Il Giardino at The Garage in Singapore

I was a little concerned about the selection of this venue for our dinner tonight, as I hadn't heard much about it, and its odd location in the touristy Botanic Gardens didn't give much assurance either (50 Cluny Park Road).

Fortunately, it was much better than I was expecting, including not just that moist and fatty ribeye tagliata above, but more importantly, some of their pastas, like a tagliatelle whose wagyu rendang and coconut emulsion were delicate enough to provide subtle touches of local flavors without dominating it. The spaghetti alle vongole was nicely firm and balanced as well.

The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the octopus, which was a bit overrated with its theatrical presentation. But it was tender, and I'd be willing to go back for those pastas.