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2011-12-07
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Back when I was a kid, my knowledge of pasta was limited to spaghetti, alphabets and Campbell soup But it was a treat at the time.Then in the dormitory days, started to come across cheese macaroni, spaghettini, fettucine, canneloni and my favourite lasagna As the italian cuisine started to take a foothold in the local gourmet industry in recent years, more and more varieties of pasta were introduced into HK.First came ravioli, angel hair, fussili, inguini, penne followed by lots of other varie
Then in the dormitory days, started to come across cheese macaroni, spaghettini, fettucine, canneloni and my favourite lasagna
As the italian cuisine started to take a foothold in the local gourmet industry in recent years, more and more varieties of pasta were introduced into HK.
First came ravioli, angel hair, fussili, inguini, penne followed by lots of other varieties -- short pastas like gnocchi and orecchiette; long pastas like farfelle and pappardelle; and stuffed pastas like tortellini ....
However, a lot of these pastas were available mainly in specialty italian groceries or in higher end italian restaurants. And to be honest, I have only heard of the names of many, like gnocchi, orecchiette and tortellini, but hadvenever tried them.
That was the scene until Pasta Mio came into the picture.
Tucked under the mid-levels escalator at Cochrane St, Pasta Mio operates much like a fast food store specializing in pastas. Fast, made-to-order and ready-to-go were the main features of the shop. It also has a few seats, probably less than 10, outside the store but with a shade to protect customers from the sun.
The place offers 10 different types of pastas and 10 different sauces. The sauce was really different combinations of tomato, cream, cheese, mushrooms, herbs and cold cuts. But the choice of pasta and sauce add up to a great combination of meals, perhaps only limited by one's imagination.
You select the pasta first, then the sauce, then the texture/consistency especially if you prefer tender rather than al dente pasta, followed by the size and any add-ons (extra cheese etc).The food is ready in 10 minutes after order.
We ordered:
This is my first bite of tortellini. The tortellini has a spinach and cheese filling and a lot smaller than raviolis. The sauce was light and refreshing, topped by a layer of parmesan cheese. The serving was really generous. Ours is a regular size order and it must have over 10 tortellinis.
The sauce is made of tomato, cream, ham and mushrooms. The fusilli was al dente and the serving was generous. However, the sauce was bit short and could barely coat the fusilli. Again, the pasta was topped with a layer of parmesan that made the whole meal a lot tastier.
The sauce is tomato and bacon. Again the sauce was short. This is my first time trying gnocchi. Honestly, I found it a bit too chewy. Heard that the pasta was made from a mix of flour and potato. So it was very filling to the stomach but personally, I'd prefer the more traditional al dente pasta.Thanks to Groupon, the meal was only $33 a piece (regular price $66). The presentation of the food was not quite appealing, and tastewise, was just above average. However, at $33, it was a good deal for a quick italian meal. For the ladies, they also serve fit-size pastas at a lower price. In fact, at $29 you can have a fit-size pasta of the day which I think is a super deal.
Bravo, Pasta mama mia, italiano. Will encore.Post
