I’ve always walked past Prego Italian Restaurant when I am at Raffles City, but for some reason I never visited it. Thankfully, the good people at Fairmont Singapore invited me over for lunch, and I had a great meal there.
I wasn’t expecting much of Prego, if only because there are too many mediocre Italian restaurants in town, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was one of the better ones that I’d tried in recent months.
Nothing on the menu screams look at me, but everything is perfectly executed and offers something different from the usual Italian places.
We started with a selection of small bites ($5 each) from the antipasti bar – marinated olives and vegetables, artichokes, and mushrooms.
Then, we had the classic Proscuitto di Parma ($21), and Grilled Tomino Cheese ($26). Both were lovely, but I particularly enjoyed the grilled cheese with figs and toasted ciabatta.
The polenta-crusted Soft Shell Crab ($26) with heirloom tomatoes and arugula was next. Good, but nothing to shout about.
The pizzas ($35) from the wood burning oven, are done to a high standard. Choose from Calabria style hand stretched or thin & crispy crust.
But what captivated me was the quality of the pastas. We had three of them to share, and they were familiar, yet different.
Strozzapreti ($34), typically an elongated form of hand-rolled pasta, is created in a way to absorb more sauce. Prego’s version comes with mixed mushrooms, Italian sausages (cured in-house) in spiced tomato sauce. Definitely a good pick if you prefer a thicker pasta.
Instead of the usual gnocchi which comes in the form of a dumpling, Chef de Cuisine Antonio Facchinetti has decided to come up with one that is much bigger in size, almost like a swiss-roll.
The signature Pan-Seared Gnocchi ($34) is bathed in a toothsome oxtail ragout which is meticulously prepared for six hours. This dish is a little heavy on the palate, so I’d suggest ordering it to share.
The Tagliolini ($44), served tableside and finished inside a huge 1kg Parmesan wheel, stole my heart. It was rich, creamy and cheesy. It was so good that I scraped my plates clean. I know it is ridiculous to pay so much for a pasta, but this is worth every cent.
To end the meal, we had a Panna Cotta and Tiramisu. If you love tiramisu, you must try the one from Prego’s. 
Prego Italian Restaurant
80 Bras Basah Road
1F Fairmont Hotel
Singapore 189560
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Note: This was an invited media tasting.
For more recommendations, read my list of Best Italian Restaurants in Singapore
Hi Brad,
On my last trip to Prego, I ordered a plate of Linguine Carbonara (my usual) but exchanged the bacon for their housemade cooked ham and was disappointed… The previously numerous thick chunks of cooked ham (you could tell it was of high quality) was replaced by mere shaves of ham! I was really disappointed and paying nearly $30 or more than $30 (I can’t remember the price) for that was a complete rip-off. I’ve not been back since- that was last year in Dec. Should I give them another chance? No offense, I’m not sure if they served better versions of the dishes to you because you’re a reputable food critic… I won’t want to go back to Prego due to the fear of possibly being “cheated” again >.<
@Shannen Hello Shannen, I think Prego is worth a second chance. The new chef just came in this year, and he has revamped the menu. I like that they are making in-house fresh pasta. Other than Prego, I’d also recommend Valentino at Grandstand, it’s my favourite Italian restaurant in Singapore.