Received an invitation from Chef Massimo Veronesi to visit his restaurant and try their Business Lunch offering.
It was an exciting prospect as I have heard a lot of good things about Va Bene Pasta Deli but have not found the time to drop in for a visit.
Yesterday at 1130, hubby and I found ourselves in a gasoline station along Edsa scouring the 2nd floor building for Va Bene.
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| The view of EDSA and Dusit Hotel from the Second Floor |
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| Checking out this Unli Wine and Cheese with Friends soon |
I loved that the location was nondescript, almost hole in the wall. There were no fancy ambiance to distract you . There were no bells and whistles so to speak. One can solely focus on the food
BUSINESS LUNCH MENU
one appetizer + one main = P399 +
CHOICE OF 3 APPETIZERS
MIXED LETTUCE, ROASTED ONIONS, CRISPY
TOMATOES, SHAVED PARMESAN
The greens were crisp. There was romaine and arugula. The tomatoes were dipped in batter and deep fried which provided the texture to the whole dish. The reduced balsamic dressing was sweet and rich.
CREAMY GORGONZOLA POLENTA,
MIXED MUSHROOMS, LEMON, PARSLEY
Polenta is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was made
from other grains- Wikipedia
It does not sound appetizing especially for polenta “virgins” such as myself and the hubby. But when the dish was served, the first things that hit us were its delectable aroma from the gorgonzola, the beautiful mushrooms ( shrooms fiends here) and the simple yet beautiful presentation.
I was drooling and I heard my stomach growl in response to the simultaneous attack on all senses. But I had to take the perfect photo first before we give in to our food lust huhuhu
A few minutes later, we had our first mouthful.
So this was polenta. It was thick with a little texture. It was hot. It married well with the blue-veined goddess of cheese Gorgonzola. The result was a scrumptious experience the hubby and I are not likely to forget.
We keep spooning the light gold liquid with pieces of mushrooms savoring its richness and flavor. Pretty soon the plate was wiped clean. Mother will be proud.
Hubby kept saying it was his favorite. I had to remind him we were only on our second option for the appetizer. There were 4 more items to taste hahaha
TOMATO SOUP, MOZZARELLA CHEESE,
BASIL PESTO, SQUID INK QUADRUCCI
What is Quadrucci ? Basically tagliagliatelli cut crosswise into little squares hence the name – MemoriediAngelina.com
Tomato was sweet and fruity , a result of simmering several hours. I tasted the basil pesto which gave the soup a nutty flavor. The bits of mozzarella provided the creamy component. The Squid Ink Quadrucci gave the soup the taste of the ocean. I am suddenly craving for grilled cheese sandwich ….
CHOICE OF 3 MAINS
TORTELLINI BOLOGNESE, LIGHT PARMESAN CHEESE
FONDUE, ARUGULA, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Imagine 5 fat, chunky, meaty pockets of al dente pasta swimming in a pool of parmesan cheese.
First bite…
If this is a dream, please do not wake me up yet.
I looked up at the hubby and right at that moment, I knew he forgot I was there hahaha. He was lost in the sensation of that cheese heaven in his mouth vis a vis the flavor and texture of the succulent tortellini with bolognese, just as I was.
I think my eyes rolled at the back of my head for a few brief “foodgasmic” seconds .
BLACK SQUID LINGUINE, ZUCCHINI,
CLAMS, MUSSELS, CHILI
The dish was pretty straightforward. I loved the taste of the sea thanks to the squid ink linguine which was perfectly al dente. I would have loved more clams and mussels which tasted really fresh. The kick from the chili was a delightful surprise.
CHICKEN MILANESE, MIXED LETTUCE,
FRIED POTATO WEDGES
Although this 3rd option paled in comparison to the two preceding dishes, it was also delicious albeit simple. It appealed to this foodie-on-a-perennial-diet me. It satisfied my vegetable-protein-carb requirement for the day quite nicely.
SUMMARY :
* Freshly made pasta
* Well curated ingredients
* Authentic Italian fare created by a famous Chef
* reasonable portions not degustation
* competitive pricing
5 Reasons why Chef Massimo Veronesi’s Va Bene Pasta Deli’s BUSINESS LUNCH is indeed value for money.
For first-time visitors to the restaurant such as myself and the hubby, the Business Lunch was a preview almost like an “amuse bouche” if you will , offering a brief glimpse to the gastronomic panorama that Va Bene has which we can not wait to explore
It goes without saying that we shall be regular patrons from now on.