During our earlier visit to HillV2, we had given our first impressions about iO Italian Osteria (see earlier post on HillV2). Today we had the opportunity to sample their cuisine.
[July 2015 Update – There has been some changes to the menu since our Sep 2014 visit. See our recent post on iO Italian Osteria for the new menu and more pictures of food.]
Upon entering the restaurant, you immediately notice that it is much larger than it looks from the outside. It occupies quite a large space (so large that we had to use the panorama mode on the camera). Within this space is an open concept kitchen, the dining area and retail counters where Italian produce and food are sold.
The restaurant has (wisely) kept to a simple and yet varied menu for this restaurant in the suburbs. No exotic or highly priced item here, the priciest item being the grilled ribeye steak at $28.
The selection of wines is also kept to a minimum. With the house pour being dispensed out of barrels, you can have it served in four sizes (glass, 1/4, 1/2 & 1 litre). We tried the Crispy Seafood in Semolina Crumb ($9), the Codfish ‘Al Coccio’ in aromatic fish broth ($24) and the house white wine ($14 for 1/4 litre).
The crispy seafood had pieces of squid, fish and prawns deep fried with a light coating of batter. Very light and nice. The codfish was cooked in a light fish broth with chunks of vegetables. In a dish like this, freshness of the seafood is paramount as there is no heavy sauce or flavouring to hide any flaws in the quality of the ingredients. On this count, we should say the cod had a hint of fishiness, grade B rather than an A, but we are conscious that we ought not ask for grade A at this kind of pricing. The wine was served in a carafe and normal glasses.
Overall, we are happy that iO has brought good casual Italian dining to the Hillview neighbourhood. While there were some rough edges, we did enjoy our first visit here and will certainly be back again.
Ratings:
Food : 3
Service : 3
Value : 3
Atmosphere : 4
Overall Rating : 3 TOPs
iO Italian Osteria
#02-01 HillV2
4 Hillview Rise Singapore 667979
Tel: +65 6710 7150
The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog
Share this:
Discover more from The Ordinary Patrons
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
nice place!
thanks for the review! It is very helpful especially the menu and the boards, so we know what to expect before heading down. Thanks!
We are glad you found it useful 🙂