Skip the starters and go for the mains at this Mediterranean spot where seafood and meat options are fantastic.
Pano Kato Details
Address: 163 Tanglin Rd, #02-142/144 Tanglin Mall, Singapore 247933
Contact: 6235 5056
Menu: https://houseofanli.com/pages/pano-kato-menu
What to expect
Tanglin Mall, a short walk from the bright lights and glitz of Orchard Road hides a gourmet paradise. Found within the four-storey mall is a sprawling Cold Storage Fresh Gold – with so many suffixes to the name, you know it has to be good, and the Korean food court Market Blue with its juicy fried chicken and traditional Korean spreads available. Pano Kato fits right in, offering up a wide selection of Mediterranean bites from their grill, pizza oven, and deli counter.
While delightful, the starters are definitely priced on the higher side, especially considering the serving size. The Burrata ($32) was a bright start to the meal, with the creamy cheese over the mild-tasting beefsteak tomatoes and a stack of arugula giving a bite to the dish. Basil olive oil liberally drizzled over the dish gives it a floral note as you clean the plate with the mini baguettes provided.
If you crave something stronger, the grilled Halloumi ($24) will hit the spot. A salty hit balanced out with the use of a balsamic reduction and a squeeze of the lemon wedge on the side.
Opting for the White Sangria ($82 for a jug that serves 4), we were treated to a refreshing light punch that is fragrant and goes down well with just a bite giving you a buzz. The service shone as they made sure we had topped up and as they served up the next jug, new glasses – slices of fruit included.
The Mixed Meat Platter for 2 ($138) was a masterpiece in grilled perfection. For the meats themselves, the platter gets you
Two Lamb Chops, Two Mixed Meat Skewers, Angus Sirloin Beef, and Two Loukaniko (Greek fennel pork sausages).
On the side, there is a scattering of caramelized Red Shallots, asparagus, fries, roasted garlic and pearl onions.
To pair with the offerings are Beef Jus, Ketchup, and Tzatziki.
We may have mixed up the skewers and sausages in our hurry to sample one of everything, but we enjoyed the heavily seasoned coarsely ground meat. The stars of the show were definitely the lamb chops and Angus beef. At the edges, you get the fatty lamb bits that are just full of flavour as you chew through it. The tender meat itself has a hint of gaminess that lets you know it ain’t beef but does not overpower the range of herbs.
The beef had a healthy rosy pink inside as we butchered it apart, each chunk of umami-packed giving a slight chewy resistance before giving up its bountiful flavour.
With a pizza oven peaking out at the back right by the bar, we added a pizza to our order. In my experience, pizzerias that offer pizzas with a small number of toppings are usually the ones to watch out for. After all, they can rely on the quality of the crust and the few toppings.
Definitely get a pizza if you are dining here.
The Tartufata ($32), a white pizza that had the taste of truffles hanging over it with the use of truffle cream together with Fiore di Latte, a semi-soft cheese similar to Italian mozzarella. As you pull apart the pizza, you get a stretchy, creamy slice that, belies the plain almost monotone appearance to have an almost meaty flavour from the myriad of mushrooms used.