Restaurant Review
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| Sweet tooth: Blueberry pizza with ice cream is a good way to finish a meal. VNS Photo Anh Duy |
Viet Nam News
It’s inexpensive, tasty and made from imported Italian ingredients, so don’t put off trying the new classic pizza and pasta at HCM City’s PastaMania. Mỹ Duyên reports.
“Hey mom, how about pizza and pasta this weekend?”
My twins often insist that we eat out, especially on holidays. But if we do, we’re often faced with a tough decision: tasty but not-so-nutritious food, or nutritious but not-so-tasty dishes?
The recently opened PastaMania in HCM City’s District 7 has finally solved our dilemma.
Located on the ground floor of the Crescent Mall in Phú Mỹ Hưng in Saigon South, the restaurant is a casual Italian dining spot with a strong focus on healthy food and freshly cooked dishes ranging from appetizers, pasta and pizza to baked rice, desserts and drinks.
On the list are classic items like pizza, with prices ranging from an affordable VNĐ55,000 to 250,000.
“We target students, office workers and businesspeople during the working week,” said Wilson Lim, a representative of PastaMania, an international chain based in Singapore.
“To attract more customers who dine in groups, we have a special menu at the weekend, and a menu for kids at affordable prices,” he said.
The restaurant’s prices, hospitality and delicious fast food distinguish it from other Italian restaurants in the city.
“We farm and produce our own ingredients in the northern part of Italy, including tomato sauce, cream, cheese, ham and other herbs,” Lim said.
Lim said the concept “from farm to table” ensures that all Pastamania food items are fresh, healthy and delicious.
Though the restaurant offers a wide selection of Italian dishes, pizza and pasta are the most frequently ordered items.
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| Attractive space: PastaMania’s modern interior. VNS Photo Anh Duy |
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| Tempting: “Wafflelicious gelato” is one of the outstanding desserts. VNS Photo Anh Duy |
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| Crispy bite: PP Wings, deep-fried chicken wings with a spicy-sour sauce, is a must try. VNS Photo Anh Duy |
As recommended, I chose for my twins the lunch combos (VNĐ150,000 each) which include a starter with cheese sticks, a main course of creamy pasta with sausage, and ice cream as dessert.
The pasta was OK, but my kids thought the meal would not be complete without a pizza. So, I decided on the parma ham pizza (VNĐ250,000) and ordered a healthy salmon salad, Italian style, at VNĐ155,000, for myself. It proved to be a good choice.
One of my twins exclaimed again and again after each bite: “So yummy, mom. I like it best!”
My twins are not new to pizza, and, in fact, have eaten the dish at a number of fine dining establishments around town. So I was rather surprised at their reaction.
I think it was due to the thin crust and the fresh and tasty toppings, of which there are eight: prawn, beef, ham, chicken, meatball, sausage, vegetables or cheese, with or without tomato sauce.
The price is VNĐ140,000 for a small size and goes up to VNĐ250,000 for the largest.
The pasta dishes are prepared with homemade sauces, including tomato, garlic and olive oil (VNĐ95,000 and VNĐ145,000), but the creamy versions are the favourites of diners. The pasta is also a good accompaniment to seafood or meat dishes.
“The pasta is like no other I’ve tasted before,” my daughter told me.
We also tried the deep-fried chicken wing dish with PastaMania sour and spicy sauce (VNĐ65,000). The secret of the dish is its sauce, which is not too spicy.
The deeply flavoured chicken skin crackled at the slightest touch of my teeth and the juicy, flavourful meat melted in my mouth.
Though we were full, we couldn’t resist sampling the desserts. Ice cream with waffles? Or fruit pizza with strawberry or blueberry?
I settled on the “wafflelicious” gelato (VNĐ95,000) and blueberry pizza (VNĐ75,000) and shared them with my family. For the best flavour, you’re advised to eat the ice cream and waffle together.
Though there was a long list of tempting items awaiting for us to discover, my kids were thrilled with their pizza and pasta choices.
This weekend head to PastaMania and try some Italian dishes that can change your mind about what standard pizza and pasta can be. VNS
PastaMania Crescent Mall
Address: GF 28 – Crescent Mall, 101 Tôn Dật Tiên Street, Phú Mỹ Hưng, District 7
Phone: (028) 54141243 - 54133333
Hours: 10am-10pm (last order)
Comment: casual dining, fine hospitality and reasonable prices (VNĐ55,000net – VNĐ250,000net). A kids’ menu is available.
