Cicheti – Kandahar Street
There is no dearth of Italian restaurants in Singapore. And making the Kampong Glam area cooler with its hipster vibes and quirky decor is Cicheti located in the bustling Kandahar Street. It is a two-storey shophouse bedecked with oak tables and warm lights. For large groups, it is better to hit the second floor for privacy and it is recommended that you make advance reservations. And if you are really looking for the weekend vibes, then the rooftop patio is ideal.
The Orders
For the appetizers, we ordered the ‘Onion and Garlic Flatbread’ for a light start to the meal. The advantage of Italian flatbreads is that their surface gives room for toppings and dips to be spread on them easily. The Cicheti version was very good with the dip enhancing the taste.
The menu contains a plethora of options in the form of 10 inch Napoletana pizzas lovingly made in their wood-fired ovens. For vegetarians, the restaurant was open to customization. We ordered the ‘Pollo Pizza’ without the chicken. The pizzas were nicely charred with the wood-fired spots on the crust looking perfect. The almond pesto acted as the perfect base to the greens and onions and every bite was savored with delight.
For the cheese lovers, the ‘Quattro Formaggi’ is worth trying. The traditional four cheese pizza contained a winning combination of parmesan, gorgonzola, ricotta and fior de latte and aided in bringing a creamy lusciousness to every bite.
The pastas are handmade and we tried the ‘Gnocchi’. The earthy flavour of mushrooms blended with the creaminess of ricotta cheese and was decent but not something to rave about. Personally, I missed a pasta with veggies as an option on their menu.
One of the most interesting desserts was the ‘Panna Cotta with Rhubarb garnish’ with its perfect texture. The rhubarb gave a fresh flourish to creaminess the base and was extremely tasty.
Filled with cocoa crumble and almond paste, the ‘Crack Pie’ was rich and dense. The vanilla ice cream served alongside was just nice to make this whole dessert come together.
The ‘Warm chocolate cake’ was a safe dessert and pretty standard fare. The chocolate lovers will like it.
You can’t go to an Italian joint and not order the ‘Tiramisu’. This version was soft and creamy with a very smooth finish.
For its wood-fired pizzas, for its good service and for celebrating special occasions or just catching up with friends, Cicheti is worth a visit.
| In a Nutshell | Deelightful Rating |
| Cuisine Type: Italian | ★★★1/2 |
| Nearest MRT: Bugis | |
| Address: 52 Kandahar Street, Singapore 198901 | |
| Timings: Mon-Fri: 12pm – 2.30pm , 6.30pm – 10.30pm ; Sat: 6pm – 10.30pm | |
| Website: http://www.cicheti.com/ |