Newly opened Pastaro at Chancery Court serves local fusion pastas including Hokkien-mee pasta, opened by Willin Low

What comes to mind when you mention the name “chef Willin Low”?

Probably a spread of fusion dishes inspired by local dishes — he is, after all, the man christened by some as the “godfather of mod-Sin”, the style of creative modern Singaporean cooking that’s prevalent in many of the best cafes and restaurants all across Singapore nowadays.

It’s been a while since the trailblazer chef has unveiled a new concept, but 2024 sees Willin Low adding something new to his portfolio with Pastaro, a new, casual pasta restaurant at Chancery Court.

Opened to the public in the last week of July, Pastaro is a restaurant that might be a bit tricky to find, as compared to sister restaurant Relish by Wild Rocket at Botanic Gardens.

The restaurant is located at Chancery Court, a condominium estate that’s a ten-minute walk away from Newton MRT station.

But no, it’s not operating out of a condo unit. Rather, Pastaro is found inside a supermarket — well technically, it’s located on the second floor of the building housing CS Fresh, just with a window view overseeing the supermarket’s interior.

It takes some sleuthing to find your way to the somewhat hidden spot, as it can only be accessed from a lift lobby at the side of the building. Thankfully, they’ve put out signs to show guests the way.

Despite the slight inconvenience, guests will probably feel right at home, once they settle into Pastaro.

The space is small but feels very cosy and intimate, done up elegantly with understated browns and greens, while mustard-hued cushions peppering the seats and ribbons of curved wood meander across the ceiling.

Laksa and Hokkien mee in pasta form?

As far as Pastaro’s menu is concerned, fusion pasta is the emphasis. Most dishes are centred around local and regional flavours less regularly seen in pasta dishes. Save for two classics, that is: The carbonara fettuccine (S$24) and spicy vongole fettuccine (S$26).

For example, there’s the buah keluak spaghetti (S$21) that’s drenched in a glossy and deep-brown chicken and buah keluak curry.

Exuberantly earthy, rich with a nice touch of acidity — Pastaro does a good job of showcasing the idiosyncrasies of the Peranakan staple in pasta form.

Another dish that really piqued our interest was Pastaro’s Singapore fried noodles (S$26), essentially Hokkien mee disguised as pasta.

If you aren’t familiar with the dish “Singaporean fried noodles”, it’s a type of stir-fry noodle commonly found overseas that, ironically, isn’t actually derived from Singapore cuisine.

Much like the stir-fry, this Pastaro dish is made with handmade noodles of the broader and flatter variety, instead of the patented Hokkien mee combination of thick and thin bee hoon.

And unlike the misattributed stir-fry, it comes with the seafood flavours you’d associate with Hokkien mee — that said, it misses on the textures and smokiness that endear the hawker dish so much to Singaporeans.

Something Pastaro does very differently from other cafes and restaurants is its laksa pasta. Usually when the words “laksa pasta” are uttered, what comes to mind is the image of a pasta swimming in a fierce crimson sauce and brimming with lemak fragrance. 

Here, the restaurant serves an interesting laksa pesto spaghetti (S$28) that is more grassy and sharp, than it is rich. Its fragrance leans heavily towards herbaceous notes instead — don’t expect the usual coconut milk-forward oomph.

While Pastaro is a pasta bar and pasta should be the focus, there are also a good few sides on the menu to pair with the carby mains.

To us, the har jeong fritter (S$14) is a must-order. Tender and fatty chunks of pork belly encrusted in an airy batter, similar to prawn-paste chicken? Take our money.

It’s even more shiok with a swig of the chilli, which adds a bit of tang and heat to complement the decadence.

Overall, it’s an interesting option that we think would intrigue the pasta lovers who are hankering for something a little out of the norm after the influx of Italian restaurants lately.

To make it even better, Pastaro is neighboured by popular pastry brand Banele — maybe you can make a plan and hit up two spots, to make it worth the venture down to Chancery Court?

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the jinjja best Korean places to go for your fix and the moving story behind one of the best Nasi Padang brands in Singapore.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Pastaro at Chancery Court.