Vineria

BSC keeps getting better. The latest restaurant here, Vineria, is an offshoot of Bar Italia, offering rustic fare that's fairly unusual for a mall outlet. Thanks to the comfy setting and gracious service, it's a pleasant place that's perfect for a leisurely evening with friends.

Spanish Nocina ham on Tuscan bean stew. Hearty comfort food, featuring robust flavours.

Duck & foie gras sausage with truffle cheese fondue. Worth ordering as an alternative to artificial-tasting supermarket sausages, though the saltiness overpowered any hint of foie gras. We were kinda bewildered by the fondue, which was more like a congealed chunk of cheese sprinkled with pepper instead of a warm sauce scented with truffles.

Barley with fried capsicum and tuna. A healthy substitute for risotto, with mild, subtle flavours. We appreciated how the barley remained firm without being chewy.

Gnocchi Sorrentina (potato gnocchi with tomatoes, oregano & mozarella). Finally, gnocchi that isn't lumpy! Alas, it still fell short of greatness; while it wasn't heavy, it wasn't quite the fluffy, pillowy gnocchi that haunts our dreams. Also, the sauce needs more fine-tuning to really complement the gnocchi _ perhaps a different type of tomato could be used.

Whole seabass with prawns, more barley and veggies. Flown in from Italy, here's a whopping catch that should easily feed two diners. Its clean, natural taste and tender, meaty texture should satisfy fans of fresh fish.

Two types of tiramisu: "Traditional," with Sicilian Marsala & Espresso Ristretto (no surprises, no complaints) and "Modern," with coconut and fiordilatte (weird, but fascinating; imagine the usual creamy tiramisu, except that it's coconut-flavoured).