There are restaurants with a view, and then there’s La Torre by MONTI.
Perched 34 floors up at Labrador Tower, this modern Italian restaurant comes with all the trimmings of a night to remember.
There’s an elegant dining room, a sweeping view of the coast (and condos to be built), and a menu that mixes old-school Italian comfort with contemporary flair.
I also thought that while the setting felt sophisticated, it was not that stiff.
Run by the team behind MONTI at Fullerton Pavilion, La Torre takes inspiration from Emilia-Romagna, a region known as the culinary heart of Italy.
Menu-wise, it promises hearty flavours done with finesse.
Small plates include Hand-cut Porcini Fries ($18), Fried Raviolini ($15), Adriatic Red Prawn Tartare Tartlet ($20), and La Torre’s Fried Lasagna layered with beef, mozzarella and tomato ($18).
I started with the Stracciatella Cheese ($22), a combination of luscious cheese, silky Parma ham and crisp polenta. (Stracciatella Cheese is what you find inside a burrata ball.)
The drizzle of rosemary honey added just enough sweetness to balance the salt. Was a promising start.
Mains feature the USDA Prime Heritage Linz Ribeye “Costata” ($148), Wood-Fired King Island Striploin Steak ($54), Iberico Tomahawk ($78), Queensland Baby Barramundi ($38), and Wild Caught Red Snapper ($48).
My friend and I decided to indulge a little, and went for the signature USDA Prime Heritage Linz Ribeye ($148).
It was the star of the menu, though I was surprised that the hotplate it came on was not quite hot enough.
I reckon the point of it was for us to cook the steak further to our liking, or at least keep the meat warm throughout the meal.
Unfortunately, that turned out to be the weakest link. Both the seasalt and lavender salt were interesting additions though.
Pastas such as the Egg Fettuccine Pasta with “Friggione” ($28), House-made Pinwheel Pasta ($26), Cannelloni Della Nonna ($28) and Garganelli with Italian pork sausage ($27) round out the list.
The House-Made Tagliatelle with beef ragù and béchamel espuma ($28) turned out better.
The pasta was fresh, slightly chewy with a good bite, with the kind of ragù that tasted like it had been simmered all afternoon.
It was unusual to see béchamel foam which gave it more of a modern touch, and thankfully didn’t get in the way.
Dessert-wise, the Burrata Gelato with rosemary tuile ($18) was smooth, lightly tangy and balanced by the herbal crunch of the tuile.
To be honest, I was more impressed by the view.
La Torre by MONTI is easily one of the best restaurant panoramas in Singapore yet not frequently mentioned.
A setting that makes even a weekday dinner feel like an occasion.
La Torre by MONTI
1-Alfaro Level 34, Labrador Tower, 1 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118479 (Near Labrador Park MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 11pm (Mon – Sun)
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Sospiri (IOI Central Boulevard Towers)
Casa Cicheti (Tiong Bahru)
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (Club Street)
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