Gohan The Great!

The peculiar, yet fitting combination of mixing Japanese ingredients and techniques into traditional Italian recipes has hit a wavelength of trend. Malaysia seems to be catching on. First came Pasta Zanmai, then comes Pasta de Gohan. A local version of the ever-expanding Singaporean chain Pasta de Waraku, the newly opened Sunway outlet contributes to their tentative opening tally of 70 in the duration of two years.

Pasta de Gohan projects an infection of a true blue Japanese flu, emulating the sort of neighbourhood eateries we see on NHK; the sort that move us to vacation. The menu, however, seems sceptical, with pasta favourites fushioned to the acquired Japanese taste, including the kimchi aglio olio. However, dishes manage to retain their sanctity, despite the Japanese influence that instead help to accentuate the taste. With this in mind, ordering can take an age, with the vast variety of paged categories in pizza, pasta, gratin, pilaf, and doria, to name a few.

Despite its steep price of RM20.80 for a mini pizza about the size of an Ikea curry puff, order the carbonara, coagulating healthy and sinful. The wide variety of pastas are accommodated to taste accordingly, with the distinct inclusion of wafu sauce as well as the freshness that is normally associated with anything Japanese.

Text Claudia Low