LaPasta

LaPasta is a small, plainly furnished pasta bar on the fourth floor of Orchard Towers, with about 14 seats. It opens in the late afternoon and keeps cooking until midnight, which makes it one of the few places on Orchard Road for fresh pasta after a late finish. The pasta is made by hand and the menu is short.

The guanciale carbonara and the guanciale cacio e pepe are the dishes most people come for. Rigatoni al granchio with crab is the richer option, and the burratina with pesto and basil makes a good starter to share. The fried 'secret chicken' and Italian pork meatballs round out a meal on a budget, with most pastas between S$26 and S$32.

Good for a casual date or a late supper for two or three. Book ahead through Chope, ideally a week out for dinner, as seats are few and tables are held for about an hour. There is a generous corkage deal if you bring wine. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 4pm to midnight; the menu includes pork.