Aura comprises two sections: Aura Sky Lounge offers striking views of Singapore’s historical Civic District from its al fresco seating area. Then there is Aura, the 90-seater restaurant that serves contemporary Italian fare in a beautiful dining room clad in marble and muted peach tones.

Despite its central location, the restaurant stays competitive on pricing without compromising on its offerings, which stand out for their sophistication and refinement. Perhaps the most impressive of these is the scallop crudo—lightly cured scallops with spring vegetables, grapefruit and oscietra caviar. Every mouthful yields delicate textures and heady aromas from the earth and sea. Other recommended starters include the burrata cheese paired with asparagus and truffle, and the foie gras with caramelised apple and duck jus. Aura also does fresh pastas exceedingly well. They are servedperfectly al dente—supple and with good bite. The tagliolini with scampi and smoked paprika is testament to this. The freshly made pasta is subtly dressed in a buttery sauce, with each bite providing a pop of briny flavours.

Rustic dishes are elevated to new heights here. While there is little to fault with a classic like fried breaded pork, Aura’s pork chop Milanese with parma ham sauce is well executed and extremely flavourful. Cooked to a blushing pink within, the juices bathe the palate with every bite and are wonderfully contrasted by the crisp breadcrumbs. Alternatively, try the Italian seabass scented with sa ron, or the beef sirloin tagliata.