Sol & Ora
Sol & Ora is one of those places where the setting immediately puts you in a good mood when you enter. Perched high up in Sentosa with sweeping views over the coast, it has that easy Mediterranean holiday feel. Come around sunset and the location probably does half the work before the food even arrives.
The meal itself was generally decent, although not without a hiccup. We started with the tuna tartare, paired with green apple and pine nuts. I actually liked the idea of the tuna with the crisp, refreshing apple, but unfortunately the pine nuts tasted rancid. We had to send the dish back. To their credit, the restaurant handled it professionally and waived the charge for the dish, which I appreciated.
Things picked up considerably with the Tagliatelle “Corsican” Carbonara. Prepared tableside in a huge cheese wheel, it came with pancetta, free range yolk, Grana Padano, Pecorino and black pepper. Rich, creamy and comforting, but still enjoyable rather than overwhelmingly heavy. And yes, a little tableside theatre never hurts.
The Salmon Meunière was another dish I enjoyed. The skin was nicely crisp while the salmon remained moist and cooked just right. Served with ratatouille, brown butter pomme purée and gribiche sauce, it was familiar cooking done well, with enough richness and acidity to keep everything balanced.
We also had the Angus ribeye steak, which was competently cooked and nicely pink in the centre, although for me the pasta and salmon were the more memorable dishes of the evening.
Overall, Sol & Ora left me with mixed but mostly positive feelings. The food was generally sound and there were dishes I genuinely enjoyed, but the issue with the tuna tartare was difficult to overlook. Still, the way the team handled it helped. With that Sentosa view, relaxed atmosphere and a few well executed plates, it remains a pleasant place for an evening out with family or friends.
