Pune Contracts PastaMania
PastaMania is a popular family restaurant located on the road opposite Connaught Place, Dhole Patil Road, specializing in the Italian cuisine, frequented mostly by the college going crowd. They call it 'Italian Quick Casual Dining'.
The ambiance is that of a chic and casual eatery. It's a small place with one and half floors surrounded by glass walls, making you feel as if seated out in the open. Colored brightly in shades of yellow and green it has a very buoyant feel about it.
If you are fond of pasta and cheese, then this place is nothing short of heaven. The best thing about this place is that it has adequate varieties of dishes to cater to the taste of vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. There is also a separate seafood pasta section. Each pasta dish comes with your choice of pasta. Interestingly, at the counter they have bags of various types of raw pasta all labeled for your convenience and reference. Don’t let the name fool you into believing that this place serves only pasta though; it has its own variety of pizzas, soups and desserts. However it is the pasta which steals the show.
While the green herb-ed Pesto tops the list in the vegetarian section, it is the traditional creamy chicken Carbonara that tops the popularity charts for the non-vegetarian one. If you enjoy seafood, then Pomedaro with prawns and scallops should make you swoon.
The pizzas are nothing to write home about despite being scrumptious. More than anything, they add variety to the menu card. Although the choice in desserts is limited, the banana pudding should keep you wanting for more.
Prices range is on a moderate to expensive side, with the vegetarian palate starting at a humble Rs 120, but increasing steeply before topping out. However, in case your purse strings are not in the best possible health, no need to fret - there are affordable combo deals complete with a soup, garlic bread and a pasta of your choice. The garlic bread is a joy in itself, more so because it is cheaper than at any other popular pizza joint.
The service at Pasta Mania is not exemplary as such, but the staff is friendly. On our visit to this place, the head-waiter welcomed us cheerfully, as he did the other guests. Service is moderately quick. The courteous staff know their job and are on their toes with the initial glass of water. The best thing probably is that you are left to yourself to decide, without waiters hovering around you, waiting for you to order the most expensive dish on the menu card! Also, for the ones who are finicky about hygiene, the place is scrupulously clean - in fact the semi-open kitchen lets your mistrusting eyes check on the way your food is being cooked.
All in all, this place does give good value for money. The pastas are better than most places in and around Pune and can even give the Delhi based Big Chill a run for its money.
Ankita Ray
[ratings]
[image courtesy: http://tinyurl.com/b7uqy7]
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