Dating back to the ‘80s, Sorrento is one of the city’s oldest names for Italian food long before everyone became an expert on authenticity. Saving it from closure, Diageo World Class 2015 winner Pongpak “Ton” Sudthipongse and his partners decided to take over the restaurant earlier this year, and their efforts don’t fall short. Visit day or night and you’ll find the place buzzing with customers.

 

The new photogenic, wow-evoking dishes don’t just appeal on Instagram; they taste great too. The pasta cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper pasta, B360-460), for instance, is made in the well of a large Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel that imbues every bite with rich, decadent taste, then flamed with cognac for even more flavor. The pizza Salute (B390), too, features gushing cheese between its two perfectly crispy crusts. Fancy dishes aside, the kitchen team (led by the original Sorrento crew) can roll out reliable staples as well.

 

The burrata salad (B340) tastes impressively fresh, from the chilled burrata and sliced tomatoes to the black olives, pesto and raspberry balsamic dressing. The fettuccine with wild boar ragu (B320) is also rich and spicy, the house-made pasta blending well with the tender stewed meat. The osso buco alla Milanese (B690) sees a thick cross-cut veal shank braised until the meat falls from the bone, and though the accompanying saffron risotto may be overcooked, the aroma of saffron and lemon blended with melted cheese make it a decadent treat. We also like the pumpkin cream soup (B190) for its warming, balanced taste, even though the promised hints of truffle oil seem all but absent.

 

The only real let-down is our tiramisu (B165), a cut-out block so smothered in thick, bland cream that one can hardly taste the ladyfingers. Never mind. Washed down with the drinks of the award-winning bartender-owner it’s an easy misstep to forgive. With its relaxing, family-friendly atmosphere and reliable food, this is an unpretentious Italian restaurant which we can happily recommend.