Da Paolo Gastronomia, Paragon

I don't what it is - or maybe I'm just getting old but these days, having a peace of mind is extremely important to me. When it comes to dining options, I rather have familiar favourites than chase the latest eggs Benedict trends or fads. For our Sunday family lunch last week, I suggested Da Paolo Gastronomia as I know I can be assured of a fuss free time; there's something for everyone and I love the idea of nibbling through a meal.

Since we are on the topic of familiar favourites, whenever I'm at Da Paolo, I can never pass up on their smoked salmon pizza. My love for salmon goes from raw to grilled, deep-fried and smoked - yup, never met a salmon dish that I didn't like if it was prepared properly.

The creamy mushroom linguine was really good in a "Hi, old friend" kind of way. Al dente strands of spaghetti coated (not drowned) in a delectable cream sauce with some sliced mushrooms thrown in for much punch. Simple but surely satisfying.

We also shared a trio of sides picked from the antipasti/salad counter - sweet garlicky roasted beetroot, veggie-packed spinach and leek frittata, and sausages with caramelized onions - that I would highly recommend if you were hitting the counter for the first time.

I'm sure some of us had desserts in mind before we even ordered our mains. *cough*

My younger sister has this weird obsession with heating up cakes so that's what we did for the Caramel Crunch Cake. I enjoyed the richness of the cake - luscious buttercream and moist spongy layers, topped off with silky caramel and crunchy chocolate balls.

While my younger sister went gaga over the Caramel Crunch Cake, I marginally preferred the Crunchy Hazelnut Cake. Then again, I would have little trouble finishing either slice, to be honest. 

The hazelnut praline and feuilletine provided the crunch and texture I need in my cake. It was kind of like eating a giant Ferraro Rocher bar! And you know what, no matter how sophisticated and artisanal chocolates get, you can never go wrong with Ferraro Rocher.