Took a little walk around the Robertson Quay area — passed by 8 Rodyk; a condominium complex that is situated a short walk away from Havelock MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line and found No 8 Eight Rodyk Street located within the condominium complex. Opened some time back in 2022, No 8 Eight Rodyk Street is one of those places seems to have been under the radar all these while considering how it faces a pathway that one is unlikely to take if they are walking down the Singapore River / Alexandra Canal. Likely an Italian establishment that one would call a Trattoria, No 8 Eight Rodyk Street feels like a homely nook with just lesser than 10 tables with a neighbourhood-ly vibe. The interior of the restaurant is simply decorated but in a really tasteful way; while the yellowish lighting in the restaurant was something which we found to be a big contrast against natural lighting outside the restaurant, there is an actual Italian vibe going on with the various pictures being hung on the wall and the various extracts of wine crates being hung at the counter — the use of wooden furnishings provides a cosy vibe to the space. The menu at No 8 Eight Rodyk Street is well-sized given the size of the establishment, and is segregated into several sections including Piatti Della Casa (i.e. dishes of the house), Cicchetti (i.e. small plates), Pasta, Our Focaccia, and Dolci (i.e. sweets). No 8 Eight Rodyk Street also serves up quite an extensive list of beverages — mostly alcoholic selections such as red / white / sparkling wine, Rose’, beer, soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea. No 8 Eight Rodyk Street does not serve up tap water to its patrons; those looking for plain water can opt for either sparkling water, still water or bottled water from their beverages menu.

We were in the mood for pasta when we made our visit to No 8 Eight Rodyk Street and upon skimming through the various items listed on the Pasta section of the menu, we decided to go for the Gnocchi. The Gnocchi at No 8 Eight Rodyk Street is described to come with elements such as Cream, Prosciutto floss, Gorgonzola and Parmigiano. Digging into the Gnocchi, we noticed how the Gnocchi here features slightly smaller nuggets dough than what some places serve up — not sure if they do their own Gnocchi here at No 8 Eight Rodyk Street, but these certainly provided a lighter experience to the dish overall; the varied texture of the Gnocchi being a mix of some pieces being lighter and chewier, whilst some being more dense with a bit of bite. We had not heard of Prosciutto floss prior to this — these could be described as more like bacon bits but with the use of Prosciutto instead; provides the gnocchi with a savoury note typical of cured meat, but without that intense saltiness and the that crunchiness of bacon bits. The cream, infused with the Gorgonzola though sounds heavy on paper, was a match with the Gnocchi; perhaps being so due to the fact that the Gnocchi’s texture was actually fairly light here. It gives a rich and full flavour to the dish, yet the Gorgonzola helps to add that savouriness of stronger cheeses to provide a contrast of flavours to the Gnocchi. Overall, a dish that seems to feel like one that is full of thought placed in the details — one which we really enjoyed.

The dining experience at No 8 Eight Rodyk Street does seem to be a pretty fun experience — the cosy and intimate environment meant that there was plenty of interactions between both the folks running the restaurant and its patrons should they be not too busy; the vibes almost akin to visiting a friend’s home for dinner with food prepared by said friend. Whilst there are many other Italian establishments that look into the finer details with more intricate items being listed on the menu, there is a sort of vibe at No 8 Eight Rodyk Street which is not easily replicated elsewhere. Apart from the Gnocchi, we also tried the Tiramisu — available in either a single portion format or one that is served in a takeaway box, we opted for the former. Turns out, it was served in a metallic cocktail cup; there was a good balance of mascarpone cream cheese against coffee-soaked sponge. What impressed us with the Tiramisu was the balance in its flavours despite its alcoholic-infusion; one could feel the subtleness of the alcohol without feeling that punch of booziness that tends to overwhelm the entire deal. No 8 Eight Rodyk Street is that sort of neighbourhood-ly establishment that is run by humble folks who seems to know their stuff pretty well — be it when it comes to the details placed in their food offerings, or when it comes to their knowledge of wine; definitely that sort of place that deserves support for its contributions to the local F&B scene here.