There’s nothing in the world that’s one size fits all. But if you’re looking for a restaurant that sells quality sandwiches, handmade pastas and steak while sipping superbly-brewed specialty coffee, then .elia is the right place. Bistro by day, restaurant by night, .elia brings a curated menu where signatures from abroad are delectably assembled with a personal touch. Located at 10 Jiak Chuan Road, this new 30-seater restaurant provides diners a modern twist to traditional fare such as tortellini and wagyu steak. Stripping off the bells and whistle, leaving just the essentials on the plate. Helming the culinary direction is founder-and-chef Clint Seah. His casual yet refined menu logs his travels, inspiration and culinary journey – leading to the birth of .elia. Since opening its door on 3rdAugust, this quant restaurant has received nothing but raving reviews. I can’t wait to join in for a gastronomic experience.
Exuding a quiet charm, walking into .elia gives me an impression of bare monochromatic translucency – you can see all the way to the kitchen the minute you walk in. On the right side sat a long marble top; the drinks section where you can order their specialty coffee, exotic tea, and alcoholic drinks. The interior speaks chic minimalist with a splash of grey, wooden furnishing and natural light.
Showcasing the best produce of each season, you can expect non-pretentious, honest freshly-made pasta and sandwiches (yes, even the bread is baked fresh!) just like the décor itself. Each type of bread and pasta is paired to its corresponding ingredients, bringing out the best in every dish.
For the weekday lunch menu (available on Mondays to Thursdays), the Panchetta (image above) is the must try. Cooked in brown butter and egg yolk with Italian bacon, you could feel the rich, exquisite flavour carried into the freshly-made trenette. Choose the lunch set to add hot coffee/ tea for just $1 – absolutely value-for-money.
Come dinner time, elia morphs into a casual dining concept befitting for a place for a place for a romantic date or just hanging out with friends. Simple and elegant, the un-frivolous naming Octopus features a perfect mix of grilled octopus with sauteed kale, caramelised chili and macadamia nuts.
Surprisingly not chewy, I love the firm, crisp bite of the delicious octopus and the visually appealing composition of this dish.
As a unyielding carnivore, the Wagyu Beef Shortribs is my personal favourite dish within the menu. Sous-vided and seared to a perfect medium-rare, expect an explosion of flavour with each mouthful.
Overall, this cosy restaurant indeed whipped up some interesting, gourmet food. It is a perfect place to organise for a small private functions too. Fun fact: .elia does not stand for perfect. In fact, the name means far from perfect. It recognises that there is more to life than being perfect, one of which is to remain humble and constantly seek improvement. A good principle for us to seek and remind ourselves to abide to, every day in our lives.
.elia
10 Jiak Chuan Road Singapore 089264
Step into a World of Flavour at .elia
