The Singapore Series (Labor Day Weekend April-May 2011): Pizzeria Mozza

With the lovely Malu Gamboa at Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands

I had one of the best dates ever in Singapore - hindi nga lang with a pogi boy but with fab gal Malu Gamboa. It was so random, too! I had texted her the day before to ask for a reco as to where to run - because I remembered at the Miele Guide awards a few years back that we had attended, Leica Carpo (marathon lady extraordinaire and publisher of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine) did a 5pm run somewhere. Surprise surprise - she was in Singapore too! "I'll eat with you at Mozza if you are going" she messaged. Done!

The reservation was for Osteria Mozza, the fancier area. However, we had heard from various friends that the pizza is what's to die for. And unfortunately, you can't order the pizza at the osteria. So we asked to cross over as Malu was set on having the burrata pizza (whose name, as a green minded jeje Pinoy, I still can't get over haha).

Burrata Pizza (don't forget the A!)

"You choose the food, I choose the wine," she said as we set out to place our orders. She got a Chianti ...

.. and I got these cheese balls (k lang siya) ...

... and I couldn't resist this BULALO. Akala ko mga Pinoy lang kumakain nito. Ganito pala ang Italian eck eck version. In fairview, winner siya!

Bulalo

... which you eat like this ...

Actually, Antonio's has a similar dish. If you wanna try, there's a closer venue for us -  Tagaytay.

As Malu Gamboa is sumkinda big time - owner/creator of Cirkulo (plus the other restos that come with it - Azuthai, Milkyway, Tsukiji - all in the family!) - we were able to call out and say hi to the FILIPINO executive chef Karla Mendoza.

margauxlicious, Chef Karla Mendoza, Cirkulo/Azuthai's Malu Gamboa

Karla is one dedicated chef. She studied in I.S. then in Ateneo before moving to the U.S. (I have yet to do a full interview). She is so committed to the kitchen - even Malu's charms didn't work! She also does not - cannot - sit with customers. "That's my rule," she said with a firm but gracious smile.

She was kind enough to send another pizza over, though: the goat cheese pizza, which was FAB. (How lucky was I???)



The goat cheese on this baby is great but check out the mushrooms. Those are what stood out.

But what I liked most about their pizza was the dough. Light, not too thin nor thick, not sweet. They could have topped that dough with ampalaya and I still would have liked it.

For dessert, I fell in love with this two-faced gelato: melon on the one side, dark chocolate on the other. Rich flavors each - one light, one dark; one slightly sweet, the other with undertones of bitter. Excellent!

The service was ok, too, because the wait staff was predominantly Filipino! At the reception, we conversed in Tagalog. (Actually this is the case in a LOT of places in Singapore. I like it because it makes you feel less lonely and makes everything so much more convenient!)

Oh, be prepared to bump not only into kababayans but also into old friends! I bumped into my high school classmate Editha - how great was that - whom I had lunch with at Relish in Cluny Court the following day. More on that later!

margauxlicious with high school classmate Editha Esguerra of Unilever (sorry I can't remember married names!)

Pizzeria Mozza. The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (across theater). Lunch 12 - 2 pm. Dinner 5 - 11 pm. Tel. +65 6688 8522. Reservations highly recommended. Casual.

Hardworking staff having a Batali meal after work.