KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Calories don’t count when you’re hitting up this pasta-den in the bohemian enclave of Wisma Cosway, where fried rice and chicken rice sit side by side with fish and chips, Thai noodles and tacos.
Fresh pasta geeks will be happy to know Francobolli crafts its pasta in all shapes and sizes using Italian flour and eggs.
Luca, the owner, started pasta making as a hobby that became a serious business; for five years, he supplied local Italian establishments with their machine-stamped pasta.
Snag a seat at the counter, or if you’re lucky, one of the limited tables inside the compact space where pasta is cooked in the open kitchen, without the pretentiousness you find at other highbrow places.
The fresh pasta is timed perfectly, right up to the last minute (cue that line of timers over the stove) to ensure it hits your table al dente.
Luca adds the final flourish of the sauce, finishing it off with finely shaved Grana Padano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Pasta choices are limited to four or five items, each using a different shape, available à la carte or as a set with focaccia.
Consider getting the set with the focaccia if you’re a devoted fan of sauce, as you can pinch a bit of the bread to fare la scarpetta, which is making a little shoe — to wipe the plate clean of sauce.
This is a big compliment to the chef, showing you thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
The Wagyu Ragu Mafalde (RM32) is a masterpiece; the ribbon pasta with frilly edges catches the mellow, long cooked ragu, allowing you to taste the slightly sweet San Marzano tomatoes along with the silky, tender Wagyu beef.
It’s a more harmonious pairing compared to using the wider pappardelle, often a default choice for restaurants here, where the ragu sometimes slides off the ribbons.
Cacio E Pepe (RM28) may look simple — just a cheese sauce conjured up with Pecorino Romano and dusted with black pepper — but this silky sauce clings so well to their pasta choice, the tube-like rigatoni, that very little sauce pools at the bottom of the plate.
A new addition to the menu is the Duck Crackling Carbonara (RM36), which uses egg yolk pappardelle for a richer pasta.
The broad noodles are coated with the carbonara and bits of grated cheese, while the duck crackling croutons provide a crispy, crunch and a savoury flavour to the whole dish.
Usually guanciale is used, but since the establishment doesn’t use pork, they have swapped it for duck, which mimics the rich, savoury taste.
Duck is also the highlight of their Smoked Duck & Truffle Pasta (RM32), which uses egg yolk tagliatelle.
The silky, thinner ribbons gets a rich truffle sauce accompanied by cubed smoked duck and is topped with finely grated cheese.
The only dessert (dolce) to end the meal is Tiramisu (RM15), the owner’s favourite, featuring a fluffy, coffee-soaked sponge and cream to relish.
On weekdays, the vibe is busy, busy, as lunchtime is a rushed affair for the office workers utilising their precious one-hour break.
Consider visiting on a Saturday, as it’s more chill then, allowing you to relish the food a little more leisurely.
You can also explore the building’s narrow corridors, which are caught in a 1980s time warp since it was built around 40 years ago, for coffee to keep awake and more desserts like a superb bitter caramel gelato from Gelato Espresso Bar by Wild Sheep Chase on the ground floor.
Francobolli
Lot 1.25, First Floor,
Wisma Cosway,
88 Jalan Raja Chulan,
Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 11am to 3pm (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday)
Instagram: @francobollipasta
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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