Peperoni Pizzeria: Whopping Large Surprise

Secluded in a private estate, the cluster of restaurants at Greenwood Avenue look everything like they're only meant for the rich and posh.

It was lucky for us to discover Peperoni Pizzeria, a warm cheerful family restaurant serving hearty Italian fare, with prices friendly to our pockets.

We opted for the Al Fresco dining, which was coupled within an Italian styled courtyard - warm painted walls with vines and leaves to complete the cosy feel. A perfect place to enjoy a big sumptuous dinner in total serenity.

Calamari Fritti,   S$12 nett,   

Squid rings, together with onion thins, were deep fried till crisp golden goodness. The batter used was well seasoned and coated thinly, so it doesn't feel too heavily floured. At the same time, the texture and taste of the squid were distinct. You could feel them all fresh and springy inside, and it was sure a joy to dip them in the lemon mayo and tomato sauce provided alongside.

Suprema and Salmon Family Pizza (21" XXXL),   S$44 nett,   

When the staff delivered the pizza to our table, she jokingly exclaimed, "This was meant to be a surpirse for you!" Seriously, we never knew such a humongous piece of pizza actually existed, and glad to say, it was certainly a pleasant surprise. To help you visualise, here's a photo of the pizza in comparison to a human.

The restaurant specializes in thin-crust pizzas, served piping hot from the traditional wood-fired oven - the kind that will explode in crumbles inside your mouths.

We chose two flavours for the family pizza, Suprema for one half, and Salmon for the other half. Both halves were tomato sauce based topped with mozzarella cheese; with the Suprema side consisting of Shitake mushrooms, chicken and garlic sausages, onions, and red chilli; while the Salmon side was covered with sliced smoked salmon, caramel onion, and capers. It was definitely a well mix of abundant toppings with crispy pizza crust! Crunch!

(By the way, the pizza was too large to be completed by both of us, so we had them packed home in two separate regular pizza boxes.)

Tiramisu,   S$8 nett,   

Savoiardi (lady fingers cookie) soaked in coffee, mascarpone cheese, and a dusting of cocoa powder made up this delicate Italian dessert. The Tiramisu here tasted just as nice as it appeared, except that the alcohol taste wasn't very evident.

VERDICT
A restaurant which deserves a praise in every aspect. Delicious food served by warmhearted approachable staffs, in a homely laidback environment, and with menu prices you wouldn't mind paying for (such quality). Peperoni Pizzeria is definitely worth your visit!

Peperoni Pizzeria
Hillcrest Park
6 Greenwood Avenue, S(289195)
(+65) 6465 6556
Mon - Sun: 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.

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Nexus Gourmet: Don't Belittle this Unaesthetic Restaurant

Who says nice food only comes from posh restaurants with rocket-high prices? This homely modest restaurant here shall prove you wrong.

Roasted Duck and Mango,   S$7.50 nett,   

A taste bud kicking appetiser to start with. Slices of roasted duck tossed with mangoes, cucumbers and beansprouts - a fine balance of airness, crunch and sweetness. Chilies and plum dressing added the spicy and sour zest to it, which we believe many Singaporeans will fancy.

Tropical Hawaiian Pizza,   S$9.50 nett,   

This homemade Hawaiian Pizza was a wrong dish to choose. The thick pizza base was too doughy and dry; sliced chicken and ham were not even tender; tomato sauce was dry too; and the mozzarella cheese came in stingy amounts. The whole pizza just felt like a big chunk of stale bread, and the only relieves were the juicy canned pineapples.

Barbequed Chicken,   S$14.50 nett,   

Now now, this one is good. Grilled chicken leg, accompanied with mashed potatoes, broccolis, carrots and mushrooms, glazed with a special BBQ sauce. Not tough, not fatty, just soft and tender succulence, for every bite of the chicken you make. Mashed potatoes were unbelievably heavenly - velvety, fluffy and pepperish. Splendid!

Tiramisu,   S$6.50 nett,   

When my spoon first sank in, I knew this wasn't going to disappoint us. Kahlua (coffee-flavored liqueur made in Mexico) rushes its way out and ends up in your mouths with lingering transcendence. And the fact that the Tiramisu was presented in a cup, each of this dessert is exquisitely and individually made.


The layers of strong Kahlua soaked Savoiardi (lady fingers cookie), topped with rich creamy mascarpone cheese, and then dusted with bitter sweet cocoa powder.

Crème Brûlèe,   S$4.50 nett,   

This is the dessert which kept us coming back to this restaurant thrice. Crème Brûlèe means "burnt cream" in French, and is created by burning sugar under a blowtorch, resulting in the hard layer of caramel on top of the custard base. Because of Nexus' brilliant effort to add in oranges and orange zest, the whole Crème Brûlèe was jazzed up, becoming an unique dessert to die for.

VERDICT
Due to its location, Nexus Gourmet is usually loaded with office crowds in the afternoon, but quite unpatronized at night. It may not be a bad thing though, because it could always become a good spot to celebrate special occassions more privately. (Birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) Service here is very warm and friendly, and yet they do not charge anything for that. Yes! The prices on the menu are nett, meaning GST and service charge absorbed. And for that kind of (extremely) reasonable pricings, you get incredibly delectable food. We seriously recommend this restaurant to all!

Nexus Gourmet
161 Telok Ayer Street, S(068615)
(+65) 6223 3376
Mon - Sat: 11.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.
Sun: 1.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.
PH: Usually Closed
http://nexusgourmet.blogspot.com

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