The hype: This hand-pulled pasta haven joins worthy contenders on the Keong Saik Road stretch, as part of lifestyle complex KeSa House’s formidable dining cluster.
The vibe: Constantly buzzing, the place screams convivial, enveloping you in old-fashioned Italian warmth from the moment you set foot through the doors. The entire restaurant fits just 34—perfect for an intimate meal with a friend or lover. Best seat in the house is at the bar-counter, where you get a front-row view to all the grating, cooking and plating action.
The food: Commandeered by Executive Chef Alessandro Giustetti (formerly of Garibaldi), the restaurant confidently touts its handmade, home-style pastas as its star attraction. Made to-order daily, the menu of 11 pasta dishes is rounded out by four non-pasta mains, starters and desserts that marry the familial warmth of dining at home, with an elegant fine-casual experience.
Start with antipasti like the generous Burrata ($40), served with creamy pesto from Chef Giustetti’s home region of Genoa. The braised Veal Tongue ($24) on salsa verde, finished with beef jus, is impossibly tender too. Pace yourself—you’ll want to save room for the main event: the hand-pulled pastas.
A fail-safe choice is the tomato-based Tagliatelle ($30) with 24-hour beef ragu—easily the most popular dish on the menu for its comforting flavours (and familiar look). The pasta itself is so freshly made, you can taste a finesse in the slightly roughened texture of the Tagliatelle ribbons. For a history lesson in Italian pasta, order the Lagane ($28) made of pure flour and water; its straightforward mix of chickpea, chilli and spicy garlic is historically the first-known written recipe of pasta. The creamy pasta sheets melt in your mouth, as a fiery warmth spreads through your throat from the impressive spice.
For the more adventurous, there’s Chef’s rabbit ragu Reginatte ($34), with curly wisps of pasta plucked from the rack right in front of you. But if you’ve only got room for one dish, make it the Tortelli ($32) encasing dehydrated pumpkin and amaretti—an undeniable standout for its complex swirl of flavours expertly held in a single shell. To finish, nothing less than the Fried Nutella ($14), rich warm chocolate fried and served on raspberry compote.
The drinks: A neat selection of New and Old World wines is available to pair with your meal, like the musty red Il Ponte Balto ($98 per bottle) from Toscana, Italy. Ask nicely and you just might get a splash of Limoncello ($10) at the end.
Why you’ll be back: Its lively space an authentic Italian dream and its service top-notch, Pasta Bar is a new go-to for days when you’re just craving hearty, homely pastas that remind you of your mother’s cooking.
