When it comes to Italian restaurants in Singapore, Prego is practically an institution and can be considered a Grand Dame of the local culinary scene.
Like many places that have stood the test of time, it’s had its ups and downs. But for an eatery to survive from 1986 until now, it must be doing something right.
The first time I dined there was about 30 years ago, during my first year of work. This was way back when Swissôtel The Stamford was known as The Westin Stamford.
I don’t recall exactly what I had then, but I do remember being quite impressed with the food and the ambience. Those were my early days of adulting and it all felt very fancy.
Since then, whenever the craving for Italian food strikes us, Prego tends to be on the shortlist. We don’t always end up going, so visits have been intermittent and sporadic.
Recently, it’s popped up more frequently on our radar. Mainly because I recently joined the Accor Plus programme, which offers a very compelling 50% discount when dining as a couple.
So, during a weekday in late November, I made reservations through Accor’s TablePlus online booking system and we made our way there for lunch.
It was bright and breezy, with copious amounts of natural light streaming in from an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.
Although they must have refurbished the interior numerous times over the decades, the decor always feels familiar and welcoming whenever I visit.
The small but significant differences this time were the little touches that made it more Christmassy.
From the potted poinsettias and mini Christmas trees constructed with dried orange slices, to the petite mistletoe-like table ornament.
A flexible set lunch menu was available, with prices ranging from S$42++ to $68++ depending on how many courses were chosen. Premium dishes like the lobster linguine required additional top ups.
Selections were limited but there were adequate options for zuppa, antipasti, pasta & secondi and desserts. It was somewhat strange that the last category was not consistency labelled as dolci.
“No other discounts applicable on this menu” was written in fine print, meaning that my Accor Plus benefit wouldn’t apply to the set lunch. Not a problem, since choices were more extensive in the ala carte sections.
Prices were definitely on the high side, with braised beef cheeks (Guancia) at S$52++, seafood pasta (Spaghetti Pescatore) at S$40++ and Margherita pizza at S$36++.
Prego was never known as a casual Italian eatery with wallet-friendly prices, but even so, these seemed somewhat excessive. Luckily, the 50% discount brought costs down to more palatable levels.
After placing our order, complimentary bread was brought to our table. While adequate, it was a far cry from the days when a huge, piping hot loaf was served wrapped in thick cloth. Times sure have changed.
Our starter of Calamari Fritti (S$28++) arrived surprisingly quickly.
The battered and deep-fried squid rings came in a paper-lined metal mesh basket, together with arugula, lemon wedges and what tasted like spicy Thousand Island dressing.
Beautifully golden brown, they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The Wife was mightily impressed with how juicy and perfectly cooked they were.
For our next course, we initially planned to choose one of their five Pasta Fatta In Casa, or homemade pasta. But the relatively smaller risotto section caught my attention, specifically the Risotto Zafferano e Merluzzo.
When it was served, I couldn’t help but be impressed by its bright and sunny appearance.
Plump rice grains, stained bright yellow from the saffron pistils, were topped with pieces of cod, sun-dried tomatoes, pea shoots and a dusting of leek ash.
Surprisingly, it was cooked al dente, in authentic Italian style. I say “surprisingly” because we Asians tend to prefer our rice soft, and risottos here typically cater to that preference.
Mr. Rosario, the Italian restaurant manager, just happened to walk past and I commented that they were quite brave in doing so.
“Of course!” he replied enthusiastically, adding with a smile “That’s how it should be done.”
He then proceeded to explain how the carnaroli rice was first toasted until the grains turned white, before any broth was incorporated. Since the core takes longer to cook, that ensures the right level of doneness.
And what we had was definitely done right, and each mouthful was creamy, aromatic and flavourful. The rice on its own was already quite delicious, but combining it with cod, tomato and pea shoot made it even tastier.
He was equally proud of their pizza dough, and explained how the dough was allowed to rest and rise for the right amount of time. Resulting in many small air pockets that gave the crust its ideal texture.
It was the kind that we especially enjoy — not too thick, not too thin; crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside.
I find that Margherita provides the best indication of the quality of a pizza place. The ingredients of tomato, mozzarella and basil are simple but classic, and every slice was excellent.
However, the mind was willing, but the body was weak. We gave up at the halfway mark and requested for our leftovers be doggie bagged.
“It will be the best breakfast you’ll ever have!” exclaimed Mr. Rosario, as he whisked away our last four slices and returned with a takeaway pizza box secured with ribbon.
Spoiler alert: it wasn’t, because it didn’t actually survive to the next morning. We polished them off during dinner that very same day.
Despite feeling quite stuffed, we somehow made room for dessert. Tiramisu would have been the natural choice, but the cannoli caught my eye.
One of the memorable lines in The Godfather is “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.” Even though I must have watched that classic movie more than a dozen times, I’ve never actually had a cannoli.
That was about to change, when the prettily plated Cannoli alle Marasche arrived.
Two pastry shells were stuffed with cream cheese infused with pistachio nuts and dried fruit. Accompanying them was a scoop of cherry stracciatella sorbet and cabernet sauvignon stewed cherries.
It was crunchy, creamy, tart and slightly boozy. The adult and satisfying end to our meal made me completely forget about the tiramisu I didn’t order.
We left Prego that day pleasantly surprised that it had managed to maintain its standards after all these decades in operation.
Prices have definitely gone up, and truth be told, even though the food was good, I probably wouldn’t pay list prices.
But with the Accor Plus 50% discount in play, a return visit before my membership ends is almost a certainty.
