pasta zanmai @ 1 utama

pasta zanmai

yes, you read it right. pasta zanmai, sister/brother outlet of sushi zanmai (from the rakuzen group of restaurants). as the name already suggests, it serves pasta... with a fusion of japanese toppings.

when i saw the ad on starmetro saying "GRAND OPENING SPECIALS enjoy 50% off our best sellers..." i knew i have to go!!!!!!1111

so i shamelessly ajak my sister for lunch (hoping she will pay HAHA, which she did thankyouvelimuch). the 50% off was only one dish on one day and i was eyeing on the soft shell crab no gomadare shitate (np: rm22, 18 march 50% off only rm11!!!!) i wantttttttt!!!!!1111111

so hehe, my sister agreed and off we went!! the entrance is so wtf small that you'll miss it if you dont pay attention! well, thats because the 1/2 of the shop is occupied by the shojikiya everything japanese foodstuff store. pasta zanmai is the innerpart of the shop. the deco and ambiance is pretty cozy and just like sushi zanmai, it has an open kitchen concept where you can see the chef in action! and big colorful menus, we like!!

hot green tea- rm3/pot

we had the hot green tea at rm3 per pot and its refillable. although it's quite cheap but i think the 'pot' is a gimmick to charge a higher price cos in sushi zanmai, it's rm1 per cup and its refillable as well. so whats the difference?? (the pot is quite cute though hehe)

asari miso soup- rm6
(short-neck clam miso soup)

we decided to do away with the normal miso soup and opted the seafood one instead. it has about 4-5 clams but the soup was flavorful and comes in a rather deep bowl, so its advisable to share!

soft shell crab no gomadare shitate- rm22
(soft shell crab pasta, topped with sesame sauce)

i had the dish on offer which is the soft shell crab pasta. my fav soft shell crab!!! the pasta is served with a creamy sauce but not as creamy as alfredo or carbonara. the sauce has a mixture saltiness and sweetness, very different from western style of pasta (maybe cos of the sesame sauce?). and the best part? hee! the soft shell crab (2 pieces) and the roe tasted gooood.

gyu shabu no gomadare shitate- rm25
(blanched beef pasta, topped with sesame sauce)

i read that the beef pasta is good so i recommended it to my sister... and indeed it was good. the beef slices were like shabu-shabu'ed, hence the reddish color how beef slices should be. the pairing with the sesame sauce was good too. although both pasta seem to have similar sauces, it definitely doesnt taste the same. i would say the soft shell crab pasta was creamier.

also, the pasta portions are rather large, so small eaters are advised to share!

sesame grinder

they also offer this d-i-y sesame grinder where you grind your own black sesame. very fun thing to play with while waiting for your pasta though. the wait isnt that long, but i am not too sure the same on packed days, but i supposed pastas are generally easy food to prepare?

but end of the meal, we were both simply too full and decided to give desserts a miss although the pictures in the menu were really tempting!!

the total bill was rm51.75 for the both of us inclusive of 10% + 5% taxes. not too cheap as remember one of the item is 50% off? but its worth a try! who knows italian pasta and japanese cuisine can go so well together. next, i'm planning to open a restaurant that sells pasta with siew yok, char siew, roast duck...

p/s: the 50% off promo is until 28th march!! fast, go find your copy of the starmetro ad pg27 friday 14 march 2008!!!!
pp/s: read my sister's review here!

pasta zanmai
g210b, ground floor promenade
1 utama (walkway along burger king, genki sushi & carls jr)
tel: 03-77281210

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]