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Holland Village is one of my favourite places to go to in Singapore, because it boasts an array of dining establishments. While I liked Yoshimaru Ramen Bar and Breko Café, the most disappointing experience I had was at the famous Michelangelo Restaurant.

Edward, rif and I popped by for dinner at 7pm on Saturday and we were seated very near the kitchen. I found that ridiculous because throughout the meal, no one occupied the tables which they insisted were ‘reserved’. And that was the beginning of a disastrous dining experience. It was hot and stuffy (we were seated almost next to the kitchen, go figure), and service was appalling. We had to resort to crazy hand waving to get the waiters to take our orders.

The Michelangelo Platter (SGD28) was a composition of chicken liver pate, prosciutto, Italian salami, stuffed pepper, Kalamanta olive, deep fried brie, pita bread and artichoke hearts. I liked the fried brie and pate, but didn’t care much for the rest.

My pasta was a house special – Fruiti di Mare (SGD34). My plate was generously filled with slipper lobster, prawn, calamari, barramundi and mussels. The pasta was al dente and nicely coated with the tangy tomato based sauce.

Just when I thought my order was great, rif had to order something better: Linguine di Tandoor (SGD24). His pasta was a fusion affair between Indian and Italian. Funky, but oh-so-good! The tender chicken married well with the thick, Tandoori sauce.

Service was so bad, we had to leave for dessert elsewhere. Even getting the bill took a while. The food was quite decent, but not good enough to offset the service.

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Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 5/10
Food: 6/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Decent food, shitty service.

Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga
#01-60 Chip Bee Gardens Holland Village
Singapore 278116
Tel: (65) 6475 9069