POCO LOCO - Food Review
Tucked in the heartlands of Ang Mo Kio, PocoLoco is located at Blk 408, AMK avenue 10. (They have a second outlet in Jurong too!) PocoLoco is a casual Italian dining restaurant that serves quality Italian cuisine at affordable prices.
Zuppe di Melone -- chilled melon soup w parma ham [$5]
Reviewing this dish first because I think it's something you HAVE to order at PocoLoco! This delectable melon soup is unlike your usual hot savoury soup. It is served chilled, made with melon and vanilla ice-cream. A lil sweet treat before your meal!
Bruschetta -- homemade toast w tomato salad [$4]
The bruschetta was baked 3 times in total. First they toast the focaccia, then with the tomatoes and lastly, with PocoLoco's homemade sauce. The focaccia served as a bed to collect all the flavourful juices that leaked out! Even though the tomatoes were baked, they were still very juicy. I was told that the focaccia was freshly made in-house! Definitely a plus point.
Canadian Oyster with Champagne Vinegar [$15]
Yes, you don't have to squeeze any lemon on your oyster this time! It is topped with champagne vinegar which provides a cooling sensation in your mouth.
Zuppa di Pesce -- tomato seafood soup [$6]
From base stock to tomato paste, everything was homemade! This soup is very flavoursome, with bits of garlic in it. My brother loves it a lot!
Zuppa di Funghi -- mushroom soup [$4]
(middle) Thick and full of white button mushroom "meat". Unlike most mushroom soups, PocoLoco's was topped with truffle essences instead of cream. The truffle essences complements well with the mushroom soup!
Fegato d'oca - Foie gras w truffle cream [$12]
It's either you love it or you hate it. I personally love it very much! Okay, maybe not so much on it's cholesterol level. The foie gras is lightly seared. There is a thin crispy surface with interior still being really creamy. The combination of truffle and foie gras is divine too!
Lasagna di Pollo - baked layer pasta w chicken bechamel sauce (appetizer portion) [$8]
One might think that chicken lasagna is not an authentic Italian dish. It's true! However, this dish was created with the consideration that some Singaporeans do not eat beef due to religious believe. I like how PocoLoco's team planned and designed their menu to suit our Singaporean taste as well.
Barbabietola Rossa -- pasta w beetroot [$9]
Have you seen a PINK pasta before? Because I have not! The pink was natural colouring from beet root. So pretty right? Don't worry, there is no earthliness flavour at all! It taste like aglio olio that is not spicy and less garlic taste. In addition, it has no meat, making it vegetarian friendly.
Marinara -- seafood risotto in light tomato sauce [$13]
The last thing you want is a risotto that taste like porridge. In the photo above, you can see every grain of the carnaroli (Italian risotto rice) so clearly! I can feel the bite in every mouth of risottos I ate. The mellow tomato taste complements well with the seafoods too!
Porcini -- risotto w porcini mushroom [$13]
The risotto base was thick and creamy. Grains were cooked fill al dente, retaining it's bit firmness without being overcooked.
I remembered cooking my first pot of risotto when I was 13. Standing in-front of the stove waiting for the broth to be absorbed was no joke. From then, I started to really appreciate the hard work behind cooking risotto.
Pollo con Masala -- chicken tender w masala wine [$15]
Chicken tender were the parts used for this dish. I personally do not prefer this part of the chicken compared to the thigh. This is because it has very little fat percentage, causing the meat to be drier. However, the chicken was very well seasoned which compromises the drier texture. I love the masala wine sauce as well!
Nero -- squid ink pasta [$12]
Slightly salty (due to the squid ink) with a mild ocean flavour. But remember, do not order this if you want to look good on your date! ^^
Tagliata Manzo -- thinly sliced beef tenderloin w rucola salad [$20]
Cooked till medium rare, you can see the tenderloin is still mostly pink in the centre. The surface was cooked and firm to touch whereas the inside was still soft and juicy.
Unfortunately, I find the meat a lil chewy as I had a hard time breaking the muscle fiber down in my mouth. In addition, the portion might not be enough to satisfy people with a larger appetite. So if you're trying to fill your stomach, risotto or pasta might be a better option. If not, you can just order more dishes! ^^
Tea - vanilla peach, green tea lemon grass (refillable) [$5/cup]
This tea packaging has tiny holes on it so the leaves can be hydrated and release it's flavors. I was still looking for the opening for the bag before the owner told me to just swirl the whole packaging in the water.
Tiramisu -- Italian coffee cheese cake [$6]
PocoLoco serves one of the best tiramisu in town! The cream is very light, not jelat at all even if you finish the dessert by yourself. Unlike the other tiramisu, their lady finger biscuits are dipped in coffee just before serving so it is still crunchy!
Panna Cotta -- cream flan [$5]
Panna cotta is a cream flan dessert originated from Italy. It is smooth, silky, and has a melt-in-mouth texture! The berry jam on it gives a slight tartness to balance out the sweetness from the flan. But don't worry, even if you eat the flan by itself, it is not very sweet!
Lava -- chocolate lava cake w vanilla ice cream [$10]
It was kinda sad not being able to have a nicely flowed out lava cake. I think I spent too much time taking photos of it before I cut it open, causing the batter to be cooked. Nonetheless, it still tasted very rich a sweet dessert to end the meal.
PocoLoco Restaurant
Address: Blk 408 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #01-779, Singapore 560408
Operating hours: Daily | 12pm – 3pm | 6pm – 10pm
Website: https://pocoloco.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PocoLocoSG/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pocolocosg/
Second outlet: Snow City Level 2, 21 Jurong Town Hall Road, Singapore 609433
Operating hours: Daily | 12pm – 3pm | 6pm – 10pm
How to get there? (AMK outlet)
By bus: Alight at bus stop no. 54371 (Blk409A)
Bus service available: 45, 55, 261, CT8, 1N, 652
Average spending per pax: $25
Recommended dish: Zuppe di Melone [$5], Lasagna di Pollo [$8], Tiramisu [$6]
You might think that an average spending of $25 per pax is not that affordable after all. However, it is not easy to find quality Italian cuisine at this price. Especially for dishes like the chilled melon soup and beetroot pasta which are not commonly found in Singapore. If you're looking a nice restaurant to spend the day with your date or a good catch up location, I recommend you to visit PocoLoco.
Ps, at AMK they don’t charge Service Charge and GST! :)
Love,
Angelyn <3
This is my personal blog. All reviews are based on my personal opinions and experiences. This means that my posts are subjected to my personal views and preferences. Nevertheless, I hope that my posts will still be informative and interesting for you. Furthermore, I do not intend to undervalue or overly promote any restaurant/cafes, but rather give my honest opinions. This post is brought to you in partnership with PocoLoco.
