The saying goes, "If one cannot go to Italy, then Italy will come to them". This is exactly what chef and partner of OSO Ristorante, Diego Chiarini, has done for the lucky and occasionally capricious diners of Singapore. He considers OSO Ristorante to be a cultural and gastronomical outpost of Italy, and being a self-proclaimed perfectionist, he does not settle for anything less than the best which is something his students at Bice Cooking School in Tokyo can certainly attest to. Evidence of Chef Diego's culinary prowess also lies in his resume, one of which is having the opportunity to teach at the famed culinary institute, Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

His extensive experience and travels combined with the international recognition he received for his unique interpretation of Italian cuisine has made OSO Ristorante one of the top Italian restaurants in Singapore. Diego's particularly stringent emphasis on quality, means that he hand selects the finest ingredients, many of which are sourced directly from Italy using his own personal contacts and associates throughout the country. As Chef Diego proclaims, "If I cannot find the exact ingredient that I am looking for, the dish will not be featured on the menu as there is no point in me providing cuisine that is not authentic".

OSO Ristorante is located in a beautifully renovated shophouse with an open space featuring dark wooden floors and furniture with starched white table clothes and elegant glassware. The restaurant also boasts an excellent selection of Italian wines for every budget and palate to match the equally excellent cuisine. (Mar 2012)

"The highlight was the divine frozen black truffle parfait with chocolate sauce. Generous shavings of truffle dotted this creamy, nutty, genteel dessert." -I-S Asia-City

"Oso serves fine dining cuisine at reasonable prices. Start with a cocktail whilst listening to live music in the lounge before embarking on a delightful evening." -Asia Tatler Dining

"The combination of manager, Stephane Colleoni, and award-winning chef, Diego Charini has resulted in the superb Oso Ristorante providing a taste of Italy in the heart of Singapore. With authentic Italian menus and creatively prepared dishes that focus on multi-regional cuisine from across Italy, Oso Ristorante indeed deserves its accolade as one of the top Italian restaurants in Singapore." -Singapore Fine Dining

"If you are planning to take someone out for an Italian meal, do place OSO Ristorante on your short list. The food is oh, so good, and the service is professional, somewhat formal, but not overbearing. Do make reservations in advance though; this is a hotspot amongst expatriates, and for good reason too." -Sparklette

We started off with the Hokkaido scallop carpaccio topped with caviar which was was sweet, juicy and sliced to cubes of equal precision. It was both a visual and gastronomic treat with it's gorgeous harmony of textures and flavours.

For those of you watching your waistline, the pasta fresca of vegetarian homemade spinach pappardelle pasta with black truffle sauce was perfectly al dente and every strand was generously coated with black truffles. The mere sight of it coupled with the subtle fragrance of the black truffles caused mass salivation amongst the Chope team, and disappeared into our stomachs in an instant!

On the other end of the spectrum, meat lovers would dig the braised veal guancia cheek with Barolo wine and black truffle served with pumpkin which was mouthwateringly tender and extremely tasty. If it weren't for the fact that we had to leave some room for dessert, we certainly would have ordered another portion.

Toward the end of our meal, we couldn't quite decide which desserts to get as they all sounded so divine, so we adopted our mantra of "sharing is caring" and went ahead and ordered a few to share. Between the refreshing lemon and green apple sorbetti with Moscato wine, the double cream vanilla flan panna cotta in black pepper caramel sauce and the 70% hot dark chocolate tart crostata with milk ice cream, your stomach will be smiling by time you're done. (Mar 2012)

"Diego Chiarini’s short menu changes monthly. Its strengths lie in its variety and authenticity, with soft accents from the Tuscan and Piedmonte regions. There is much that delights, not least the attentive service. The pasta dishes are a triumph; standouts include robust rigatoni bathed in a deep red sauce of thyme, black olives and tender rabbit." -Time Out Singapore

American Express: 4-course set lunch menu at S$32 (UP: S$48), 5 course set dinner menu at S$78 (U.P. S$98). Offer valid till 31 Dec 2012.

DBS (Indulge): 15% off total bill (Lunch & Dinner), 20% off bottles of wine (Takeaway Only). Offer valid till 30 June 2013.