Galbiati Gourmet Deli, Rail Mall

With the opening of Downtown Line 2, foodies now have easier access to many previously hard to reach places (unless you get a cab that is). One of these places is the Rail Mall near Bukit Timah (5 minutes walk from Hillview Station). This reason this place is called the Rail Mall is because the mall is situated next to the former KTM train track. For those who are more adventurous, they can actually bike here via the green corridor though a good and proper mountain bike is highly recommended.

Back to the Rail Mall, there are actually quite a few eateries here though most of it are the run of the mill stuff like Eat Noodles, Cedelé etc. Oh, they even have Bao Xiang the string tied bah kut teh here and also Teck Kee Chicken Rice. Though I will not travel all the way out to Bukit Timah for chicken rice and BKT. The reason I am here is a quaint little Italian eatery called Galbiati Gourmet Deli.

This restaurant is owned by an Italian chef. This restaurant prides itself by using the freshest ingredients available and all the food here is made from scratch. Everything from bread, pastry, cakes etc. Yes, this means fresh pasta, which is quite difficult to find at the price point they are offering.

Like any true blue Italian restaurant, we were given some complimentary bread to start of our meal. I am glad to announce that true to the restaurant's claim, the bread was fresh and fluffy. Perfect for dipping into olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.

For starters, I ordered the soup of the day, which happened to be clear mushroom soup (S$8.00++) for that day. Creamy mushroom soup are a dime a dozen in most western eateries. It is quite rare to get clear mushroom soup. Making clear mushroom soup is actually easier than making cream of mushroom. All you need is a good broth and the freshest mushrooms you can get. The soup served did not disappoint on both counts. Mushrooms were not over boiled. You can still taste that little bit of crunchiness and chewiness in them. The slight "woody" taste is complimented perfectly by the flavourful broth. Not a hint of MSG in it and definitely no need to down glasses of San Pelligrino after the soup.

For the main course we decided on Spinach Tagliatelle tossed with Mushrooms and Pancetta in Cream Sauce(S$18++) and Braised Lamb Shank(S$24++) with mash and vegetables.

First the Tagliatelle. As the chef like to emphasise, the food here are all freshly made from scratch hence the spinach pasta is no exception. The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente and goes really well with the mushroom and pancetta. The cream is not to overpowering, balancing out the saltiness of the pancetta.

The lamb shank is braised in home made tomato based sauce together with the vegetables to perfection. The meat falls of the bone with minimal effort with the fork. There is just the right amount of sourness in the sauce to balance out the meat. The mash is silky smooth and compliments the dish nicely.

For this meal we did not order any dessert. Servings here are actually quite generous and we were full after the mains. All in all, it was quite a satisfying meal and worth the travelling. It is quite difficult to get authentic, non pretentious Italian fare at this price point in Singapore.

Address : The Rail Mall, 400 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 678050.
Website

Post Script:

As mentioned, The Rail Mall is actually situated next to the former KTM Railway line that runs all the way to the old Tanjong Pagar Train Station. After lunch, one can actually go for stroll on the green corridor. There is even an undisturbed railway section and bridge with sleepers, ballasts (the stones) and all. I would highly recommend anyone who have not being there to experience it before the upgrading works commences on the green corridor.