Bronzo Pasta Bar

Was going around the Beauty World neighbourhood and got to learn that there seems to be quite a fair bit of change in tenants occupying the extended wing of Bukit Timah Interim Market & Food Centre — this would be the area that is linked to the market that is located right across the food centre with a carpark space in the middle. Of particular note would be the appearance of Bronzo that takes over the former space that was once occupied by thatsmypizza.sg (thatsmypizza.sg takes over the space of the now-defunct thatsmybrew, located in the food centre area instead). Occupying a corner unit of the small section of the market that the food stalls occupy, these folks are situated in the same zone as one would be able to find establishments like the outlet of Lijiededian 李姐的店 and the outlet of Ms BBQ Inasal there — Bronzo’s location should be pretty obvious considering its prominent signage that also indicates it being a pasta bar beside rites namesake. Bronzo mentions that it is an establishment which prides itself over the fresh handmade pasta that day make in-house; its offerings include four (4) pasta dishes as well as a number of Sides — interestingly, Bronzo also serves up a small variety of two (2) desserts which is quite a rarity given how it is a hawker centre stall.

We were a little spoilt for choice on which of the pasta offerings we would be going for when skimming through the menu — in particular since Cacio e Pepe is quite niche offering that one would be unlikely to find in a establishment specialising in pasta in a hawker centre setting, while we were also tempted to go for the Carbonara with Guanicale since the Carbonara is something which we resonated very well with. We eventually found ourselves going for the Carbonara with Guanicale; Bronzo does not describe the elements that comes with each of their dishes, though it can be observed that the Carbonara with Guanicale comes with shaved cheese and a sprinkle of pepper whilst the pasta comes tossed in a creamy sauce. A highlight for the Carbonara with Guanicale would the handmade pasta here — the pasta here does cone with strands of noodles that is thicker than that of the typical spaghetti; interestingly, it does feature a hollow centre within, and the pasta itself carries a good bite also on its own. Tossed in a cream sauce, we do like how it does carry quite a bit of depth without being particularly saltish at the same time; the shaved cheese does give it just the right hint of savouriness, while the cracked pepper does add an inherent fragrance almost similar to what one would expect out of Cacio e Pepe — the aroma perfuming out from the stall even whilst our order was in the midst of being prepared. The bits of Guanicale do come a little bit like waxed meat; a little saltish and a little bit sweet, just to give the pasta dish sufficient flavour.

Noting how Bronzo also serves up desserts, we found ourselves opting for the Roasted Barley, Apple Compote and Almond Crumbles over the Tiramisu Shaved Ice to end our meal at Bronzo. We were told that the Roasted Barley, Apple Compote and Almond Crumbles is to be served as a chilled dessert — this was served in a metallic cup; it does turn out that the Roasted Barley comes in the format of a smooth and creamy mousse and forms the base of the dessert, while apple compote comes over on top of the mousse before it is being finished with the crumbles. Digging into the dessert, the roasted barely mousse does come across as the neutral element that bridges the apple compote and the almond crumbles together — this also makes up for the fact that there is a lack of ice-cream for their variant of the apple crumble here. The Apple Compote does come with sizeable chunks of caramelised apples that come sweet and with a soft bite, while the almond crumbles delivered a good crunch to supplement the textures of the other elements within. Bronzo is a pretty promising establishment that breaks the mold of a typical food stall situated in the hawker centre; whilst pasta specialty stalls have slowly started to sprout up in some heartlands over the years, Bronzo is a rare few that is of such a setup and emphasises on fresh, handmade pastas. There is no denying how its offerings are artisanal here; the Carbonara with Guanicale and Roasted Barley, Apple Compote and Almond Crumbles are dishes that came with quality and consistency which is quite on par with some of the bistros around — definitely exceeds what one would typically expect to find at a cafe. The food served at Bronzo is not just simply from the skill of the chef-owner, but also a product of passion for the craft — that drive to provide the best experience for its patrons. Prices of its pasta ranges from $13 to $19; the lowest-priced being the Cacio e Pepe while the highest-priced is the Beef Cheek Ragu. Do note that some waiting time is required for the food to be served, especially considering how Bronzo is pretty much a single-man operation — otherwise, we do sincerely wish them all the best in what is to come; definitely a place that is worth keeping a look out for in time to come, and one in which we would most definitely return for the Cacio e Pepe and the Tiramisu Shaved Ice another time!