The suave handcrafted furnishings, handsome teal-blue stucco walls and showy glass-fronted curing room filled to the brim with meats and cheeses – all confirmation that &Sons has some serious style.
And the 200-seater bacaro (traditional Venetian wine bar) at the end of China Square Central’s Nankin row backs up its polished façade with ample substance, which isn’t surprising, given the pedigree of its owner: Beppe De Vito of Sentosa’s fine diner II Lido.
With &Sons, De Vito amps up the casual, post-work watering hole vibe with some truly anomalous prices that belie the plum location – prices for a glass of Italian wine start at $7 while classic cocktails go for $9-$15. Not only can you drink cheap, you can eat at reasonable prices as well – the extensive menu of small plates peak at $26 for a wagyu beef tagliata jazzed up with a verdant salsa verde.
Divided into categories such as vegetables, breads, homemade pastas, Josper-grilled meats, seafood and desserts, there’s also an impressive range of Italian cheeses ($18 for a mixed board of six types) and house-cured salami ($8- $12) on offer.
It gets even better because the sheer affordability empowers you to try a little bit of everything. We particularly liked the crab taglioni ($9) that’s given a subtle spicy lift with the addition of a salami spread called nduja and the tender-enough veal ossobuco ($19) on a bed of pleasantly chewy orzotto (a pearl barley substitute for risotto).
And despite the occasional miss – the prawn cioppino ($12) and sea urchin carbonara ($16) were a tad too one-dimensional in taste – and inconsistent portion sizes, the prospect of a thoroughly decent meal any time of day makes &Sons a nice option to have when you’re spoilt for choice.