Ex-Michelin Chef Opens Home-Based Pasta Store With Donut Burgers, Duck Confit And More

Dirty Pasta is a home-based business in Bukit Batok

Usually, a good pasta meal means heading to a fine-dining Italian restaurant and spending an arm and a leg. But for Westies, it can be as simple as heading to Dirty Pasta in Bukit Batok for a steak-and-pasta dish under $30.

Set up in January this year, Dirty Pasta is run by Clement Goh, a former chef with over 12 years of experience in the culinary industry, including a stint at the one-Michelin-starred Bacchanalia in the United States. Inspired by the punchy flavours of American cooking and the contemporary European techniques, Clement decided to put his own spin on classic pasta dishes.

Clement makes every dish from scratch and to order, churning out over 60 bowls per day.

We loved their Whole Leg Duck Tomato Rigatoni ($25.90), which features a whole duck leg confit seared in the pan till golden-brown, served on a bed of al dente rigatoni pasta tossed in a creamy tomato sauce.

It’s finished with a touch of their homemade onion jam, a splash of duck confit oil, and a topping of mozzarella, gruyere, and parmesan cheese that’s flame-torched before serving.

The duck was fall-off-the-bone tender and stayed incredibly moist, while the skin was still satisfyingly crisp, even after half an hour of travelling. It paired perfectly with the slightly sweet and tangy tomato sauce.

Seafood lovers can opt for their Tiger Prawn Aglio Olio ($18.90): tiger prawns sautéed and flame-torched in a skillet, sitting on spaghetti tossed in garlic, homemade onion marmalade, and chilli crisp.

Garlicky and savoury, the sauce coated every strand perfectly. The tiger prawns were a highlight too, considerably large and carrying that wok hei-like aroma.

If aglio olio isn’t really your thing, you can go for their Tiger Prawn Rose Marinara Fettuccine ($18.90), which features a bright, tangy tomato cream sauce instead, perfectly contrasting the smoky aroma of the prawns.

Those who are looking for something more indulgent can try their Beef Striploin AU Smoked Butter Spaghetti ($25.90), comprising spaghetti in a rich cream sauce, topped with charcoal-smoked butter emulsion and cheese, and served with a strip of Angus striploin, seared to medium-rare.

Occasionally, Dirty Pasta will release ad hoc “Dirty Specials” that are only on the menu for a limited time. During our visit, we got to try the newly released Miso Butter Foie Gras Pipe Rigate ($30.90).

It features pan-seared, golden-brown foie gras paired with a miso butter cream sauce, topped with jammy caramelised onions, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and Italian Amarena cherries, which Clement said were sourced from a family-owned Italian farm.

The dish hit salty, sweet, umami, and creamy notes all at once, and the foie gras was extra indulgent, basically melting in my mouth. Even then, it never felt too heavy, with the cherries adding a tartness and sweetness that mellowed everything out.

As an ex-burger line cook, Clement sells doughnut burgers as well, such as the That Dirty ‘Clucker’ Donut Burger ($18.90): a stack of a crispy chicken patty, pickled jalapeños, homemade hot honey and onion jam, and a chipotle mayo sauce sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts.

The burger had a nice balance of sweet, spicy, and savoury notes, and the crispy breaded chicken perfectly contrasted the soft, fluffy doughnuts.

You can order via Dirty Pasta’s website, and they also offer islandwide Grab delivery for those not in the West. Walk-ins are welcome, but expect to wait since everything is made to order. Note that this store is takeaway only.

If you’re looking for more home-based businesses, check out Neighbourhood Supper Club, a home-based private diner specialising in plant-based cooking. Alternatively, for more food recommendations in the West, read our guide to the best Westgate food stores.

Address: 220 Bukit Batok East Avenue 3, #01-194, Singapore 650220
Opening hours: Sun-Tues 10am to 2pm, 4:30pm to 7:30pm, Thurs-Fri 10am to 2pm, 4:30pm to 7:30pm
Website
Dirty Pasta is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Nivian Chiang.
This was a media tasting at Dirty Pasta.