From the team behind Sio Pasta: Tokyo’s O/sio opens its first Singapore outlet in Tanjong Pagar
Loved the food at Sio Pasta in Raffles City Shopping Centre? Then you’ll want to check out its sister concept, O/sio, which officially opens today (November 4) on Tanjong Pagar Road.
O/sio is a Japanese-Italian concept that began in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district. It’s led by chef Shusaku Toba, who also runs Michelin-listed Sio Aoyama in Tokyo and Sio Pasta in Singapore.
The Singapore branch marks O/sio’s first venture outside of Japan and now occupies the space where Pizza Studio Tamaki used to sit.
While O/sio shares the same Japanese-Italian influences as its sister restaurant, it offers a more refined take on chef Shusaku’s cooking, which is reflected in its slightly higher price point.
That said, the menu spans a wider range of classic starters, freshly made pastas and pizzas, all for under S$30. There’s also a thoughtfully curated wine selection to complement its dishes.
Those who have visited the former Pizza Studio Tamaki may find much of the space familiar.
The original layout, including the open kitchen, has largely been retained, though the interiors have been given a fresh makeover with navy blue accents.
Oh-so-comforting flavours
As with any good Italian meal, it’s only right to start with the appetisers.
If you’re after something to nibble on, the crispy sweet shrimps (S$12.80) are dangerously addictive, and it’s hard to stop popping them into your mouth.
Other options include the fig butter bruschetta (S$6.80), featuring housemade fig butter over toasted baguette, as well as the O/sio charcuterie (S$26.80). The latter comes with three types of cold cuts and cheeses, served alongside honey fig jam made in-house.
Moving on to the carbs, we started with the snow crab Genovese (S$26.80) with Grana Padano cheese.
As you’d expect from the Sio brand, the spaghetti is cooked just right, with a pleasant and firm bite. Our tip is to give everything a good mix before digging in, so you get a bit of pasta and snow crab in each forkful.
The components come together nicely, with the basil pesto lending a smooth, rich mouthfeel and lovely earthy undertones.
We also liked how the addition of snow crab added a delicate briny flavour that rounds everything off.
For those who enjoy their pasta on the richer side, there’s the Singapore-exclusive smoked truffle carbonara (S$27.80), with smoked pancetta, black truffle shavings, and garlic chips.
The spaghetti comes coated in a thick, creamy carbonara sauce, which some might find a little cloying after a few mouthfuls.
Thankfully, the occasional bite of garlic chips helps to cut through some of that richness.
The six-inch pizzas are another speciality at O/sio, and seafood lovers will want to try the seafood & datterini (S$16.80). It comes topped with a medley of prawns, baby octopus, datterini tomatoes, clam jus, and some chilli.
One thing we particularly enjoy about Japanese-Italian-style pizza is its texture. The crust is charred distinctively on the outside, yet stays soft and chewy on the inside — each bite is satisfying without feeling too heavy.
With O/sio’s pizzas, each mouthful delivers a burst of flavour, with the natural briny sweetness of the seafood balancing nicely against the bright notes of the blistered tomatoes.
We also had the maple quattro formaggi (S$16.80), which brings together four types of cheese: fior di latte, gorgonzola, Grana Padano, and mascarpone, with maple syrup served on the side.
While four-cheese pizzas can sometimes feel a little one-dimensional, O/sio’s version has a more interesting flavour profile, thanks to the generous portion of gorgonzola.
We found its distinct, slightly funky notes rather enjoyable and it helped to balance out the rich, creamy base.
Besides pasta and pizza, O/sio also has two mains, such as the 150-day grain-fed angus beef steak (S$28.80) and Duroc pork chop (S$24.80).
Even after all the carbs, we’d still save some room for dessert. The Basque cheesecake (S$9.80 per slice) was a delightful way to wrap up the meal.
It’s velvety and silky, with just the right amount of sweetness.
Overall, O/sio is all about familiar, comforting flavour combinations that are easy to enjoy. With generous portions to boot, it’s a solid spot for your next pasta and pizza fix in Tanjong Pagar!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more places to eat, check out our monthly round-up of new openings in town and the debut of Bangkok concept Ve/La at Changi Airport.
Tue 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
Wed 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
Thu 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
Fri 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sat 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
Sun 12pm - 3.30pm, 5pm - 10pm
- Tanjong Pagar
- Maxwell
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
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