LOOKS can sometimes be so important. La Strada, the Italian restaurant at Shaw Centre, provides a good example.

It used to be made up of two outlets which were side by side: one a fine-dining Italian ristorante with a private, formal setting, and the other a casual pizzeria.

But after they opened about a year ago, the ristorante was quiet while the pizzeria did good business - even though the food in the former was much better.

In May, both closed to reopen last month as a single restaurant that was more casual than the old ristorante but smarter than the pizzeria. And the new concept is working.

The place is now packed, even though it has the same chef, Leandro Panza from Australia, and basically a combination of the old menus.

Prices are only minimally lower than those of the old ristorante - about 5 per cent, which is partly offset by the increase in GST anyway. But the pizzas cost more now, by about 10 per cent in some cases.

So the only explanation for the crowds that I can see is the new trendy look.

Designed by architect Tan Kay Ngee, who is also behind the look for the Page One bookshop in VivoCity, it has a semi-open concept that evokes the feeling of a streetside eatery. La Strada is Italian for The Street, after all.

The restaurant now has a glass wall that allows diners to look out at the pavement and passers-by to look in and see what's happening inside.

There is also a small section which is not air-conditioned where diners are separated from the pavement by only a low partition. And the kitchen is open, creating a buzz that makes the place even more hopping.

As for the food, chef Panza still shows a penchant for refined flavours with dishes such as a fresh-cut tagliolini pasta tossed with garlic, chilli, white wine and extra virgin olive oil and topped with mud crab meat ($32).

The ingredients are fresh, and the pasta's crisp texture makes it a delight. If there's a fault, it is only that the greenness of the fresh basil tends to mask the sweetness of the crab.

A similar problem can be detected with a stew of New Zealand clam and mussel ($22). The shellfish are fresh, but the sweet juices that should have flavoured the stew are somewhat elusive.

The meats, however, are problem-free.

The braised beef short ribs ($38) are perfect with their melt-in-the-mouth softness and come in a delicious mush of tomatoes studded with pearl onions. The bursts of flavour from the bits of garlic you bite into also set your tastebuds tingling with delight.

Another meat that is worth trying is the pan-roasted kurobuta pork cutlet ($43). The flavour is not as strong as some kurobuta I have tried but the crunch in the meat is something to enjoy.

For dessert, I suggest two must-tries.

Top on the list is a light-as-air peach and almond tart ($15) made up of paper-thin layers of fruit and pastry. Served with a scoop of truffle ice cream, it is perfect for weight-watching tai tais.

Next is a chocolate and salty peanut caramel combination layered with chocolate feuillitine ($14). The combination of sweet and salty flavours is intriguing, and the soft caramel contrasts well with the crispy feuillitine (a thin layer of puff pastry).

It is sinful, but sin can feel so good sometimes.

LA STRADA
1 Scotts Road,
Shaw Centre 02-10/11,
Tel: 6737-2555
Open: ****
Service: ****
Ambience: ****
Price: About $90 per person