Casa Vostra and La Bottega chef swaps Italian fare for Eastern Mediterranean food at Petra in Dempsey

Antonio Miscellaneo is leaving familiar Italian territory behind at Petra, which takes over Curly's at Dempsey. Expect house-baked flatbreads, creamy mezze dips, Ottolenghi-inspired salads and whole Mediterranean sea bass cooked over charcoal.

Antonio Miscellaneo (right) is leaving familiar Italian territory behind at Petra, which takes over Curly's at Dempsey. (Photos: CNA/Jeremy Long, La Bottega)

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Leaving Italian pasta and pizza behind, Antonio Miscellaneo’s latest project turns towards mezze dips, fresh salads and grilled seafood as it dives into Mediterranean and Levantine cuisine.

Petra, opening Oct 24 at Dempsey Hill, is taking over the space previously occupied by Curly’s, an all-day dining concept that combined a restaurant and cafe with a premium grocery and retail marketplace.

Like Miscellaneo’s other projects Casa Vostra and Carlitos, Petra, named for the Greek word for stone, is a partnership with the newly rebranded Mission Group, formerly known as Ebb & Flow.

The 8,000 sq ft, 119-seat space will have an open pizza counter, a coffee and spirit bar, a private dining room and pet-friendly outdoor seating.

Petra's warm-hued interiors. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Petra's warm-hued interiors (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

“A Levantine restaurant has been on my mind for many years, ever since Lebanese and Middle Eastern food became my everyday staple when I lived in London,” Miscellaneo, who is executive chef-owner of Petra, told CNA Lifestyle.

“I was simply waiting for the right opportunity. When it came, the idea had grown beyond a Lebanese cafe into something broader: a restaurant drawing on the whole Eastern Mediterranean, with the Levant at its heart.

“Petra is my chance to finally bring that idea to life: food that is clean and delicious, the kind I want to eat every day because I genuinely crave it, and because it happens to be good for me.”

Miscellaneo started his culinary journey in Singapore with cult private-dining concept Casa Nostra, eventually opening his first restaurant, La Bottega Enoteca, in Joo Chiat in 2021.

Although he’s known for Italian cooking in Singapore, this is an opportunity to not play to type. “As an Italian, I know how varied our everyday diet really is. But, outside Italy, people come to an Italian restaurant for pasta and pizza, and that's what they expect," he said.

"With Petra, I wanted to cook a different kind of food: the kind you can eat every day, like fresh salads and grilled meats. The Eastern Mediterranean gave me the freedom to do that in a way an Italian restaurant never could.”

Antonio Miscellaneo started his culinary journey in Singapore with cult private-dining concept Casa Nostra, eventually opening his first restaurant, La Bottega Enoteca, in Joo Chiat in 2021. (Photo: La Bottega)

About the location, Mission Group co-founder and CEO Lim Kian Chun said: “Dempsey has a unique character, with its lush greenery, sense of openness and slower pace that makes you feel removed from the city. When Antonio and I first started discussing ideas for the space, it became clear that Mediterranean dining would be a natural fit for the setting. There is something about the Mediterranean way of eating that lends itself beautifully to this environment. The emphasis on fresh, vibrant ingredients feels at home amidst the greenery of Dempsey.”

In shaping the menu at Petra, Miscellaneo brought together Dawid Nowosadzki, former head chef of Ottolenghi and currently head chef and co-founder of Koma in Japan; and Anas Shami, former executive chef of Aniba in Singapore.

“Bringing together chefs with different backgrounds was intentional. Petra isn’t meant to represent one person’s interpretation of Mediterranean food, but something shaped through their collective experiences and perspectives.”

(Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

The result is “a style of Mediterranean cooking that is fresh, produce-led and full of flavour. You’ll see vegetables, grains and legumes alongside fresh seafood and simply cooked meats, brought together with good olive oil, herbs, acidity and considered seasoning,” Miscellaneo said.

Dips like whipped eggplant with pomegranate, parsley oil and sumac; labneh with za'atar, mint and extra virgin olive oil; and slow-cooked tomato with olives and parsley will be served at Petra. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Kick your meal off with dips like labneh with za’atar, mint and extra virgin olive oil; hummus with coriander chug, falafel crumble and paprika; and taramasalata with shaved bottarga and olive tapenade.

Shaved bottarga adds an umami flavour to taramasalata. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Starters include tartares and ceviches, falafel, fried calamari and grilled halloumi, while meats from the grill include chicken, lamb and beef skewers and a lamb chop cutlet.

“As special equipment, we have a charcoal grill as well as a pizza oven. Both allow us to use high heat in different ways, whether that’s grilling seafood, vegetables and meats or baking housemade breads and doughs,” Miscellaneo said.

Salads of roasted butternut squash and green beans (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Ottolenghi-inspired salads are also on offer, like green beans with hazelnut, orange, nigella seeds and tarragon; and roasted butternut squash with red onion, tahini and za’atar.

While there’s no Italian pasta, “we'll serve a traditional Levantine pasta,” Miscellaneo said – an orzo dish with octopus, oregano gremolata and sour cream.

“And, yes, there's a pizza (on the rotating specials menu), but not as you know it. After all these years making pizza, what interests me most is how it can transform. Our signature pizza doesn't belong to any Italian category; it's a reinvention that only makes sense here.

“That same thinking goes into our bread. If there’s something I really cannot do in my restaurant, it is to reheat some frozen pita bread. We built a bakery counter just like a pizza counter and use pizza oven technology to bake our flatbreads fresh, inspired by the Iranian breads barbari and sangak.”

Sangak and Barbari with dips (Photo: Petra)

Barbari and Sangak are traditional Persian flatbreads – the former is oval, ridged and sesame-studded, while the latter, traditionally baked on a bed of hot pebbles, has a dimpled surface, crisp edges and chewy texture.

The dish he thinks could become Petra’s signature, though, is a grilled whole lavraki marinated with rosemary and finished with parsley and crispy capers. “We fly the fish fresh from the Mediterranean, and keep the preparation deliberately simple to let the quality of the ingredient speak for itself. It really captures what Petra is about: exceptional produce, straightforward cooking and fresh, vibrant Mediterranean flavours.”

Whole grilled lavraki (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Pricing-wise, Petra will be closer to La Bottega than Casa Vostra.

“Casa Vostra is a casual restaurant, designed to be repeated in different locations. Petra, like La Bottega, is designed to be a unique experience: a place to slow down and really enjoy food and drinks with friends and family. It could only exist here, in this setting. Prices will be fair for the experience, the cooking and the quality of ingredients we're offering,” Miscellaneo said.

With renovations in place, new kitchen equipment and a new look, the space is nearly ready for its new life.

“One of the reasons Curly’s didn’t work was that we tried to bring too many ideas together under one roof. We wanted it to be a premium grocer, an all-day cafe and more, but in trying to do too much, we ended up compromising on the execution of each individual element. The result was an experience that never quite came together as a cohesive whole,” Lim said.

“With Petra, we've taken a much more considered approach. We've spent months refining the concept, working closely with exceptional chefs like Dawid and Anas to ensure that every element, from the food and drinks to the atmosphere and service, comes together to create a complete and compelling dining experience.”

There is, of course, still some level of risk involved, Miscellaneo conceded. “Italian food is everywhere in Singapore and everyone knows it. Eastern Mediterranean and Levantine food isn't nearly as familiar. So, the biggest risk is simply that we're doing something different.

“We believe people here are ready for it, but only time will tell whether that pays off.”

Petra opens Oct 24 at 40C Harding Road.

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安东尼奥·米斯切拉内奥 (Antonio Miscellaneo) 将离开他熟悉的意大利菜系，在位于登布西山 (Dempsey) 的 Curly's 餐厅开设 Petra 餐厅。餐厅主打自制薄饼、浓郁的梅泽蘸酱、奥托伦吉 (Ottolenghi) 风格的沙拉以及炭烤地中海鲈鱼。

安东尼奥·米斯切拉内奥（右）即将离开他熟悉的意大利菜系，转而经营位于登布西街的Curly's餐厅，Petra餐厅将接替他的位置。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long，La Bottega）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

Antonio Miscellaneo 的最新项目摒弃了意大利面和披萨，转而专注于地中海和黎凡特美食，主打梅泽蘸酱、新鲜沙拉和烤海鲜。

Petra 将于 10 月 24 日在登布西山开业，它接管了之前 Curly's 的店面。Curly's 是一家全天候餐饮概念店，集餐厅、咖啡馆和高端杂货零售市场于一体。

与 Miscellaneo 的其他项目 Casa Vostra 和 Carlitos 一样，Petra（以希腊语中“石头”一词命名）是与新近更名的 Mission Group（前身为 Ebb & Flow）合作的项目。

这家占地 8000 平方英尺、设有 119 个座位的餐厅将配备开放式披萨柜台、咖啡和酒水吧、私人餐厅以及允许携带宠物的户外座位。

佩特拉古城内部采用暖色调装饰。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

佩特拉古城内部采用暖色调装饰（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

“多年来，我一直想开一家黎凡特餐厅，自从我在伦敦生活时，黎巴嫩和中东食物就成了我的日常主食，”Petra 餐厅的行政主厨兼老板 Miscellaneo 告诉 CNA Lifestyle。

“我只是在等待合适的时机。当机会来临时，这个想法已经从一家黎巴嫩咖啡馆发展成更广阔的领域：一家融合了整个东地中海风味，以黎凡特为核心的餐厅。”

“Petra 让我有机会将这个想法变成现实：干净美味的食物，是我每天都想吃的，因为我真心渴望它，而且它对我的身体有益。”

Miscellaneo 的烹饪之旅始于新加坡的网红私人餐饮概念 Casa Nostra，最终于 2021 年在 Joo Chiat 开设了他的第一家餐厅 La Bottega Enoteca。

虽然他在新加坡以意大利菜闻名，但这次他有机会打破常规。“作为一名意大利人，我知道我们日常饮食的多样性。但在意大利以外的地方，人们来意大利餐厅就是为了吃意面和披萨，他们期待的就是这些。”他说道。

“在Petra餐厅，我想烹饪一种不同的食物：那种可以日常食用的食物，比如新鲜沙拉和烤肉。东地中海地区给了我这种自由，这是意大利餐厅永远无法提供的。”

Antonio Miscellaneo 的烹饪之旅始于新加坡，他创立了颇具人气的私人餐饮概念餐厅 Casa Nostra，最终于 2021 年在如切开设了他的第一家餐厅 La Bottega Enoteca。（图片：La Bottega）

关于选址，Mission Group联合创始人兼首席执行官林建春表示：“登布西山拥有独特的魅力，郁郁葱葱的绿植、开阔的空间感和悠闲的生活节奏，让人感觉远离都市喧嚣。我和Antonio最初讨论餐厅设计理念时，就发现地中海餐饮与这里的环境非常契合。地中海的饮食方式与这里的氛围完美融合。注重新鲜、充满活力的食材，与登布西山的绿意盎然相得益彰。”

在设计 Petra 的菜单时，Miscellaneo 汇集了 Ottolenghi 前主厨、日本 Koma 现任主厨兼联合创始人 Dawid Nowosadzki；以及新加坡 Aniba 前行政主厨 Anas Shami。

“我们有意将不同背景的厨师聚集在一起。Petra餐厅并非代表某位厨师对地中海美食的诠释，而是融合了他们共同的经验和视角。”

（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

Miscellaneo表示，最终呈现的是一种“新鲜、以食材为主导、风味十足的地中海烹饪风格。你会看到蔬菜、谷物和豆类，以及新鲜的海鲜和简单烹制的肉类，并用优质橄榄油、香草、酸度和精心调味料将它们融合在一起。”

Petra餐厅将供应多种蘸酱，例如：茄子泥配石榴、欧芹油和漆树粉；拉布内奶酪配扎塔尔香料、薄荷和特级初榨橄榄油；以及慢炖番茄配橄榄和欧芹。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

用蘸酱开启您的美食之旅，例如：配以扎塔尔香料、薄荷和特级初榨橄榄油的拉布内奶酪；配以香菜碎、炸鹰嘴豆丸子碎和辣椒粉的鹰嘴豆泥；以及配以刨碎的鱼子酱和橄榄酱的塔拉玛沙拉塔。

刨成薄片的鱼子酱为希腊鱼子酱沙拉增添了鲜味。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

开胃菜包括鞑靼牛肉、酸橘汁腌鱼、炸鹰嘴豆丸子、炸鱿鱼和烤哈罗米奶酪，烤肉包括鸡肉串、羊肉串、牛肉串和羊排。

“我们配备了特殊的烧烤炉和披萨烤炉。这两样设备让我们能够以不同的方式利用高温，无论是烧烤海鲜、蔬菜和肉类，还是烘焙自制面包和面团，”米塞拉内奥说道。

烤南瓜和四季豆沙拉（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

这里还提供受奥托伦吉启发而创作的沙拉，例如榛子、橙子、黑孜然籽和龙蒿拌青豆；以及红洋葱、芝麻酱和扎塔尔烤冬南瓜。

虽然没有意大利面，“但我们会供应传统的黎凡特意大利面，”米塞拉内奥说——一道用章鱼、牛至碎末和酸奶油烹制的奥佐意面。

“没错，我们（在轮换特色菜单上）有披萨，但跟你印象中的披萨不太一样。做了这么多年披萨，我最感兴趣的是它如何演变。我们的招牌披萨不属于任何意大利披萨的范畴；它是一种只有在这里才说得通的创新。”

“同样的理念也体现在我们的面包制作上。如果说我的餐厅里有什么是我绝对做不到的，那就是重新加热冷冻的皮塔饼。我们搭建了一个类似披萨柜台的烘焙柜台，并采用披萨烤炉的技术来新鲜烘焙我们的薄饼，其灵感来源于伊朗的巴巴里饼和桑加克饼。”

桑加克和巴巴里蘸酱（图片：佩特拉）

Barbari 和 Sangak 是传统的波斯扁面包——前者是椭圆形的，有棱纹，并点缀着芝麻；而后者传统上是在热鹅卵石床上烘烤的，表面有凹坑，边缘酥脆，口感有嚼劲。

不过，他认为最有可能成为佩特拉招牌菜的，是烤整条拉夫拉基鱼，用迷迭香腌制，最后撒上欧芹和酥脆的刺山柑。“我们从地中海空运新鲜的鱼，并刻意保持烹饪方式的简单，让食材本身的品质得以充分展现。这道菜真正体现了佩特拉的理念：精选优质食材，采用简单易学的烹饪方法，呈现新鲜而充满活力的地中海风味。”

整只烤拉夫拉基（照片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

从价格上看，Petra 的价格会更接近 La Bottega，而不是 Casa Vostra。

“Casa Vostra是一家休闲餐厅，旨在开设多家分店。Petra餐厅则像La Bottega一样，致力于打造独一无二的体验：一个可以放慢脚步，与亲朋好友尽情享受美食美酒的地方。它只能存在于此，在这个环境中。我们提供的体验、烹饪技艺和食材品质都将与价格相符，”Miscellaneo说道。

经过翻新，配备了新的厨房设备，焕然一新，这个空间几乎已经准备好迎接新的生活了。

林说：“Curly's失败的原因之一是我们试图把太多想法融合在一个屋檐下。我们想把它打造成一家高端杂货店、一家全天候咖啡馆等等，但由于想做的太多，最终导致每个环节的执行都出现了妥协。结果就是，最终呈现的体验始终无法成为一个连贯的整体。”

“在打造 Petra 餐厅时，我们采取了更加深思熟虑的方式。我们花了几个月的时间来完善理念，并与 Dawid 和 Anas 等杰出的厨师紧密合作，以确保从食物和饮品到氛围和服务，每一个元素都能完美融合，创造出完整而引人入胜的用餐体验。”

米塞拉内奥承认，当然，其中仍然存在一定的风险。“意大利菜在新加坡随处可见，人人都知道。但东地中海和黎凡特菜就远没有那么为人熟知了。所以，最大的风险就在于我们正在做一些与众不同的事情。”

“我们相信这里的人们已经做好了准备，但最终结果如何，只有时间才能证明。”

Petra将于10月24日在哈丁路40C号开业。

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