If you guys are on TikTok or IG, you’ve probably seen the crazy reels of Casa Vostra at Raffles City. So when they opened a branch right at Tampines Mall, I knew I had to finally check it out and see what the fuss was about.
Since the queues can get quite insane, I purposefully went after the lunch crowd around 2-plus, thinking I could avoid the crowd. Boy, was I wrong! Looks like many others had the exact same idea 🫠
Here’s exactly how the timing went down:
- 2:17 pm: Reached and joined the queue.
- 2:40 pm: Got seated (so about a 23-minute wait on a Sunday afternoon).
- 2:43 pm: Ordered.
- 2:47 pm: First dish served!
No joke, the food came out so fast it actually shocked us. The two tables sitting on both sides of us ordered before us, and their food wasn’t even there yet, but ours just zoomed out. 😂
What We Ordered: The Good, the Bad, and the Oil
We decided to try a mix of their specialties, ordering a pizza, a pasta, and a side. One thing I noticed across the board? They love their olive oil. Pretty much every dish came with a very generous splash of it.
1. Luciano’s Carbonara Rigatoni
Carbonara is the dish I keep hearing about for the Tampines outlet, so expectations were high. Honestly? It was just… alright. It wasn’t bad, but I’m really not sure what the massive hype is about. Maybe I ordered the wrong variation or hit them on an off day, but it didn’t blow me away.
2. Broccolini al Forno
This was where things hit a bumpy road. The first time they served it, most of the broccolini pieces were completely burnt and totally black. We raised it to the waiter, and to their credit, they handled it well and changed it for a new one without any fuss.
However, the kitchen went a bit too safe on the second attempt. It completely lacked that nice, smoky roasted touch you expect from an oven-baked side.
3. Prosciutto e Rucola Pizza
Got to give credit where it’s due. The pizza dough was nice. It had that great chew, beautiful char spots, and held up well against the salty prosciutto and arugula. Definitely the best thing we ordered.
The Final Verdict
Overall, Casa Vostra is a decent addition to the Tampines Mall dining scene, but in my opinion, it’s nothing special and not worth standing in a massive queue for.
That being said, I am still a little curious about their Vongole. I’d be down to try it next time, but only if I can walk right in with absolutely no queue! Or I’ll just go to my secondary school favourite, PastaMania, if I’m having some pasta craving 🙂
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