@cuginisingapore is a long running Italian establishment in Singapore, but this is my first time ever sampling their fare. And if this plate of Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese ($35++) is any indication of the standards at Cugini, this’ll be the first of many visits.⠀
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Bolognese pasta has always been a bit of a Plain Jane, and I usually pass it over in favour of flashier menu options. This time, some invisible force compelled me to order a portion of the bolognese, which happened to be a special on the Friday I popped in for dinner. I owe said invisible force a couple of beers, because this bolognese is beyond breathtaking.⠀
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The meaty ragu of Iberico pork & wagyu beef has been painstakingly & slowly simmered down into the thick, tantalising sauce you see, resulting in meat that quite literally melts in your mouth without chewing. The proteins have broken down so well over the course of the braise that merely prodding a piece of meat with your fork is sufficient to break it up. The sauce is definitely much more on the heavy, beefy & sapid side as opposed to the more common tangy tomato-y flavour profile, which I thoroughly loved.⠀
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The homemade tagliatelle was epic, with a sprightly springiness and a delightful bite. The just al dente noodles were perfect for mopping up every last drop of the ridiculously rich & redolent ragù, and its broad flat profile was the perfect pasta for delivering that majestic, meaty ragù as efficiently as possible onto your tongue. The chunks of carrots from the soffritto (the Italian equivalent of mirepoix) base that were present within the pasta were stunningly soft, a testament to the painstaking amount of time & effort put into cooking down the ragù into its gloriously delicious final form.⠀
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The terrific Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese is an eye watering $35++, but it is ludicrously mouthwatering, and I’d splash the cash again without hesitation.