Relaxed Italian Style.

This year's '778 Birthday Gathering' Part 2 took us to the newly opened Italian restaurant Pasteako at PMQ. A big thanks to Oli for the thoughtful selection and arrangement. Although PMQ is a great place, walking up from the metro station in the hot weather is no easy task. The restaurant indeed has a very Italian tavern vibe, reminding me of Osteria at the Gold Coast Hotel. The menu is simple, offering only set meals with no à la carte options. Since steak is on the menu, you can choose your preferred knife just like in a steakhouse. This time, I chose the Caping Knife. First up was the salad, featuring different colored tomatoes, baby spinach, olives, and nuts, simply dressed with olive oil for a natural and delicious taste. The salad is refillable; just let the staff know. Next came the pasta and steak. Initially, I thought they would be served separately, but they came together on a large plate. There were five of us, so we got to try all five pasta options on the menu. According to the staff, the tagliatelle and spaghetti are homemade, while the conchiglie, penne, and lumache are store-bought. However, the store-bought pastas with tomato sauce were quite tasty. The homemade tagliatelle had a chewy texture, paired with truffle sauce and freshly grated cheese by the staff, making it very flavorful. The risotto also had a chewy texture and was quite rich in flavor, not adjusted for local tastes. The steak options were 21-day aged sirloin or ribeye, both ordered medium rare, but they came out closer to medium. Normally, I prefer ribeye, but this time I would vote for the sirloin. Suddenly, we heard the staff ringing a bell, announcing 'Pasta Time,' and they brought out a large tray of pesto penne, offering free refills to the guests, instantly livening up the atmosphere. Surprisingly, the pesto penne was very delicious. Dessert was tiramisu, served in a large dish and portioned out for guests, with chocolate shavings grated on top in front of us, making it very interactive. Since we planned to go somewhere else afterward, we didn't have coffee here. Restaurant Information: PASTEAKO Shop HG01-HG05, Block B, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central