[Review] Squid Noodles, Suckling Pig, and Synergy: Alma x Torno Subito’s 4-Hands Feast Delights in Dempsey

If you are a fan of inventive dining and international collaborations, you might want to keep a close eye on the Friends of Torno Subito series at COMO Dempsey.

This May, we were lucky enough to attend a one-night-only dinner by Torno Subito and Portugal’s two-Michelin-starred Alma (not to be confused with the one-Michelin-starred Alma in Singapore), helmed by chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, in collaboration with Torno Subito’s Executive Chef Alessio Pirozzi.

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The result?

An unforgettable eight-course tasting menu that brought together Italian whimsy and Portuguese soul in a vibrant culinary dialogue.

Though the event has since wrapped, diners can look forward to future collaborations under the Friends of Torno Subito umbrella. If this edition was anything to go by, those will be well worth marking on your calendar.

This was our first visit to Torno Subito, and the playful interior immediately left a strong impression. Think vintage Italian seaside with a modern designer twist, courtesy of Paola Navone of OTTO Studio.

With its open kitchen, you could enjoy a front-row view of the chefs in action. It was a joy to witness both highly acclaimed chefs, Chef Sá Pessoa and Chef Pirozzi at work, moving in perfect sync as they plated dishes with precision and care.

Priced at $198++, the collaborative menu offered a rich variety of textures, flavours, and cross-cultural flair. Here’s what we were served for the evening:

Drinks to start, a cocktail on the left and a mocktail on the right:

Amuse Bouche

One of the perks of the four-hands menu was that you get to sample good stuff two times, each presenting something different, but perfectly complimenting each other. This started right from the Amuse Bouche:

Starters

Squid (Alma)

A visual surprise, fresh squid is cut into noodle-like strands, soaked in an umami-rich broth with chorizo. It looks like noodle, but is not noodle.

A favourite of the night, this dish was both comforting and unexpected.

Ricciola e Melone (Torno Subito)

A playful take on fried pizza topped with smoked hamachi, compressed melon, and stracciatella. The hamachi is hidden beneath the thinly sliced melon, leaving you puzzled at first on whether you are presented with the wrong fish when you see the orange tint of the melon. Flavours are all there and hit all the right notes.

Delightfully refreshing and thankfully part of their regular menu.

Bottone di Parmigiana (Torno Subito)

Beautifully crafted bottone pasta filled with eggplant parmigiana, served with provola sauce and basil. This is a pure vegetarian dish, presented with mighty finess. Good to the last drop of the sauce.

These are also available on the regular menu.

Mains

Octopus ‘Caldeirada’ (Alma)

Inspired by a traditional Portuguese fisherman’s stew, this dish featured tender, perfectly charred octopus with sweet potato.

The depth of flavour in the sauce was so addictive, we were scraping our plates clean. Another star for the evening.

Maialino Croccante (Torno Subito)

A show-stopping porchetta-style suckling pig roulade. Crunchy skin, juicy interior, zero greasiness. Leaves you wanting for more.

Served with apple compote and local Swiss chard. This dish is beautifully balanced and elegantly plated. Another one of our favourites.

Dessert

Sea and Citrus (Alma)

Dessert came as a refreshing finale, with a medley of yuzu curd, yuzu sorbet, and caramelised seaweed. Zesty, bright, and almost too beautiful to eat.

Overall, Torno Subito and Alma, with contributions from chef Henrique Sá Pessoa and Chef Alessio Pirozzi, staged a theatrical and flavourful performance. The collaboration exemplified what the Friends of Torno Subito series is all about: creativity, craftsmanship, and a bit of culinary mischief.

We left full, inspired, and already looking forward to the next collaboration.

Torno Subito

Address:
26 Dempsey Road, #01-02, Singapore 249686

Opening Hours:
Wed–Sun: Lunch 12–3pm | Dinner 5.30–10pm

Tel:
1800 304 6688 / +65 6486 1053

Reservations strongly recommended for future Friends of Torno Subito events.

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