Cover Bottone alla Milanese at Torno Subito (Photo: Torno Subito)
Bottone alla Milanese at Torno Subito (Photo: Torno Subito)
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The Singapore outpost of the one-Michelin-starred Dubai flagship opens at Como Dempsey today
With its selection of mosaic and checkerboard tiles, bright colour palettes taken from the pages of Piet Mondrian, and a centrepiece “beach bar” with matching seaside paraphernalia, dining at the newly-opened Torno Subito feels like peeling back the layers of time into the Italy of the 1960s, with its idyllic summers by the Adriatic Riviera immortalised by the high gloss of Italian cinema. Announced in September 2023 with a teaser pop-up, the restaurant by celebrity chef Massimo Bottura has finally opened today on February 20, making it the first Asian outpost of its one-Michelin-starred Dubai flagship at the W Dubai - The Palm. Here, diners can get a taste of Bottura’s innovative yet authentic take on the culinary gems of the Emilia-Romagna region (which itself sits along the Adriatic Riviera).
Don’t miss: Celebrity chef Massimo Bottura to open new restaurant Torno Subito at Como Dempsey
Above Bar area at Torno Subito
Bar area at Torno Subito
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Bottura is also behind three-Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana in Modena, and Gucci Osteria in Florence, Tokyo, and Seoul. Today marks his entrance into the Como Group’s star-studded lineup of F&B offerings by acclaimed celebrity chefs in Singapore, including pastry chef Cédric Grolet’s café, Simon Kim’s Cote, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Dempsey Cookhouse and Bar. Expressing her admiration for Bottura and his “warm and grounded cuisine”, Como Group founder Christina Ong says: “Torno Subito is the sort of place you could go any time, all the time, with any combination of friends and family”.
Above Cavatelli riviera dish at Torno Subito
Cavatelli riviera dish at Torno Subito
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Behind the counter is executive chef Alessio Pirozzi, a native of Abruzzo in Italy who has worked with Bottura at Osteria Francescana, and then at Torno Subito in Dubai. Now in Singapore, Pirozzi whips up creative dishes faithful to the restaurant’s repertoire. There are à la carte menus available featuring hand-made pasta, Wagyu ragù and wood-fired pizzas, but for the best experience, opt for the six-course set menu, playfully titled “Ciao Singapore!”. It is packed with the restaurant’s signature dishes such as “It’s Not Pasta”, a cold tagliatelle dish in a reinvented cuttlefish and bell pepper stew. Pizza, of course, is not to be ignored. The cavatelli riviera dish is a highlight, starring al dente hand-made pasta in a light sauce seasoned with smoked paprika and lemon and served with fresh Sicilian red shrimps.
Not to be missed its its classic “Tiramisubito” dessert, a deconstruction of the iconic tiramisu. It is presented with a pristine chocolate shell infused with espresso, which you are to crack open with a spoon to reveal the rich layers of mascarpone and coffee-soaked biscuit underneath.
In colloquial Italian, Torno Subito means “I’ll be right back”, encapsulating its playful and relaxed spirit. It also captures Bottura’s fondness for Singapore and its reputation as “one of the great culinary destinations”. “Singapore is a place I return to with joy again and again,” he says. “It is so exciting to be bringing Torno Subito with its dolce vita mood to Como Dempsey.”
Dolce vita it is, with Torno Subito’s cinematic rendition of a leisurely holiday by the Adriatic coast in a romanticised past, crafted by Italian designer Paola Navone of Otto Studio. One could almost expect to see Alain Delon, the sun-kissed star of the 1960s silver screen, lounging by the beach à la Purple Noon.
Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
