat debating the difference between the traditional meet and two veg expected by the British diners of retirement age - dating back to postwar Britain, where rationing continued until 1950 and restaurants advertised 'meat and two veg' which was the wartime standard requirement.
Nowadays the Californians and many Europeans serve a vegetable as a starter. I as a Brit am horrified that no greens appear with the main course unless you pay for and know to order extras.
My dining companions suggested that having vegetables first and none with the main course is an Italian tradition. I don't think it's a merely Italian custom. In Hatch End, Italian restaurants such as Fellini, Casa Mia and Dona Teresa will serve you a main course of chicken, fish, whatever, with a copious selection of cooked vegetables, potato and two vegetables.
Those of us watching our health and diet as well as our budget like to have two vegetables with the main course.
I had to admit I was quite full at Io Osteria, and I had had a vegetable starter.
But the piece de resistance was the desserts.
Having a shared started and shared dessert, only one glass of wine and no coffee, our meal cost the equivalent of about £20 each which we considered very reasonable. Shopping around the bakery section which had four kinds of tarts for desserts or for sale, plus the other displays of food for sale, created an interesting evening out.
Plates were different colours, brown, white or green. Desserts were colourful. My favourite was the Sicilian dessert cake. It contained chocolate and marzipan. If you've had cassata Siciliana, you will be familiar with the ice cream with lots of colourful titbits of different flavours. The Sicilian cake is similar in concept, a mixture of colours and flavours. A delight for the eye and tastebuds.
Alternative desserts were cheesecake, a chocolate and hazelnut cake, an almond cake, lemon meringue, and more.
The owner Anna, daughter Dalila, and staff are all cheerful and chatty.
Chef owner Anna wearing white and the restaurant logo
Anna's Daughter Dalila
You'll find more news of them on trip advisor, Hungrygowhere, yelp, Instagram and Facebook.
The toilets are across the public courtyard. (Which is why my hair is not combed in the picture.) After your meal it's a chance to glance at the colourful jumping fountains outside.
iO Italian Osteria
No 4 Hillview Rise
#02-01, HillV2 Singapore 667979
Phone:(65) 6710 7150
Open daily 10-10.
info@sicilia-mia.com
www.io-osteria.com
Sicilian dessert cake
Angela Lansbury, BA, author, writer, speaker.
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