Assaggi Was Spectacular

Post by Chiefeater Luke Soon

Getting a table at Assaggi right now feels like winning the lottery. Chef Denis Lucchi, the man behind one-Michelin-starred Buona Terra and Locanda, has clearly done something right. Because ever since the casual Italian spot on Neil Road opened for reservations in August, diners have been scrambling to snag a spot weeks in advance.

First impressions: ring the doorbell and a staff member pops out through a little window at the door to greet you. Inside, it’s warm and homey, a world away from Buona Terra’s white starched tablecloths, or even Locanda’s rustic interiors. Think a friend’s cosy wood-furnished dining room, fitted with an open kitchen counter where all the action is at, and a curious soft-pop soundtrack where Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran and Michael Jackson tunes croon in the background.

Starters are solid – the veal eye round comes with a creamy tonnato sauce with artichokes and quail eggs (think fancy tuna egg mayo), while the octopus dish is simple but well-executed, with tender octopus chunks, potatoes, olives, capers and green beans for a fresh touch.

The real highlight is the pasta – chewy and al dente, with spot-on sauces. It’s a tough fight between the fusilli with capsicum and red prawns, and the pappardelle with osobucco and gremolada, but the latter, which has a surprising cheesy hit, wins by a small margin. There’s also a house-made chilli oil which you can use on the side. And if you like spice, we suggest being generous with it.

Then comes the internet-viral bread course. The showstopper is an eye-catching and seemingly bottomless bucket of whipped Beppino Occelli butter, spooned tableside and enjoyed along fluffy bread rolls glazed with acacia honey, balsamic reduction and duck fat. It is one of the better bread courses we’ve had in a while, though not quite the religious experience everyone on the internet claims it to be

There’s no need to agonise over what to order here. Only one set menu is served for lunch ($58 for three courses), and two at dinner ($88 for the six-course Pasta Journey or Signature Journey). We went with the Signature Journey for a taste of the full spread. Things kick off with a trio of snacks: a bright tomato tart, a savoury beef and mushroom toast, and a twist on the classic prosciutto e melone, swapping in coppa (shoulder meat) for the usual prosciutto

As for the mains, a 14-to-20-day dry-aged serving of roasted duck is paired with orange blossom honey, sitting alongside cooked peaches and a fresh fennel salad. While the peach and duck combination works best, the orange blossom sauce is just a tad too sweet for our liking. There’s also stone bass served with a traditional Italian mugnaia sauce and thin sheets of zucchini as an alternative.

Redemption comes in the form of pasta – which, at this point in the meal, is clearly the kitchen’s strong suit. The shared paccheri, done amatriciana style, is served tableside, with lashings of cheese. Tip: a dash of chilli oil takes it to the next level.

Desserts are equally delightful, and uncomplicated. We like the refreshing peach granita, and the vanilla ice cream-stuffed rum baba that follows is the perfect ending.

We are already regulars at Locanda, so when we rang the bell, and when our trusted maitre’d Daniele Fiore opened the door – our hearts sang.Our expectations immediately soared – both food and wine 🍷 wise. And that Assaggi didn’t disappoint (at all), in fact ✊ knocked it out of the park

Everything in the Signature course $88 was spectacular, but their pasta 🍝 chefs definitely were quarterbacking the team. Everything was 7.5/10 and above 👆, so I will just name the super hits and near misses: the ragu pasta was the standout 8/10, all other pastas at 7.5/10. The only 7/10 for the day went to the duck 🦆, as we felt the plate and sauces were too busy (over ambitious) – but still very good and succulent.

Everything else including the service was top notch, as we would expect.

Business Hours

Tuesday to Sunday
12:00 pm to 03:00 pm
06:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Closed on Monday