PepeNero, which means black pepper in Italian, is a charming and cosy restaurant located conveniently in the middle of the Central Business District.

Upon entering PepeNero, one sees monochrome photographs of Italy which fill the pistachio hued walls of the restaurant. The exact shade of green was decided after much deliberation, and this attention to detail and quest for perfection is extended to the menu, where the freshest and best ingredients are used to make the dishes shine.

The chef strongly believes in presenting authentic Italian food in a novel and visually appealing manner at reasonable prices without compromising on quality, as he expounds that "Life is all about good food, good wine, family and enjoying life." We couldn't agree more. (Apr 2012)

"Expect plenty of grilled seafood, and comforting dishes like the raviolacci farciti ai frutti di mare con bottarga di muggine (150g ravioli filled with grilled seafood and mullet roe, $28), and cod in a clam, capers and cherry tomato sauce ($32)." -Time Out Singapore

"And yes, the pastas are homemade and perfectly al dente (as they should be); we highly suggest the seafood-filled raviolacci ($28) topped with bottarga (mullet roe). The main of grilled beef tenderloin with sautéed mushrooms ($34), too, has our stamp of approval." -I-S Asia-City

Our meal kicked off with a luscious globe of burrata cheese wrapped in wagyu beef carpaccio and rocket leaves with roasted porcini mushrooms, a really interesting and novel way of presenting an Italian favourite. We then had the eggplant cake filled with buffalo milk mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, aged parmesan cheese cream and shaved black truffles, one of PepeNero's signature dishes. It's so good that we hear that chefs from other restaurants have popped by just to ask for the recipe!

The friendly chef stressed on the importance of zuppe as part of a complete Italian meal, and ours came in the form of a fragrant mushroom soup topped with truffle oil and smoked duck, an especially welcome dish on a chilly day! We also had the pleasure of trying his special grilled octopus salad with cherry tomatoes, which had a delightful hint of smokiness yet was wonderfully tender.

The risotto with saffron and roasted foie gras was one of our personal favourite dishes, particularly due to the generous portion while the grilled beef tenderloin with "ratte" potatoes and sautéed mixed mushrooms was done to medium rare perfection as the meat lovers in our group will attest to.

The black pepper tiramisu was a fitting end to our Italian meal at PepeNero as we lingered over conversation and a round of limoncellos, feeling like we were at a friend's home. After all, the staff did warmly say, "Stay as long as you like!" (Apr 2012)

"It’s not Keystone this new Italian is pitting itself up against, it’s No Menu. Puglian chef Marco Violano (formerly of The Regent Hotel and Basilico) helms this semi-fine-dine 40-seater which serves ‘Mama-style’ Southern Mediterranean flavours. Expect plenty of grilled seafood, and comforting dishes like the raviolacci farciti ai frutti di mare con bottarga di muggine (150g ravioli filled with grilled seafood and mullet roe, $28), and cod in a clam, capers and cherry tomato sauce ($32). The black-and-white photos of Italy, white walls and brown tiles and selection of Italian-only wines is in line with the simple, homey feel. As for PepeNero (‘black pepper’), the name stems from a joke the chef and his friends share – you’ll have to ask him." -Time Out Singapore