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Italian pasta with a taste of Japan
Plates of pasta with delectable side dishes such as unagi (eels), oysters, squid, prawns, chicken and beef with a sprinkling of nori (Japanese seaweed) and sunny-side-up eggs, are arranged neatly on a big, tall glass-enclosed shelf
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lates of pasta with delectable side dishes such as unagi (eels), oysters, squid, prawns, chicken and beef with a sprinkling of nori (Japanese seaweed) and sunny-side-up eggs, are arranged neatly on a big, tall glass-enclosed shelf.
Pans of pizza with various toppings, ranging from cod's roe, tomatoes, eggs, beef salami, salmon to mushrooms are displayed on wooden boards. Next to the pizza, you can find a number of fresh drinks and desserts like parfaits, puddings and ice-creams.
The ray of light from the lamp inside the shelf clearly highlights the details and ingredients of every dish. The yummy dishes really tempt the appetites of passersby. Don't be taken in though, because the food is not edible. Made of rubber silicon, the menu items are for display only.
This is the unique way in which Pasta de Waraku tries to attract customers to come and dine in the eatery. The mock food, which is made in Japan, cost about Rp 2 million (US$209), said Musthafa Al Mukhtar Idris, the operations manager of Pasta de Waraku Indonesia.
Pasta de Waraku, originally from Singapore, sets itself apart from other pasta restaurants with its distinctively creative menu, combining famous Italian pasta with delicious Japanese dishes. Waraku in Japanese connotes peace and harmony.
Once you enter and get seated in the restaurant, you will be offered a large menu, showcasing dozens of dishes and drinks. With over 100 main courses and a wide selection of drinks and desserts, choosing what to eat might be your biggest hurdle.
Surrounded by tall glass windows with displays of colorful yet tempting mock-ups of pasta dishes, it is easy to get overenthusiastic with your order.
Start your culinary adventure with either a hot or cold drink. If you want something simple, you can opt for healthy Japanese tea, which is refillable. For diners who are more into cold beverages, Calpis is a good choice. The drink has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly sour taste, similar to plain yogurt.
Pasta de Waraku's Grand Menu has so many items to offer, enticing you to try something new. The pasta itself is unique, as it is mixed with wafu sauce (authentic Japanese sauce made from bonito fish broth).
"The wafu sauce is added while we are cooking the pasta, making the pasta tasty. We don't use any salt or monosodium glutamate *MSG* in our dishes," Musthafa said.
Two pasta dishes at least come recommended. They are the Chicken Teriyaki and the Carbonara Waraku-Style.
The former consists of a generous amount of chopped chicken with teriyaki sauce and chopped nori (seaweed).
Waraku's take on the classic carbonara is creamy without being cloying, served with beef bacon and onsen tamago (half-cooked hot springs egg) with the famous Italian carbonara sauce. Onsen tamago is often served for Japanese-style breakfasts.
A good way to enjoy pasta with onsen tamago, said Musthafa, is to stir the egg until the yolk breaks and mix it with your pasta. It's just the same as when you eat bubur ayam (chicken porridge) with egg.
If spicy pasta sounds like your cup of tea, Kimchee Al' Aglio Olio with minced beef and chili is a definite must-try. It's a combination of Japanese, Italian and Korean.
Looking for something adventurous? You can try the Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppia with squid cooked in its own black ink.
Other than pasta, the menu boasts a variety of alternative, scrumptious pizzas, like the Spicy Cod's Roe and Potato Pizza with its super-thin crust and savory wafu mayonnaise cream sauce. Other options are beef bacon and egg with carbonara sauce, and scallops and prawns with tartar sauce.
Be sure to leave some space for the attractive selection of desserts which include a variety of parfaits, puddings and ice-creams.
Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the Fruit Parfait, a combination of soft vanilla ice-cream topped with fruit, and Maccha Azuki Parfait, green tea ice-cream topped with Japanese rice dumpling, red beans and strawberries.
Other authentic Japanese desserts are the Maccha Monaka (green tea ice-cream with Japanese wafers) and Maccha Shiratama, green tea ice-cream with red beans and Japanese wafers.
The maccha desserts, which are served like oysters, do not taste overly sweet.
Pasta de Waraku's exquisite cuisine and unique concept really add a new color to Jakarta's culinary scene.
Pasta de Waraku
Mal Taman Anggrek, Level. 2 Phone: +6221-5639590
Grand Indonesia Shopping Town East Mall, Garden District, Level 3A Phone: +6221-23580916
Pondok Indah Mall 2 Restaurant Row, Level 3 Phone: +6221-75920608
