Despite being located in a corner of Marina Square, Pasta de Waraku is certainly making waves down south with its creative menu and reasonable prices. Barely a month old and hot on the heels of its predecessor at The Central, this establishment is set to re-invent the pasta of old with a young and energetic vibe.

• The Vibe
  The energy at the restaurant is unmistakable; from the choice of music to the liberal splashes of red, dining here is consequently, a very jovial experience. With the décor kept laid-back but still tasteful, the restaurant works for almost any occasion, from boisterous gatherings to casual business lunches.

 

• The Food
  With over 80 colourful main courses and a wide selection of drinks and desserts, choosing what to eat might be your biggest hurdle to cross. Surrounded by tall glass windows with displays of drool worthy mock-ups of their pasta dishes, it is easy to get over-enthusiastic with your order.

  Start your meal with the complimentary mini-salad that comes with every order of a main course. Crisp greens drizzled with a very refreshing dressing; it certainly whetted our appetites for more to come. If cold pasta sounds like your cup of tea, the Seafood Salad Pasta ($16.80) is a definite must-try. Piled with slivers of sashimi and salmon roe that literally burst with flavour, the dish is very enjoyable, save for the wasabi dressing that did not go too well with the pasta itself. Feeling adventurous, we also tried the Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppia ($16.80) with squid cooked in its own black ink. While it was tasty, it is certainly not recommended on dates as the squid ink does get quite messy. The Lobster ($18.80), on the other hand, will certainly impress your date, especially since the crustacean is grilled to perfection. The cream pasta that it came with was however unremarkable and half a lobster was certainly not enough for most appetites.

  High on our list of pasta recommendations will be the Littleneck Clam Soup Pasta ($14.80) and the Carbonar a Waraku Style ($12.80). The former consists of a generous amount of littleneck clams and a light savoury soup, suitably spiced with chopped garlic. What results is a very comforting dish, perfect for cold, rainy days. Waraku's take on the classic Carbonara is deliciously creamy without being cloying, a rare attribute in cream-based sauces.

  Other than pasta, the menu boasts a variety of scrumptious main courses ranging from Hamburg steaks to curry rice. Highly popular with Japanese diners, the Cod Roe & Potato Pizza ($12.80) certainly lived up to expectations with its super-thin crust and savoury wafu mayonnaise cream sauce. Being the first time seeing potatoes on pizza, we proceeded with trepidation but were duly rewarded with its unique taste and texture.

  The drinks here at Pasta de Waraku are also as colourful and fun as the food. With selections like the Cream Soda ($5.80), reminiscent of the ice popsicles of yesteryear, Fresh Grape ($3.80), which is really freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and Japanese Iced Coffee ($4.80), there is definitely something for everyone regardless what your taste may be.

  Be sure to leave some space for their attractive selection of desserts which includes a variety of parfaits, sundaes and crepes. Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the Ichigo Milk Parfait ($9.80) and Tiramisu Parfait ($9.80). Sitting prettily atop a base of crispy cornflakes, layered liberally with syrup and topped with fresh fruits, the parfaits are simply divine. While the Choco-Banana Crepe ($9.80) is less outstanding, it is hard to go wrong with the sure-win combination of chocolate syrup on bananas.

• The Service
  The staff was polite and attentive with our needs, refilling glasses frequently and providing extra serviettes when we needed them. Our server had an impressive knowledge of the menu and was able to make suitable recommendations according to our likes and dislikes.

The SD Food Advisor's take on Pasta de Waraku
Pasta de Waraku certainly sets itself apart from other pasta restaurants with its distinctively creative menu. With so many items on its Grand Menu and even more available on its seasonal menu, there is almost always something new to try. The trend of a greying population in Singapore has certainly placed an emphasis on healthy eating and the restaurant chain has certainly risen up to the challenge of providing healthier food that look good and taste good, all at affordable prices.