Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse

For a steakhouse, the pastas were flawless. You’ll be remiss if you didn’t try them. That said, the steaks were a must-​try, get the bone-​in steaks to share if you’ve got at least 4 persons in your group.
Service was upbeat, attentive and warm. Our water glasses were never left parched, and the wait staff sported wide grins with a twinkle in their eyes.
We had:
1) Coniglio ($ 25) — tagliatelle tossed in a full-​bodied rabbit ragout, mixed mushrooms and pancetta: exquisite. I love bunnies (as you can well tell from my moniker), but wowoweewa, this was truly glorious. It’s a little difficult to feel guilty when this was so awesomely good.
2) Risotto al Tartufo ($ 35) with porcini, parmesan and generously littered with black truffle shavings: intoxicatingly delicious, creamy, and wonderfully comforting.
3) Fiorentina Manzo ($ 188): a massive 1.1 kg wagyu-​holstein T-​bone, and incredibly tender and juicy. I loved its full-​bodied decadence, and beautiful charring
4) Asparagi ($ 15): perfectly grilled asparagus sticks imbued with a heady smoky aroma
5) Gnocchi e Funghi ($ 13): a mushroom medley with chewy potato gnocchi, and tossed with butter and thyme, was unfortunately laced with parsley despite instructions to hold all said herb off. Good thing we had a parsley lover in our midst or we’d have sent it back

Good stuff! The 2 of us shared the 1.1kg ribeye done medium rare, which was delightful. You could still see the marbling of the beef when you cut into it.
$ 25 for a glass of wine ain’t cheap, but there were somewhat generous with the serving size, so I guess that made up for things a little…

Was here last back in June of 2013. Got to say the standard is just as good so kudos to the management for keeping the steaks errr i mean Florentine as medium rare and juicy as ever. Had the octopus, scallop and steak tartare for appetizer and they were superbly done. One can tell the amount of care taken to get the dishes out. Service without a doubt was impeccable. Closed the birthday celebration with a smile and a happy cholesterol index.

The service tonight is horrible. 60 minutes in and we are still waiting for our entrée. It better be worth the wait.

Bistecca is an easy steakhouse to love and they deliver on points that count. various parts of my family have dined there and love the consistency of the food and service. I went there for dinner with my family this past Sunday to celebrate my Dad’s birthday. Dad loves steak and Cantonese food and since we children had the choice for once, we picked steak.
The restaurant has some outdoor seating, tables at the front and back of the ground floor and probably some upstairs. We were seated at the back section on the first floor, surrounded by very loud diners at both tables around us. I asked that we be moved to a quieter section and the waitstaff obliged quickly and painlessly.
We had a couple of steaks (filetto, Fiorentina single cut and a Shiga Wagyu), pasta, 4 sides and two starters to share among 3 men and 2 ladies. It was just the right amount of food and some of the highlights for me were the starters — a perfectly grilled polipo and giant lump of burrata with Tuscan tomatoes. The portions were as you would expect with the relatively higher rent in Singapore compared to Tuscany, but the seafood was fresh and the tomatoes as sweet as it was off the vine. I also loved the ribeye cap and meat off the rib bone, charred crisp on the outside but left medium rare on the inside. Perfecto! The roasted Kipfler potatoes were also excellent (its like a slightly bigger version of the baby potato and a nice taught skin when cooked). Finally, our waiter was kind and discreet enough in helping us serve the birthday cake and took some pictures too. Just the kind of fuss-​free evening we were looking for and I happily paid for it. Will be back again when the tummy or occasion calls!

I brought my partner to Bistecca for his birthday (he’s an avid steak lover). From the very beginning, we were impressed with the restaurant. It had a relaxing, cosy ambience that can be romantic depending on who you’re with. The service staff were attentive and showed outstanding knowledge of the items on their menu. The food was excellent. My partner naturally had the steak and declared that it was the best one he’d had in Singapore. It’s of course a pricey place, but definitely one I’d go back to on special occasions.

A couple of weeks ago we went to Morton’s Steakhouse at the Mandarin and the meal was a disaster. Undaunted, we embarked on a new meat adventure at Bistecca last night. The two of us shared a 1kg waygu T-​bone washed down with couple of glasses of Italian red. Service was friendly and attentive. The meat melted in our mouths as promised by the restaurant’s website. My only (mildly) negative observation is the steak was too big! But we certainly got what we ordered … and it was great.

A friend took me here for dinner on a Saturday, and I would describe the experience as pleasant in general.
They waive corkage here for a bottle (or three), if you buy a bottle. I don’t enjoy drinking reds, so my friend bought a bottle of Chardonnay which the waiter recommended, and he brought his own bottle of red, which they decanted for him.
We started the meal with a large salami platter, and pan fried scallops, which came on a bed of root salad, and crispy pancetta (just fancy bacon). The salami was better than I thought it would be, because my scallops were a disappointment! The scallops were a lot less brown than what I am used to. The salad they came with was pretty meh… For $ 35 bucks, I expect a little more.
I ordered a Shiga Ohmigyu Wagyu A5 steak rare, which is a Japanese full-​blood Wagyu Rump (200g) at $ 90. My steak was perfect. If they can’t cook scallops properly, rest assured they can do beef here, perfectly. My steak was juicy and full red in the middle — yum! The steak came with a plethora of sauces, but good wagyu don’t need no dressing ‘cept salt!
Our sides for the steaks — asparagus, kipfler potatoes, french beans, were as good as sides could be. I do wish they did mashed potatoes. I do love mashed potatoes. **sad face**
We ended the meal with a cheese platter and a glass of limoncello each. The cheese platter was nice, with a nice mixture of hard and soft cheeses, with sweet apple bits and preserved figs. Yum!
Would I come back? Yes — if I wasn’t paying, of course. This place is quite the rip-​off.
P. S. I like the women’s’ washrooms here. They have some feminine products in case you have an «emergency»!

Outrageously expensive for what you get.
Came here previously for a special occasion. Ordered The Costata (1kg bone in rib-​eye). The waiter was unable to explain the differences between the Fiorentina and the Costata, so we randomly picked one.
The meat is cooked correctly to your specifications (medium-​rare), and is a decently good steak. Disclaimer, I have not had a true European Costata or Fiorentina so I had no proper comparison. However, taste and texture-​wise, the meat just didn’t seem to justify the outrageous cost. A similar quality steak could be had for much less in the US.
They provided quite a selection of sauces to go along with your steak, salsa verde, porcini mushroom, mayo… but given the high quality of steak do you have to slather it with sauce? (I wouldn’t)
To put things in perspective, you can consider it one of the top places for steak in Singapore, but it cannot compare with steak at good places in North and South America.
All in all, the final cost ended up close to the mid 3-​digit range for two people for the steak, a couple of sides and appetizers, without alcohol. It’s good, but not *that* good.
What’s that I smell? It’s not the grilled steak, it’s the smoke wafting from the hole in my pocket…

Nice ambiance, good service, great food. In reality, I don’t think it’s quite 4 stars (just shy) but alas, there is no 3.75 rating in Unilocal and I’m feeling generous. Went with a big work group and so we had a number of starters to share. A few of them were hit and miss, however, I would recommend the pan roasted octopus, pan fried scallops and creamy burrata. Very tasty. For the mains, we shared the Fiorentina Wagyu T-​Bone and the Costata Bone-​In Rib Eye (along with salads and veggies). Am glad I was seated in front of the rib-​eye as it was a lot tastier than the T-​bone (I would even go so far as saying the T-​bone was just standard). The rib-​eye on the other hand, was cooked to medium rare perfection. Very succulent, juicy and fatty. Yum. Definitely recommend this place, especially for large groups where you can get a little bit of everything.

Two years later, I have to say that it is better than in remember, but still not that impressive… too bad!
On the plus side, the meat is good (one of the best steaks in Singapore), the wine list is excellent, and the venue is cool and trendy. The staff is a bit pushy, but whatever, it’s their way… the price is just off. Fiorentina for two, two sides, one glass of wine and a bottle of water, for $ 280! Just unreasonable for what this is.
Will probably be back in two years, to see if it has changed :-)

Bistecca — Tuscan Steakhouse in Mohamed Sultan District
It has become a tradition for Little Devil (‘LD’) and I to celebrate our special days in a Steakhouse. I celebrated mine in Wooloomooloo November last year. So this time around, after scouring the net, we decided to on Bistecca — Tuscan Steakhouse.
As it was a weekday, reservation was a breeze. I actually gave them a called to inform them in advance of this special is my LD’s birthday. Nestled in Mohamed Sultan buzzing row of houses, finding parking can be quite troublesome. The best part, I did not notice that Bistecca provided a Valet service on Wednesday to Saturday from 6 pm onwards. So silly me, we ended up parking in UE Square, walking quite a distance from the car park to the restaurant.
We were seated on the indoor front section of the restaurant, where we can see the bar and chefs at work. The restaurant has a nice classy dark oak wooden setting, with dim lighting and leather chairs. A painting of a lady with two buffalo feature prominently in the centre of the restaurant. We were quite lucky that the manager actually look after our table, so service was great throughout the evening.
To kick start this special occasion, we started with our favourite drinks, Lemon Lime and Bitters. A drink that we fell in love with when we are in Melbourne, it is difficult to find this drink in Singapore but recently it is getting more popular and we are so glad.
Following the drinks, we have our starters; Insalata di pomodori, burrata, prosciutto e rucola (Creamy burrata cheese, sweet parma ham, Momotoro tomatoes and rocket with italian dressing -$ 18) & Crostini fritti di fegatini alla toscana (Lightly pan-​fried Tuscan country bread topped with house made chicken liver ‘pâté’ and fresh majoram — $ 15).
Burrata with parma ham has become our favourite entrée. As long as the burrata is fresh, nothing can go wrong with this entrée. All the ingredients here are fresh combined, mixed in fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar it is just refreshing and appetizing. The crispy crostini create a nice complement to the smooth and creamy chicken pâté.
For the mains, we ordered medium rare Costata (1 – 1.2kg bone in rib eye of Bistecca’s exclusive organic grain fed Wagyu — Holstein. Marble score 6+, aged — $ 178). The sides accompanying the steak are Gratin di patate ai funghi porcini (Potato gratin with porcini mushrooms — $ 14) & Crema di spinaci (Creamed baby spinach — $ 15). The sauces selection are salsa verde, garlic mayonnaise, Porchini mushroom, and red pepper /​tomato compote (our ketchup) + mustards.
The steak has a nice balance of meat and fats are cooked to perfection. It has a nice charred on the outside that seal the juice inside the meat, and perfect medium rare on the inside. On a first bite, it is beautifully tender and slowly melts in your mouth. Any sauce you choose will go nicely with the steak, I preferred the garlic mayonnaise and salsa verde. My secret weapon to tackle this huge steak is lemon. A little bit of lemon juice will help to cut through the fats of the meat and avoid you being overwhelmed by the fattiness.
The creamy spinach is not to my liking, as it is creamy, mushy and a bit bland. However my LD enjoy it, so it is fine by me. The potato gratin has a nice texture of crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, with a nice potato and porcini flavour.
After all the food, we only left a little space for dessert. So we decided on Zuppa di rabarbaro e fragole con gelato allo yougurt (Rhubarb and strawberry «soup» with natural yogurt ice-​cream — $ 12). The staff manage to put a candle on the ice cream and it become my wife official birthday «cake». Although the rhubarb and strawberry «soup» looks like a baby food, it tasted refreshing and wonderful. It has rhubarb sweetness, strawberry sourness and the creamy yogurt ice cream just blend in nicely together. The dessert is on the house and what a way to end a nice evening. Yummyy!
Overall, dining in Bistecca was a wonderful experience. Service was great and we won’t hesitate to recommend this place for steak to our friends. Price is on the upside, however you are paying for quality. We’ll be back for more in the future. Saluti e arrivederci !! (Cheers & See you again!!)
Food & Drink: 8.5÷10
Value: ⁸⁄₁₀
Service: 8.5÷10
Ambiance: 8.5÷10
*** If you want to check out the complete review with pictures, please click on my food blog. The link is on my profile page.

This is a review of a dinner with a friend at Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse.
The ambiance is warm and inviting. There is quite a bit of unique artwork on the walls. We sat in the downstairs area.
There is also at least one other seating area upstairs.
The service was inconsistent. It started off very attentive. However, as the meal progressed, it became a food drop-​off service and then waned to the point that we were left waving our hands to gain the attention of a server to order dessert and to garner the bill.
The food ranged from sub-​par to very good.
Complimentary Bread-​sticks
We quite enjoyed these simply bread-​sticks and olive oil dip.
Bruschetta al pomodoro con burrata e olio al basilico (Toasted homemade Tuscan country bread brushed with garlic, topped with crushed tomato and creamy burrata, finished with basil oil and a pinch of sea salt)
I really liked this dish. The burrata was so creamy. The tomatoes were not overly acidic. I did think the bread could have used a touch more crisp to fight off the moisture from the tomatoes. This is a minor complaint. My friend does not eat cheese. So, I had the added bonus of getting to eat her portion of the burrata.
Panzanella estiva con cappesante (Roasted scallops on top of a classic Tuscan bread salad with onion, tomato and olives)
First, this simply is not panzanella. By any name though, this was an average dish. The scallop was slightly overcooked. The flavour of the scallop was also stronger than the delicate sweetness I prefer.
Costata (1 – 1.2kg bone-​in rib eye — for 2)
This is what we came here for. Actually, I came for Bistecca Fiorentina. However, after a less than useful conversation with the server, we decided on the Costata. I tried to discern from the server the key difference between their specific cuts (fat content, grain, flavour profile, etc…). However, the server said they were the same for each.
Next up, since we were sharing the steak, we needed it to be cooked in a manner that each of us can enjoy I prefer medium rare on the rare side. She prefers a more true medium rare. I am quite ok with this. I tried explaining to the server that we would like the steak cooked to a true medium rare.
He stated they prepare them more on the rare side of medium rare. I explained once again. He suggested they prepare the steak, bring it out and, if needed, they would cook some of it some more for her. I attempted to explain that this would ruin her portion of the meat. If returned to the fire after slicing, meat will almost instantly seize up and become tough. After making no headway, I gave up.
In the end, he brought a steak that, while not blue, was certainly more rare than medium rare. Even with me focusing on the rarer portions, we had to assemble some slices for her and return them for additional cooking. Yes, this meant her portions were significantly less tender than mine.
All that being said, this was not the most significant issue with the steak. There was an extreme oiliness to the steak. This was true in texture and flavor. It was very disappointing.
Sauces: salsa verde, garlic mayonnaise, Porchini mushroom, and red pepper /​tomato compote
There are four sauces served with the steak. I am not sure why in serving a $ 180 steak they feel sauces will be required but they do provide them. For the most part, we only took a mild interest in them. After trying each, none really stood out as something either of us would like to add to a steak.
Puré di patate
As whipped potatoes go, these were very good. They were light and buttery. For an à la carte side, the portion was a little small. Luckily, for me, my friend was more focused on the asparagus.
Asparagi grigliati con olio al limon
This asparagus was quite good. The grill had imparted a nice flavor and brought out some of the natural sweetness of the asparagus. It was also still very crisp. Through an unspoken agreement though, she ate most of the asparagus and I ate most of the potato purée.
Homemade hazelnut gelato
To end our meal, hhile she enjoyed a limoncello, I had a delicious scoop of hazlenut gelato.
Receipt ($ 514.35)
Overall, there were just too many inconsistencies for me to recommend Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse. If they were able to deliver on the true experience of a Tuscan steakhouse, this would be a restaurant that I would visit frequently. They did not. If they could have delivered on a true Tuscan steak, I would probably look beyond the service, they did not. This was simply not an experience that lived up to its lofty price-​tag.

Given that I’ve had one of the best bistecca fiorentina’s of my life at La Giostra in Florence, my expectations for this one were pretty high…
Walking into the converted shophouse, everyone in my party was impressed with the restaurant’s modern wooded interior and warm welcome which included complimentary toasted focaccia bread served with an unctuous olive oil.
To start our meal, the four of us ordered the chicken liver paté crostini & the burrata cheese with a tower of grilled eggplant & tomatoes. The former was regrettably forgettable, and while the burrata was really creamy and a big hit with my mother, I actually prefer the burrata flown in from Italy 3 times a week at Valentino at Turf Club Road. That one has a soft «cheese shell» which adds texture and resistance as you bite into it.
Moving onto the mains, we took their recommendations and ordered: 1) the Wagyu beef parpardelle with mushrooms and saffron cheese (left) and 2) their signature steak (below). Sadly, I found that neither of them lived up to the real thing in Italy. I was disappointed with the parpardelle whose saffron cheese seemed an unnecessary addition on the plate and just made it really salty.
As for the steak, I preferred the medium rare, beautifully thick juicy pieces I devoured in Florence. They was tastier, and the meat just looked more appetizing! The one at Bistecca Tuscan were sinewy and a little too chewy from the tendons. Perhaps I am being picky, and biased towards the more ‘filet mignon’ texture of the meat served in Florence… Nevertheless, no one will deny Bistecca Tuscan needs to work on their presentation! Why drape a random spring onion over a messy pile of beef?
That being said, the HUGE saving grace (and surprise!) of this lunch for me was their DELICIOUS homemade bombolini (or italian doughnuts and semolina fritters) served with a cup of cold cappuccino for dipping. I don’t usually touch the dark stuff, but even so, I couldn’t stop slurping down the cool cappuccino liquid. The doughnuts were soft and fluffy on the inside, with a crispy, sugary exterior that made ME want to melt into the dish. I would go back again and again, JUST to have this dessert!
Overall, I would say the pros: good ambiance, warm service, GREAT doughnuts… the cons: average steak, non-​spectacular mains, expensive!
See my pictures at:

What I absolutely love about Bistecca is the signature Bistecca Fiorentina, a mammoth-​sized t-​bone steak that weighs in at 1 – 1.2kg.
While they recommend it to be shared between 2 or 3 people, I find myself perfectly happy gorging on this beauty alone. Not that I don’t like to share, but if I’m going to be paying $ 178 for it, I want to enjoy it the best I can. Its simply seasoned with salt and pepper (like how all good steaks should) and grilled over a charcoal fire that results with plenty of charring. It’s served pink and juicy and in deliciously thick cuts which I find makes for fantastic chewing.
If you’re the type that prefers your steak well-​done, I’d say give this place a miss because you’ll be wasting your money. There are other sides, but since I had no room, I have to go with my dinner buddy and say that everything is pretty decent (he only got to try a tiny slice of meat).