Perhaps it was the stunning sea view that did it. Or it could have been the delicious modern Italian cuisine. It didn’t hurt to have a wine list which made it to Wine Spectator magazine’s Best of Award of Excellence. In truth, it was probably a combination of all this that helped il Lido overcome the competition and pick up the prestigious New Restaurant of the Year award at the 2008 World Gourmet Summit. This award comes just after il Lido was voted Italian Restaurant of the Year and Best Restaurant Bar by Singapore Business Review magazine.
Nice though they are, these awards merely confirm what discerning Singaporeans already know; that if you are looking for an unforgettable gastronomic experience, il Lido is the place to go.
Il Lido may only be two years old, but in that short time, it has rapidly risen up the ranks. Helmed by visionary restauranteur Beppe De Vito, the restaurant bar is located on the resort island of Sentosa, and boasts a panoramic view of the Singapore Straits on one side, and the rolling greens of the Sentosa Golf Club on another.
The view is so beautiful that is not uncommon for people to spend hours on the terrace just soaking in the view while sampling the best of Il Lido’s wine cellar.
It helps that this is no ordinary wine collection. It is thanks to this wine list that il Lido earned the title Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. The wine list includes an extensive champagne selection comprising some hard-to-get names, an enticing range of French labels, delectable New World bottlings and of course, the best of Italy.
However, people keep returning to il Lido not for the gorgeous view or it is the rare champagne. They come because of the superb food. The head chef at il Lido is Giuliano Dacasto, who had previously worked at Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café under Head Chef Stuart Gillies. His first head chef position was in London at the well-reviewed 2 Veneti.
Chef Guiliano, together with the pastry chef Saverio Busata as well as sous chef Daniele Bettini all previously worked together at Bauer Hotel, considered one of the top five-star properties in Italy. Today, they have reunited to become Singapore’s most formidable culinary team. Chef Guiliano is a new arrival to the il Lido family. He came to Singapore to take over from Chef Osvaldo Forlino, whose culinary creations have helped il Lido earn so many awards. Chef Osvaldo is now heading a fine dining restaurant at the Fullerton called Forlino, which is also owned by the il Lido group.
For Chef Osvaldo, this move is a return to his roots, in a way. Chef Osvaldo learned his craft working in his family’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Forlino, in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. He subsequently worked at other award-winning restaurants in northern Italy before eventually joining il Lido in Singapore.
Because his culinary efforts were so well re-ceived, Chef Osvaldo and il Lido owner Beppe De Vito decided that Singapore was ready for a different kind of restaurant. Chef Osvaldo thus persuaded members of his family to uproot themselves from Piedmont to start a Forlino family restaurant in Singapore.
In Singapore, Forlino will offer fine Italian dining with a northern Italian bent. The restaurant itself has been made to resemble the interior of a plush Italianate villa. Forlino is located on the second floor of One Fullerton, and diners will enjoy unparalleled views of Marina Bay as well as the Marina Bay Sands Resort.
Between il Lido on Sentosa, Forlino at One Fullerton, and the il Lido luxury yacht which can also be chartered for dinner on the high seas, lovers of fine Italian cuisine in Singaporecan truly be said to enjoy La Dolce Vita.