The hard part for any restaurant is drumming up publicity. The new Bottega di Carna at Mondrian Singapore has a ready-made campaign—Dario Cecchini, immortalised in volume 6 of the Netflix series, Chef’s Table. Multiple media outlets dubbed him the world’s greatest butcher, although hyperbole is the hallmark of many magazines and newspapers, quick to crown anyone deft with their mouths and knives.
It takes more than a famous name to succeed in Singapore’s highly competitive F&B scene. Cecchini, however, endeared himself to the masses when he recounted his experience eating Hainanese chicken rice and realising that his steakhouse would do well in the country. We know how to use every part of the animal well, says Cecchini.
That’s the ethos at Italian steakhouse Bottega di Carna. As much as possible, the entire animal is used. And the result is stunning. The meats are perfectly grilled, coming out of the kitchen at the right temperature with a beautiful char. You won’t go wrong with any of the meat selections, but my favourite is the stockyard ribeye—I love the cut’s luscious, delicious fat. Accoutrements are kept to a minimum to let the meat shine, and oh, those cuts sing.
The Bistecca ala Florentina. 
The spicy lobster linguine. 
The branzino fillet.
There are many excellent steakhouses in Singapore, but none have Cecchini’s Profumo del Chianti herb salt blend. It’s a revelation, and I liberally coated my steak with this umami extravaganza. A Cecchini creation, the salt is flavoured with sun-dried Tuscan herbs and is “the essence of Tuscany”, in his words. Many must have felt the same way as me because you can find it on Amazon.
It might seem peculiar to discuss the herbivorous options in a place like Bottega di Carna, but the artichoke tart and squash carpaccio are standouts and deserve a place on your dinner table. If there are pescatarians in your group, there are ample seafood options, too. I thoroughly enjoyed the branzino fillet—moist and warm on the inside, yet perfectly crispy on the outside.
The sides were disappointments, but I chalk this up to the stellar appetisers, mains, and meats. The Tuscan beans were one-dimensional while the lettuce hearts tasted overly bitter and earthy. Don’t let them colour the rest of your Bottega di Carna experience though. A scrumptious Italian-inspired feast in a beautiful space isn’t a bad way to spend a weekend.
