Bentendo vs Waraku Pasta

I love Japanese-Western cafes. As a kid, I remember going to Petit Monde at Isetan in Parkway Parade very often. I could not take my eyes off the food models on display, and would always order the kid's meal that came in a tray with a TOY. Happy times! =))

30 years later, there are more of such cafes in Singapore. However, the quality is inconsistent.

Within the same week, 'Good Fren' and I visited 2 Japanese-Western cafes, Bentendo and Waraku Pasta.

Conclusion: NO FIGHT!! Bentendo wins hands down.

Bentendo (Great World City)
We had a late lunch on the weekend. Around 4pm. There was nobody at Bentendo then.

2 different 'genres' of pastas. The typical tomato/garlic-base Bentendo Fisherman pasta. I love the garlicky sauce. Mmmm...

A Japanese-inspired pasta.

Both are wonderful to see and taste. Fusion, but not confusion.

And this combo pizza. Chewy cheesy on a thin crust. What more can you ask for?

Waraku Pasta (Changi Airport Terminal 2)
Just before 'Good Fren' went off to KL for a work trip, we had dinner at Terminal 2. Because of childhood memories, I was seduced by the glossy food models.

There were so many of them, ok!!

Unfortunately, Waraku is a really lousy example of the Japanese-Western cafe. Mainly because the food tasted like they just got reheated out of the freezer.

A combo set. Steak and pasta.

This pizza tasted like cheap cheese on hardened pita bread-ish biscuit.

The only saving grace in this pasta is the Kimchi, which you can hardly see.