Pasta Zanmai – 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Why would I want to eat spaghetti when I can have all the yummy local Malaysian delicacies? And I am always over sensitive and cautious about eating raw sashimi in a hot tropical country like Malaysia, Salmonella is not what I am looking for on the menu that’s for sure. But when they mix it up with Japanese grilled Unagi on a bowl of Italian spaghetti, well that’s something I have to try. No, something I MUST TRY!
When my friend mentioned it to me, I was a little very skeptical towards this whole atrocious fusion concept. We are in Malaysia after all, eating Italian and Japanese food mixed together?! You gotta be kidding me?! It sounded so gimmicky and almost like what a uni student would do with their tight budget allowance. I agreed to go along as I am extremely curious, and I’m dying to find out what the fuss is all about, without any high expectations.
Clockwise L to R: The bright yellow Pasta Zanmai menu; little fish cod roe jewels inside mentaimayo sauce on the pizza; Pasta Zanmai unique chopsticks wrapper
As I followed my friend to this restaurant in 1 Utama, I found myself standing outside a tiny Japanese shop called Shojikiya that sells imported Japanese food products. Look closely, a tiny restaurant is tucked right behind the shop and that’s where all the actions are. The only way to get to the restaurant is to walk through the food shop. A few girls are lurking around the food shelves, admiring all the cutesy overloaded sweets and candies as we slowly squeeze our way through to this modern fusion Japanese restaurant called Pasta Zanmai. Soon I realised that there is actually a tiny narrow entrance to the right of the shop that leads straight to the restaurant. *dumb as!*
Clockwise L to R: beautiful pictures inside menu; Calpis with Yuzu - RM9.00; open kitchen where you can sit and watch while the chefs in action; side salad in Japanese style sesame french dessing
A clever interior layout in the restaurant with two circular booths seatings in the middle, more tables on each side, and a long chef’s table at the back overlooking an open kitchen where you can observe the chefs preparing your meal. The A2 size menu looks like a children book for the adults, filled with pictures of delicious looking pasta and pizzas with unusual toppings, someone obviously having too much fun coming up with the menu. I ordered myself a refreshing milky Calpis Yuzu drink to buy ourselves more time to decipher the intriguing menu.
Everything is so different and new to me, there is definitely no instant favorite among them all of this new concept which makes ordering even more difficult. But I do have a soft spot for Unagi (eel).
Unagi kabayki no spicy pasta - RM23 / set (side salad) - RM 26
We order a unagi kabayaki spicy pasta set to share which comes with a side salad. The name says it all, a generous slice of grilled unagi glazed with kabayaki sauce rested on top of a bowl of spaghetti pasta with tiny mushrooms, garnished with spring onions and dried chili flakes. My friend sprinkles some more Japanese sichimi on top, then gently toss them together like an extra assurance that this whole east-meets-west combination is really gonna work.
And she was right, I am hooked on first bite. The sweet tender unagi flesh harmonised nicely with the al dente spaghetti noodle in a subtle spicy sauce. The dish definitely flirts with your tastebud by not overly doing it and makes you craving for more.
Seafood Mentaimayo Pizza - RM22
There is a wide selection of pizzas on the menu to choose from and we decided to share a seafood Mentaimayo pizza from the August special menu. An array of seafood, mostly squid I found together with tiny mushrooms are scattered all over on a thin crust 8″ pizza base, with spicy cod fish roe mayonnaise zig-zagged all over. The pizza is nicely baked, with tender trails of squid and shrimps, and the mentaimayo makes the pizza even richer.
It is a short but sweet meal, as we still need to keep our stomach in-check and be ready for another meal later that evening. It is a little bit on the expensive side for Malaysian standard (our meal cost RM69.00 = AUD$23), but the meal is definitely oishii… or should I say è squisita? I definitely will go back again to try other pizzas, and not to mention I haven’t even touch the dessert menu!
It is a nice change from the usual Malaysian food and definitely open my appetite to a whole new horizon of the culinary world out there.
Pasta Zanmai G210B, Ground Floor Promenade, 1 Utama Shopping Center, 1 Lebur Bdr Utama, Bandar Utama Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia P: (603)7728 1210 Business hours: 10am to 10pm (Sunday to Thursday) 10am to 10.30pm (Friday and Saturday)
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
Hee hee uni students have come up with some awesome food combinations
This does sound like very interesting fusion tho, I want to try 
.-= FFichiban´s last blog ..Rengaya – North Sydney, Sydney (3) =-.
oh that pasta looks definitely yummy! It looks like a fine angel hair pasta too, I don’t have a problem with fusion dishes as long as the food is treated respectfully ie the pasta not overcooked, after all a carb is a carb is a carb!
.-= Moya´s last blog ..A Tale of Two Dumplings =-.
This food sort of reminds me of the kind of food they have at Takeru with the Italian-Japanese fusion. They’re part of the same group as Wagaya with the touch screens and I think there’s one in Chatswood and in the city. Although admittedly your pizza looks a lot yummier than the one I’ve had at Takeru!
.-= Jacq´s last blog ..Kobe Jones, King St Wharf, for all you can eat sushi! =-.
I would love to try this. My cousin has tried Japanese-style pasta in Japan for many times and she is amazed with the combo!
.-= mycookinghut´s last blog ..Ayam Masak Merah (Malay-Style Red Chicken Curry) =-.
hah! This reminds me of the random restaurants in Japan and Hong Kong which serve up all types of ‘mash-up’ foods. I had Teriyaki spag bowl in Tokyo once but it was surprisingly good.
.-= Howard´s last blog ..Merivale Winter Feast, Bistro CBD, Sydney =-.
The spicy pasta looks great.
.-= Anita´s last blog ..Aria Chocolate Tart =-.
I wouldn’t think of ordering eel, but that picture you took made it look so good that I’d love to try some. Shame it’s all the way in Malaysia
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..Backyard BBQ for 2 (and a half) =-.
It’s interesting that Italian restaurants are so popular in Japan. I think the pasta for ramen substitution works pretty well. The unagi looks so luscious and the pizza sounds pretty tasty too!
.-= Helen (grabyourfork)´s last blog ..New World Supermarket, Wellington, New Zealand =-.
I’d be hooked at my first bite too. Love the combination.
.-= Syrie´s last blog ..Robertson Cheese Factory =-.
Gorgeous blog! Consider yourself bookmarked
-Foodhogger
Mate, how do you get this kinda photos considering you are taking photos indoor and in a dimly lit (my assumption) place?
Japanese love PASUTAHHHHHH!
But unagi with spaghetti sounds weird even to me LOL
Yuzu Calpis sounds very good! *added to my late night list*
.-= Yas´s last blog ..Late night cooking: Prawn Pancake =-.
I bet you have a lot of amazing uni student cooking by the sound of it.
Yeah I think this combo works really well for me, especially the pasta dish.
Ohhhh… I didn’t even know there is a restaurant like that in Sydney! Thanks for shining the light! Must go to Takeru!
Oh yeah! Japan pasta is quite something!! How I miss going to Japan…
Noice, Japs really have their ways with quirky food and make it real good. Maybe all they put is the Jap mayo and everyone will love it!
Taste just as good!
Well Jacq just said there is one here in Chatswood! Must give it a try.
Well I think the Italian food in Japan will never be the same but they definitely has invented to a whole new genre which I like.