A way over due post. Ah Bong’s Italian is one of the rare eating places, I can never seem to stop raving about. It took me so long to visit them because of their short operating hours: from 10am to 2pm, even so, they have always been on top of my to-visit list. And I decided to pay them a visit twice to give a more complete review they deserve.
The Place
We’ve seen a fair share of western food stalls at kopitiams, but an Italian stall that serves up really affordable pastas and creme brulee? That’s something new! Located along 56 Eng Hoon Street, at Tiong Bahru, lies Ah Bong’s Italian in the kopitiam with one other stall selling Yong Tau Foo, which is apparently pretty popular too!
If you don’t know where Eng Hoon Street is, the Kopitiam lies right at the opposite end of the stretch that houses Tiong Bahru Bakery. Ah now you get it, don’t you?
A small and humble store front, with its menu written on the chalkboard that changes pretty much on a daily basis. Ah Bong’s Italian is certainly the definition of “Small Flowers Crack Concrete” (inspired by instagrammer @daphnemaia): an unassuming appearance that serves genuine food from the heart.
The Food
The quality and affordability is a constant at Ah Bong’s, its only inconsistency lies in the menu that’s always comes as a pleasant surprise. You do have to keep your eyes peeled on their social media platforms for updates and hints on what to expect on that day!
On our first visit, we ordered everything off the menu: Pork Genovese ($6), Truffle Mac and Cheese ($6), a tomato based pasta which I unfortunately can’t recall, and lastly the Classic Creme Brulee with Madagascan Vanilla ($4)! Mac and Cheese ($5) with Truffle Oil (+$1): This bowl of mac and cheese made us go woahhhhh when it was served to us. The aroma of truffle filled the air surrounding us, and the taste of truffle oil lingered with every mouthfuls of the macaroni! There were even some of my favorite mushrooms in it too!
$6 for a dish with truffle oil?! Get me 2 bowls of that! The mac and cheese could do with slightly more cheese though! These were the 2 pastas we ordered. The first mouthful of the al dente noodles just made me yearn for more. The quality of their pastas seriously put some other cafes and restaurants to shame.
Creme Brulee was just like any other that we had from any fancy restaurants at just $4. The small serving makes it a pretty good way to end our meals on a sweet note, without feeling too uncomfortably full!
The pastas we had on our second visit was better than what I had remembered. We ordered the famous Birthday Pasta ($6), Pasta with Fresh Pesto ($7) and Fresh Pappardelle Pork Genovese ($9).
After having this, I decided that when Ah Bong’s Italian announces that they have fresh pesto on that day, you definitely got to make a point to visit them. Because I was mind blown by how good this plate of pasta is, and the serving of protein was really huge too! We had 3 plates of pasta shared amongst the 2 of us, at just $22. This would probably only get us an average plate of pasta in a cafe. I’m really blown away by the quality of pasta at Ah Bong’s, and it is my calling to share this to the world.
Closing Remarks
Just stop hesitating and head on to Ah Bong’s now. A little inconvenient to get to, but it’s worth the trip. Sincere service, affordable food, and quality pastas. Besides, Chef Chris has been trained under Bruno Menard (a three michelin star chef), and his skill and menu reflects all of that. And sometimes, it’s not just about the skill of the chef that touches you. It is that feeling of satisfaction when you taste food that has been cooked with passion and heart. And Ah Bong did just that.
How to get there?
56 Eng Hoon St, #01-46, Singapore 160056
Opening Hours
Monday – Sunday: 10am – 2pm
Closed on Sunday
Contact
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abitalian/
Instagram: @ahbongsitalian
i LOVE your blog! u changed ur URL recently yea? haha. anyway i’m definitely heading to ah bong’s soon with my partner and will post pics too. hehe. can’t wait! p.s. i also like that you used the phrase “small flowers crack concrete” hahaha.
OMG YOU READ MY BLOG!!!! I wanted to add this after that quote (inspired by @daphnemaia), but I thought you would never see it, so i didn’t include it!! NOW I AM GOING TO DO IT! 😀
[…] is QUITE good at taking pictures too. Here’s the Naked Pasta (Salted Egg pasta) available at Ah Bong’s Italian. Check out their Facebook page and Instagram account for its availability. Ah Bong’s Italian: […]
[…] the cheapest Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had, without any compromise in its quality – Ah Bong’s Italian! Just $6 for this bowl of Mac and Cheese, it would definitely satisfy any truffle cravings you […]