The best kinds of pasta are handmade, and at the newly-opened 2KulGuyz, they make some of the most unique kinds of pasta we’ve seen in Singapore. If the name 2KulGuyz sounds familiar to you, that’s because they’ve been operating as pop-up stalls at bazaars and pasar malams in Singapore, and have only just recently opened a permanent physical café at one north.
2KulGuyz specialises in 100% handmade pastas that are freshly made in-house, all in vibrant colours like pink and blue (the brand’s signature colours) and in quirky shapes too, like Bucatini, Cresta di Gallo Rigato, Gimelli, Campanelle and Mafalde. The pasta colours are 100% natural as well, with no artificial colourings used—the pink coloured pasta is Pink Grapefruit, while the blue is made from Blue Pea. Other pasta flavours include Squid Ink, Paprika, Garlic Parsley and more, depending on what’s on rotation for the day.
Chicken Aglio Olio with Pink Grapefruit Mafalde, $17.90
For their lunch service, there will be 3 pastas to choose from, while the dinner service has a much more comprehensive selection. You get to pick your preferred pasta from the display, along with your choice of sauce from the menu. Out of all the pasta sauces we tried during their dinner service, our favourite was the Chicken Aglio Olio with Pink Grapefruit Mafalde ($17.90)—a classic aglio olio sauce that’s light but yet tasty and garlicky, clinging to the grooves in the Mafalde pasta perfectly.
Smoked Duck Aglio Olio with Blue Pea Mafalde, $22.90
Smoked Salmon Pink Sauce with Blue Pea Gimelli, $18.90
The Smoked Duck Aglio Olio with Blue Pea Mafalde ($22.90) is also a good option if you want a little bit of theatrics (they’ll smoke the pasta before presenting it at your table with a flourish!). Both aglio sauces are pretty identical in taste, but we felt this one had a slightly more spicy kick from the chilli padi.
Squid Ink Sauce with Squid Ink Cresta di Gallo Rigato, $24.90
Smoked Beef Bolognese with Paprika Fusilli, $19.90
For squid ink lovers, you can go for some double squid ink action with the Squid Ink Sauce with Squid Ink Cresta di Gallo Rigato ($24.90). As we’re not the biggest fans of squid ink, we were glad to find that this squid ink pasta was not overly fishy-smelling, but had a good brininess and umami flavour that squid ink lovers will definitely enjoy.
As for the whole handmade pasta experience, we’d say 2KulGuyz is pretty up there on the list of best handmade pasta in Singapore in terms of uniqueness and variety of pasta; plus all pastas are cooked to the perfect al dente texture that we love. However, while the pastas themselves were flavoured, we felt that the flavours themselves were incredibly subtle, if not nonexistent, especially after being cooked in the various sauces. So if you’re expecting the Pink Grapefruit pasta to really taste like the tart citrus fruit, don’t.
Durian Ravioli, $16.90
For dessert, we were treated to their off-menu Durian Ravioli ($16.90), a sinfully sweet dessert pasta that’s only available for the Ramadan period. This dessert is reminiscent of durian pengat, made with Mao Shan Wang flesh blended with cheese and cream cheese before being stuffed into ravioli and deep fried. Definitely a must-try for durian lovers or those with a sweet tooth. Show some love for the Durian Ravioli and the folks at 2KulGuyz might just consider adding it to the permanent menu!
Bread & Butter, complimentary (dinner only)
Bone Marrow Garlic Bread, $16.90
Each table will also be served a complimentary platter of freshly toasted bread and a trio of housemade butters in Kombu, Truffle and Herb flavours (dinner service only). You can purchase these butters to bring home, along with ready-made packs of their handmade dried pastas in Small ($12.90) and Large ($16.90).
2KulGuyz has 2 service times: Lunch (11am-3pm) and Dinner (5pm-9pm). Lunch is a more casual affair, and dishes will be served in takeaway containers, while Dinner will be served with proper plating and dishware. Currently, 2Kulguyz is 100% Muslim-owned, and they’re working on getting a Halal certification very soon.
2KulGuyz
Ambience: 3/5
Food/Drinks: 3.5/5
Service: 5/5
Price: $$
Worth a visit: One of the most unique handmade pasta options in Singapore!
Address: 1 Fusionopolis Pl, #01-34 Galaxis, Singapore 138522
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm & 5pm-9pm; Saturday, 11am-5pm
