PapàRoy — Restaurant in Xinyi District

Dropped by Papa Roy for an early lunch at 11:30AM on Friday (4/18), and I’m still thinking about the layers of flavor and warmth I experienced there. I ordered the bolognese mafaldine, grilled broccoli, and an iced Americano — and honestly, everything hit the spot in the best possible way.

The mafaldine was cooked to that perfect, chewy al dente texture — its ruffled edges capturing every bit of the rich, slow-simmered bolognese sauce. But the real moment? When the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano hit the steaming pasta — the umami-rich aroma that lifted off the bowl was absolutely intoxicating. That nutty, salty scent mingling with the savory meat sauce? Pure magic. It’s the kind of smell that makes you pause, smile, and immediately know you’re about to eat something special.

The grilled broccoli was another surprise highlight — deeply charred and caramelized, yet still tender with just the right amount of crunch. A great contrast to the pasta and a dish that could easily stand on its own.

Even the iced Americano deserves a mention: smooth, strong, and refreshingly bitter in the best way. A great reset between bites.

Then there’s the space — modern, effortlessly elegant, and totally unpretentious. Warm wood accents, soft lighting, clean lines… it feels like a well-curated living room designed by someone with great taste (and a deep love of pasta). There’s an openness and calm to the space that makes you want to stay awhile.

Service? Friendly and personal without being pushy. Roy, the owner, was working the floor with a smile, chatting with guests and making sure everything was just right. There’s something truly special about being served by someone who clearly loves what they do — and it shows in every detail.

One last shoutout: the fresh pasta room at the entrance is such a statement. It tells you right away — this is a place that cares deeply about quality and craft. Every dish reflects that same level of intention.

Disclaimer: I do know Roy personally, but this is an honest, unbiased take. Papa Roy is the kind of spot you want to tell your friends about — just maybe after you’ve secured your own next...

Mediocre Italian food that hides behind trendy decor. Came with large groups few weeks ago. Here to provide constructive feedback not a complaint. There is better food around the area.

Started off with two pieces of herb bread cut in the shape of a large biscotti. Good flavors but the bread was over toasted as if they were huge croutons. Dry, crispy, and hard never had bread served like this.

Salad was great. Cesar had a surprising citrus notes to it quite unique instead of the usual vinegar taste. Chicken breast was sous vide well but need to quality check the meat was pink and had bloody spots despite being fully cooked. Just visually unpleasant for diners. Need to refine the details. Unfortunately the meal peaked here.

Had the squid pasta dish, but the taste is overall bitter and unpleasant despite being edible (quite a common complaint here). The squid also emitted a fishy aroma due to the innards not being cleaned out. Lack of refinement but good attempt. Informed the servers and the surprisingly dismissed our feedback haha no attempt to resolve.

Pork chops were a major letdown. Seems like it was sous vide and then grilled briefly on a grill. Need to factor in the grill time will increase temp of meat so better to sous vide at lower temp and finish cooking on grill to avoid it being over cooked. Had Good taste but it was very chewy and fibrous. Very hard to digest and eat.

Pasta wise it’s okay no major issues with the texture and cook. Need to refine the flavors and cooking technique.

Overall, PapaRoy looks great has nice decor and good ambience. In regards to bitter tasting notes, there is a fine difference between pleasant grill aroma and burnt food. The grilled stuff like squid was borderline burnt. Italian food is definitely not like this maybe you can get by this in Taiwan but there is for sure better Italian restaurants nearby. I guess if you had to dine here the safest option is their truffle creamy pasta choice as you can’t really mess that up.

Need to improve on...

The bread portion was on the small side—most Italian restaurants typically serve more, especially to accompany olive oil or to fare la scarpetta.

Margherita pizza: had an overgenerous amount of mozzarella, which overshadowed the tomato's natural acidity and moisture. Parmigiano Reggiano made a surprise appearance, which felt a bit out of place for this otherwise classic pizza Napoletana.

Truffle mushroom pasta: had a strong umami profile and was quite indulgent at first, but became overwhelming halfway through. That said, the pasta fresca was cooked perfectly al dente, and its handmade texture was evident.

Sicilian-style linguine with tiger prawns: was rather underwhelming. It lacked the concentrated tomato richness that capuliato usually delivers. The linguine was slightly overcooked, and the dish was overly greasy—likely due to an excess of olio extravergine d’oliva.

Semifreddo: was actually the highlight—light, creamy, and well-balanced. A bit more aceto balsamico would have elevated the contrast beautifully.

Overall, the meal wasn’t bad, but didn’t leave a lasting impression either. At this price point, I would expect more refined execution and...