Casa MANINI Review: Legit Italian Restaurant For Pasta And Pizza In Serangoon Gardens

Unfortunately, even though there are many Italian restaurants in Singapore, not many can dish out a decent portion of spaghetti and pizza. So I was quite surprised that neighbourhood restaurant, Casa MANINI , managed to impress with their dishes.

Food at Casa MANINI Fans of MUNCHIES will know of Matty Matheson’s “Guaranteed To Get You Laid” Lasagna. But if you’re too lazy to make the lasagna, Casa MANINI’s Lasagna Classica ($19++) would be your best option. The dish follows a family method, and features a hearty beef and pork bolognese, layered with béchamelsauce and noodles.

Carnivores will be pleased that it’s more meaty than tomatoey in taste, and a single portion is enough to make you want to skip work and sleep your food coma away. As a Singaporean, I had to get the Crab Linguine ($25++) . And I’m glad I did, as the al dente pasta came tossed in a light tomato sauce with plenty of crab meat.

The sauce base is slightly garlicky, and punched up with the addition of bird’s eye chilli. The crab meat was fresh, lending a sweet tang to the dish.

The toppings are simple, with only mozzarella, garlic, birds eye chilli and whole salted anchovies. It was sturdy enough to hold the generous toppings well; it didn’t turn soggy even after an hour.

And the bird’s eye chilli made it spicy, without being too choking. The salted anchovies in addition helped cut through the cheesiness of the dish, whetting your appetite for an additional slice – and another.

Ambience at Casa MANINI Tucked away in Serangoon Gardens, Casa MANINI stands out from its neighbours with its whimsical interior. Seen through the floor-to-ceiling window is a striking Vespa parked within the trattoria; plenty of greenery to create a calming garden-like ambience, and trinkets collected from the owners’ travels.

Adding on to the charm of the space is the friendly service from the husband and wife duo. The verdict Let me be a basic b*tch for a moment and say that I’m #blessed.

Blessed that Casa MANINI chose to be opened in the North-East of Singapore instead of town, because now I can have legit Italian food without travelling far. The food is really spectacular, rivalling the Italian dishes I had in Europe. For broke peeps, they in addition have a set lunch menu – it comes with an appetiser and a main – that’s pretty affordable at $15++!