7 unique pasta dishes you'll only ever find in Singapore
PUBLISHED ONOctober 11, 2019 6:02 AM
Oriental Bolognaise? Chilli Crab Pasta?
You’d be surprised to realise how well local flavours go with this Italian staple. Don’t miss these special creations right here in SG!
1. WILD ROCKET: LAKSA PESTO LINGUINE
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You could say that Wild Rocket’s chef Willin Low was one of the pioneers who sparked the wave of local flavours celebrated in global dishes.
One of his dearest creations: the signature Laksa Pesto Linguine, topped with a juicy king prawn.
Despite the richness of the dish – the linguine is well-coated with a potent pesto made from aromatic laksa leaves – it’s in no way cloying, but has a wonderful depth of flavour that’ll leave you wanting more.
10A Upper Wilkie Rd, 228119
10A Upper Wilkie Rd, 228119
www.wildrocket.com.sg
2. THE SUSHI BAR: WAFU SPAGHETTI
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Who’s to say a full-fledged Japanese restaurant (Sushi counter? Check. Fresh sashimi? Check.) can’t do pasta?
The Sushi Bar’s Wafu Spaghetti is exactly what is says it is: creamy mentaiko (Japanese salted roe) sauce injecting umami excitement into simple angel hair pasta, topped with more roe.
Nothing less, but also nothing more – but then again, anything else would be a distraction from the already rich tang of the dish. Oishii!
Various locations
https://thesushibar.com.sg
3. GRUB: CHILLI CRAB PASTA
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Tomato-based, mildly spiced sauces is at the heart and soul of traditional Italian pastas like marinara or amatricana, so it’s no surprise that our Chilli Crab works wonders when reinvented as a pasta dish.
Grub’s rendition is a delicious mix of linguine in a chunky Singapore-style chilli crab sauce, topped with a whole battered soft shell crab that livens up the entire dish.
510 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, 569983
https://grub.com.sg
4. FISH & CHICKS: TOM YUM PASTA
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Ok, the gravy is much thinner than you might be used to for pasta (we initially raised our eyebrows, too), but that doesn’t mean it’s not laced with hits of distinct sour yet spicy flavour that fans of Thai food would adore.
A tip: Ask for the battered dory to be served on the side so it doesn’t lose its crisp to the gravy.
After all, you might’ve guessed from its name that the fish is the star of the dish.
#01-2429, 531 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, 560531
www.facebook.com/fishnchickssg
5. BIRDS OF A FEATHER: ORIENTAL BOLOGNAISE
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Western dishes sport a Szechuan twist at this funky restaurant, that’s somewhat a cross between a Chinese teahouse and a hipster gastrobar.
Can you imagine? We didn’t think so.
Try the Oriental Bolognaise, angel hair pasta with punchily flavoursome pork ragout, sakura ebi and wilted kale; burst the yolk of the onsen egg to coat its sunshine yellowy goodness all over your pasta.
#01-01, 115 Amoy St, 069935
www.facebook.com/birdsofafeathersg
6. VIOLET OON: BUAH KELUAK NOODLES
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Singapore’s star chef’s Buah Keluak Noodles has much going on for it beyond its novelty factor – it’s basically black gold.
The rich, earthy flavours of buah keluak, an well-loved anchor ingredient in Peranakan cuisine – are balanced out with coconut milk and infused with a medley of spices for an unapologetically moreish mouthful.
Why Buah Keluak isn’t a ubiquitous thing in all over cuisines remains a baffling mystery to us – it’s So. Darn. Good.
Various locations
https://violetoon.com
7. FOOD ANATOMY: FOOD CUBES
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Food meets graphic design at Food Anatomy, where modular cubes of deconstructed Asian and international faves taste as delish as they look.
On the menu, you’ll find unique dishes (for the lack of a better word) like Laksa Pasta and more.
Timbre+, 73A Ayer Rajah Cres, 139957
www.foodanatomy.sg
This article was first published in The Finder.