In terms of its size or retail space, DPulze Shopping Centre in Cyberjaya is considered small – but it’s more than sufficient for the community’s needs, with a gym, a cinema, an events space, a grocer, and a fair number of restaurants.

A couple of new tenants have even moved in over the last year, including Pasta Zanmai on level UG, sister to Sushi Zanmai on level LG. While the latter serves more mainstream Japanese fare such as kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi), donburi (rice bowls), ramen, and udon, the former specialises in wafu pasta (Japanese-style) ie pastas that combine Japanese and European techniques and ingredients.

The layout of the restaurant mirrors its sister outlet with the light wooden furniture and warm lights. There is also an open kitchen with bar seating where you can watch the chefs in action.

We came here on two occasions, and so we were able to try a few different dishes. Being a creature of habit, N had the same item – the Ribeye Steak Spicy Pasta. We didn’t have high expectations but the beef was surprisingly good quality and the texture was soft and tender. The spice level was adjusted to just the right level, ie it gives you a good kick without overwhelming the flavours on the plate.

I had a creamy aburi salmon pasta – you can see the flame sear on top of the pasta as well, which was done al dente. This was tasty – despite is appearance, the cream sauce was very light, almost like a broth, and the salmon was seared to perfection, with the smoky char on the inside complementing the soft meat on the underside. Seemingly simple, but requires proper technique to achieve.

On my subsequent visit I had a mushroom with onsen pasta – this didn’t quite hit the mark. I think it has something to do with the type of mushrooms used, as these had a slightly bitter aftertaste. I have to commend the restaurant though as the pasta had perfect texture each time.

The portions aren’t very big, so you might want to get some sides to complement the meal. Bear in mind that these are also pretty small. Deep fried squid tentacles are coated in a light batter then deep fried for that crunchy exterior and springy, bouncy texture inside. The chicken karaage we ordered the second time around was decent too.

Fun fact: Pasta Zanmai actually had multiple outlets back in the day (you will still find food blogs mentioning it, from around the 2010s) but the brand kinda vanished over time. So this outlet marks the brand’s ‘comeback’, so to speak. Hopefully we’ll get to see more Pasta Zanmais in other locations!

Prices range from RM15 – RM30+ for the pasta dishes. They also have fusion pizzas.

PASTA ZANMAI

UG-16a, DPULZE Shopping Centre, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyber 12, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor

Phone:  012-473 3060

Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM

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