[Review] From Naples to Sydney to Singapore: Fortuna Trattoria Refreshes Its Menu With Bold Italian Flavours And Aussie Influences

Singapore is home to a myriad of Italian establishments, but Fortuna Trattoria on Craig Road has well established a name for itself with its focus on authentic Sicilian and Neapolitan cuisine. With their newly refreshed menu, the restaurant is now seeking to serve up a more personal narrative that chronicles the culinary journey of its creator and director Egon Marzaioli, bringing everything back to its roots.

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Back in 2013, Egon and his fellow founders left their hometown of Naples for the cosmopolitan city of Sydney. Now, they are bringing that transformative decade of culinary exploration to Singapore. The updated dining offerings are essentially a beautiful love letter to two distinct hemispheres. You can expect the strict, time honoured traditions of Italian heritage presented together with the bold, ingredient focused modern Australian cuisine that Egon embraced during his time living Down Under.

We were invited for a dinner tasting of their new menu and kicked off our meal with the Burrata (S$26).

While burrata is a familiar staple at almost every Italian joint, Fortuna elevates it with a generous drizzle of their proprietary Yummy Yah chilli oil and a crown of crispy leeks.

The chili oil gives an extra kick that provides contrast to the rich creaminess of the cheese while the generious sprinkling of leeks added texture plus a more interesting visual presentation, akin to an egg in a bird’s nest. It is a brilliant example of turning a regular Italian dish into something uniquely individual and exciting.

Another starter we tried is the Fritto Misto (S$20). This coastal classic of assorted fried king prawns and calamari incorporates potato chips, herbed mayo, and Vietnamese prawn salt.

It channels the relaxed energy of an Aussie pub and nods to quintessential fish and chips shops, comfort food upon comfort food. It looks simple, but serves as a satisfying comfort dish that will leave you wanting for more.

Moving on to the pastas, the Mafalde (S$36) was a visual spectacular that tastes as good as it is presented.

Featuring a robust beef and pork ragu alongside Fortuna chilli oil, the real magic happens when the torched smoked provolone is introduced. This dish is highly theatrical, with the cheese torched right at your tableside. As you mix up the melted cheese and the pasta, the lingering smoke and aroma of the burnt cheese draws you in to grab a fresh bite.

The result is an oozing melty cheesy goodness that is unapologetically messy but undeniably good. Even though it is a pasta dish, the flavours are simple but addictive, making it a great bar bite to share with friends over a few drinks.

Of course, no visit to Fortuna is complete without trying their pizzas. Helmed by master pizzaiola Giorgio Sorce, the pizzas here are known as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, infusing traditional Neapolitan pizza bases with purely Sicilian ingredients.

We opted for the new Green Dream (S$36), a vegetarian delight topped with pesto, spinach, goat cheese, pine nuts, and sundried tomatoes.

The classic Italian flavour profile translates beautifully here, and we love the dough. It strikes that fine balance of being light and airy with a beautifully blistered crust that is a hallmark of proper fermentation.

For those looking for heartier mains, the menu also boasts other new creations like the Chicken Parmigiana (S$36), an innovation by the Italian diaspora that marries a home style chicken cotoletta with creamy cheese fondue and tomato jus. To cap off the night, you can indulge in their reinvented desserts like the Fried Gelato (S$18) or the theatrical Donut (S$18). The latter features a golden deep fried Ciambella Napoletana piped full of velvety Nutella cream and topped with toasted walnuts.

Overall, Fortuna’s refreshed menu successfully captures the spirit of its journey from Naples to Sydney and finally Singapore. Rather than chasing trends, the restaurant focuses on great flavours, quality ingredients and memorable dining moments. The formula clearly works, judging by the bustling atmosphere in the restaurant everytime we are there.

Dinner Delights at Fortuna Terrazza Cafe

In tandem with this new menu launch, Fortuna’s sibling establishment, the Amalfi-inspired brunch terrace, Fortuna Terrazza, located just a few units along the same row, is now extending its daily service to include dinner as well. The Terrazza’s night offerings will now feature a concise Fortuna Trattoria menu, a curated selection of Trattoria signature favourites and the best of the new Sydney-inspired dishes.

Fortuna Trattoria

Address:
7 Craig Road, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore 089667

Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 12pm to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 9.30pm
Friday & Saturday: 12pm to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10.30pm

[Review] New Fortuna Terrazza’s Brunch Menu Boasts an Aglio & Olio Benedict and Decadent Cheese Toasties