Set amidst the busy belt of restaurants along Mohammed Sultan Road, Bonta Italian Restaurant and Bar is specialises in Northern Italian cuisine. Helmed by the award winning Chef Luca Pezzera, the restaurant has earned itself a strong following for its authentic Italian dishes and extensive list of Italian wine.
Chef Luca's illustrious career has taken him to many parts of the world but I guess home is where the heart is. Commemorating Bonta's second anniversary, Chef Luca has decided to introduce a new selection of enticing Italian dishes which hail from his countryside community in Bergamo.
The new menu reflects the culinary preference of the countryside folks where veal is king, rice prevails over pasta, and rich butter is the hallmark of all recipes.
We started the meal with the Vitello Tonnato (SG$20++). This summertime dish consists of thinly sliced veal loin served with a light tuna sauce and some fresh greens. A speciality of Bergamo, this is a very light and almost refreshing way to start a meal. It is easy to imagine why this is a big hit on warm summer days and since it is almost always sunny in Singapore, this dish works well.
Another starter that deserves mention is the Grilled Jumbo King Prawns (SG$22++). How a huge jumbo king prawn can be considered a starter eludes me but apparently the guys in Northen Italy are big eaters. The dish is garnished with Tropea onion salad and single vineyard extra virgin olive oil from Carpineto. Again, very nicely done. It is hard to go wrong with fresh seafood and good quality produce.
Ok moving on to the mains we have Homemade Graganelli (SG$25++). Nothing beats homemade pasta. The texture is firmer and the flavour is much more intense then the supermarket fair that we are used to. Served with on rich duck sauce and garnished with herbs and freshly grated parmesan, this dish will be a hit with pasta lovers, more so if you enjoy duck like I do.
If it is a heavy meal you are after then the Barolo Braised Milk-fed Veal Shank (S$34++) is definitely for you. It is huge. This heavyweight is the definitely not for the faint hearted especially if you are going to have it alone as a meal. The monstrous veal shank is lined with a generous amount of tender meat that literally falls away from the bone. It is served with Parmesan Risotto and Borlotti Beans Ragout.
Fortunately dessert is a light number. Oven-roasted Peach (S$12++) is served with ricotta cheese and orange-thyme sauce. The dish is sweet, salty and there is nothing like a warm fuzzy peach to end a meal.
Bonta Italian Restaurant and Bar207 River Valley Road, #01-61 UE Square River Wing, Singapore 238275
Tel: (65) 6333 8875
Fax: (65) 6333 8655
www.bonta.com.sg