Pasta : Hunt for the Best in town (Pune)

Hi,

Let me introduce myself to you all. I am Guruprasad Kulkarni, living in Pune since I was born. I just completed my graduation from MIT and currently working in an IT firm. As it goes, I am a great foodie. My stomach has its own brain :P. Being a brahmin, I am a pure veggie!

Well, Italian food is something very special to me. Let it be pasta, pizza or lasagna, I love them all. So, I decided to take a walk around the town and find out where I can indulge into the flavours from Italy. I profoundly like pasta in white and pesto sauce, so I made a survey only about these pastas.

One criteria I want to mention though, finding the best pasta in the town is never only about its taste but also its price. If you pay around 400 Rs. for a plate of pasta, definetly you would expect it to be one of the best (Yes guys, I am talking about 'Little Italy') so price factor should also be taken care off.

I commenced my survey from a small restaurant named "AMORE" in koregaon park (near Adlabs). One of the reasons I went over there is, It claims it has the best italian food in the town. The ambience is elegant but gives you the feeling of as if you were sitting inside an air conditioned can. The staff is very cooperative and enlightens you about their various italian dishes. I went there in evening time, it wasn't crowded. I ordered Pasta (penne) in cheesy white sauce along with bell peppers and olives. When I tasted a spoonfull, the pasta was well cooked/boiled. The sauce however lacked taste, it was very plain and blunt. I added salt, pepper, chilli flakes and italian seasonings to spice it a little. The veggies were also less on top of it. The upside was its higene and the way they cook the pasta. Talking about the cost, it was efficient. I had to pay 90 (for the pasta) +20 (for veggies). For the pasta I would give it a 3/5, for ambience and staff 3.5/5 and for cost and its worth: again a 3/5.

Next on my agenda was "PEPINOS", but I somehow landed into a Pasta house at "GOLD ADLABS"  (just adjecent to U.S Pizzas). I ordered a plate of Penne pasta in white sauce. What I got was a plate full of disaster. Though it looked good but it tasted twice as bad. The pasta wasn't well cooked. Talking about the sauce, it was too too much cheesy, all you could taste was the excessiveness of cheese. The sauce wasn't thick at all. All I could think while eating it was, when will this stuff finish, stop tormenting me! Somehow I finished it, paid 110Rs (Not worthat all!) and left the place! For the pasta I would rate it 2/5, for the ambience 3/5(only because it is at Adlabs) and for the cost effectiveness: a mere 1/5.

A week after recovering from the pasta disaster at adlabs, I went to "PEPINOS". I had heard a lot about this place from my friends. This italian snack house is situated on FC road. The ambience is not at all italian, it looks like just another local restaurant. I ordered again Penne Pasta in white sauce. I felt a little jolly when I looked at the bowl with pasta in it. It certainly looked good and I am not sure if it was my imagination or what, the quantity appeard to be more than in any other restaurant. I kept my fingers crossed for how the taste would be. The pasta was well cooked, the sauce was 'fair enough' and it tasted 'how a white sauce pasta should taste'. The veggies were providing just perfect flavour to the pasta. I enjoyed eating at "PEPINOS" and would certainly like to visit again. The pasta here was priced at 130Rs. but enjoyed it a lot. For the pasta: (3.5 to 4)/5, ambience 3/5 and cost effectiveness 3/5 (just because the quantity was a bit more, thats what I felt).

I came to know the existence of one more pasta house on FC road, the "Cafe ROLLA'COSTA". It is just adjacently inside to SUBWAY sandwhich place. I went to explore and rate that restaurant on the basis of pasta. The ambience is not of how a restaurents should be, but then I can understand its on FC road and just a startup. The staff however is extremely cooperative and fast. I found many youngsters hanging out here. Okay, when I saw their Pasta menu I was quite taken aback. These guys have soo many pasta to offer you: Penne, Shell, Macroni, Farfalle (but not spagetti). Also a range of different pastas in red,white,mixed and pesto sauce. I ordered Funghi'da'pasta (shell pasta in white sauce with olives and mushroom). The bowl looked overfull (nice for me :D) and smelled very good. I took the first bite of it and felt italian air brush my hair (lol!). The perfect pasta what I imagined to eat. The sauce is just too excellent/perfect. The veggies are perfectly sliced and adds a zing while eating it. The shell pasta was very well cooked. The quantity is just too perfect for one person (he/she should be really hungry :P). All in all my taste buds were extremely satisfied! Later on(not that day of course) I tried Rosa'Macroni, Alfredo'Penne and Pesto sauce pasta. All were up to the mark. I must say, this restaurent has consistency and definately exceeds expectations each time you go there. Also, the cost efficiency is way too good. It costed me 60Rs. for Funghi'da'pasta and 60,80,100 Rs. respectively for the last three flavours. As far as giving the ratings, For the Pasta : (4 to 4.5)/5, for the ambience (2.5 to 3)/5 and for the cost efficetiveness 4.5/5. You should definetly try out this!

Lastly, I went to "Little Italy" on Ganeshkhind road. It is a perfect italian ristorante. The ambience makes you feel rich and alive. I could not wait to have pasta there. I ordered penne pasta in white sauce as my sister ordered the same in red sauce. Pasta obviously was very well cooked, the sauce was just exquisite along with all the veggies. Tasted havenly! Then I tasted my sister's order 'pasta in red sauce'. It turned out to be poles apart. Not at all good! The sauce was spicy and very very tomato flavoured! Look at the irony here! Even my sis who likes pasta in red sauce didn't like it. One advise from me about this ristorante is "dont try out new things here, stick to the basics!". Pasta is rated very high over here - 400Rs for one plate of pasta. Ridiculous! Ratings........umm......for pasta (judging on white sauce) 4/5, ambience: a definate 4/5, cost effectiveness: 2/5.

Based upon my survey I would suggest you to try out Rolla'Costa and Peppinos. Thanks for reading my blog. This is my first ever post in my first ever blog! :) Cheerio!