Mikey's Taverna (Bukit Timah)

Mikey’s Taverna is a charming Italian eatery that offers an authentic and cozy dining experience. Perfect for a casual dinner or a comforting Italian meal with friends and family, this small restaurant captures the heart of Italian cuisine with its flavorful dishes and warm ambiance.
1. Lasagna
A comforting classic, the lasagna was layered with rich, flavorful ragu, tender lasagna sheets, and creamy béchamel. Every bite was perfectly balanced, making it a standout dish for those seeking authentic Italian comfort food.
2. Oxtail Ragu Rigatoni
The oxtail ragu was another highlight, with braised, shredded oxtail melded seamlessly into a buttery, Parmesan-infused sauce. Tossed with rigatoni, the pasta captured the hearty flavors beautifully. It’s a dish that feels both indulgent and homey.
3. Prosciutto e Funghi Pizza
The pizza boasted a thin, crisp base topped with tomatoes, fior di latte, fresh mushrooms, and delicate slices of prosciutto. The flavors were balanced, and the fresh ingredients elevated this simple yet satisfying dish.
4. Focaccia with Roasted Garlic Butter
A delightful starter, the focaccia was soft yet slightly crisp on the edges, paired with salted browned butter and roasted garlic. The combination was addictive and set the tone for the meal.

Micasa Kitchen & Bar was a spot that we recalled having visited when they had first opened at Jalan Jurong Kechil several years ago — these folks were pretty much a promising Spanish eatery that is priced at a slightly more wallet-friendly price point to cater to the residents in the surrounding neighbourhood. The entire dining landscape of Beauty World has changed quite substantially over the past couple of years since; the shophouse at 100 Jalan Jurong Kechil has seen quite a number of tenancy changes; the latest tenant to have moved into the afore-mentioned shophouse after the move of the outlet of Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha (which has since relocated to the 7th Mile Coffee Shop at Toh Yi Drive) would be Mikey’s Taverna — a concept that is opened by the same folks behind Micasa Kitchen & Bar. Despite being a concept by the folks of Micasa Kitchen & Bar, Mikey’s Taverna is an entirely different concept to Micasa Kitchen & Bar itself; whilst Micasa Kitchen & Bar focusing on Spanish cuisine, Mikey’s Taverna is a concept inspired by Southern Italian culture — the interior of the shophouse it occupies exudes such vibes with its yellow-painted and brick walls which gives it an especially cosy and warm vibe. They have also maximised the seating area with outdoor al-fresco seating as well. For the menu at Mikey’s Taverna, it is being split into sections dedicated to Foccacia, Personal Pizza, Appetisers, Grilled, Pasta and desserts; beverages available at Mikey’s Taverna would include a good variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, with the selection of non-alcoholic drinks being coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices.

One item that seemed to have attracted our attention whilst skimming through the menu before we made our visit to Mikey’s Taverna was the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni) — an item which we found to be a little bit of an uncommon find at rather typical Italian establishments. The menu mentions that the default pasta type to come with the Oxtail Ragu would be the Rigatoni, though there are also different types of pasta that is being listed on the header of the menu which includes spaghetti, Fettucine, ravioli, rigatoni and gnocchi. The dish pretty much came as it is; basically just rigatoni, oxtail meat and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese that were on to the aesthetics of the dish. Despite its rather simple composition, we really enjoyed the texture and flavours of the dish; giving the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni) a toss, the Ragu readily gets mixed into the Rigatoni — this gives the pasta a lightly savoury bite that provides much of the flavours of the dish by itself. The Rigatoni is done al-dente; carried much bite and with a slight chew even. Meanwhile, the portion oxtail meat can be described as generous — itself being a good balance of lean and slightly more tender parts which gives the dish a variance of textures and a meaty, savoury note. The addition of the sprinkle of parmesan cheese adds yet another dimension of savouriness to the dish; further elevating the entire experience. Overall, a pasta that would probably appeal more towards the meat lovers considering the nature of the dish.

Apart from the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni), we had also given some dishes from other categories of the menu a try as well; this would include the Organic Blue Mussels, as well as the Lemon Tart. Both dishes were pretty enjoyable; the Organic Blue Mussels came with elements such as wine and tomatoes, as well as garlic bread. Given how much we are a fan of mussels, this dish was pretty satiating — from how fresh the mussels were, to how balanced that wine-infused broth was, it was a joy for us to have. Having tried different variants of mussel dishes that are served at other establishments all around, we did notice that the broth here felt a little bit more mellowed down in terms of the alcoholic content — this meant that the broth carried a more garlicky note, though is also one that is less briny somewhat. The Lemon Tart itself was a great ending to our meal at Mikey’s Taverna though — we liked how the tart was pretty much fuss-free; no meringue layer, and came without any unnecessary embellishments for the aesthetic factor. The lemon curd itself came with a good zing and a balanced note of sweetness; all that sitting above a soft and thin layer of crust that did not require much effort to break, and crumbled really neatly without disintegrating into a mess. We also tasted a rather noticeable egginess that came with the Lemon Tart as well. Mikey’s Taverna may be a new establishment, but it does carry the same character and personality that Micasa Kitchen & Bar has been known for over the years — one that is pretty laid-back and chill, whilst serving up homely fare that is comforting and speaks to the soul. This is not forgetting that the price point of the dishes are wallet-friendly to say the least — the prices of the pasta ranges from $18 to $36, while the prices of the personal pizzas are between $16 to $18. With a clear emphasis on using fresh ingredients, preparing their dishes from scratch — it is easy to feel the passion and effort that they have placed to deliver the best to their patrons just like how things are like at MiCasa Kitchen & Bar. Reservations are recommended, considering we were only left with the counter seats and outdoor seats whilst walking in on a weekend dinner service.