Today was a rainy day in Dumaguete. I was set to meet a friend for the first time for a short snack at Sans Rival but with the rain pouring and the cold, I thought the weather was better suited for a warm, carb-laden pasta dish over at Pasta King. Pasta King is quite new, it sits a block across from Tops and Bottoms and is just a few steps away from the Rizal Boulevard.
I am far from a connoisseur of Italian food, so I really have no idea what good Italian food tastes like. However, I do know when I like or dislike what I'm eating, and usually, it's when food is overcooked or undercooked, when it's swimming in a watery sauce, when the meat is too tough, or when the color is bland and the presentation is boring. This appealing lack of sophistication when it comes to food has not stopped me from repeatedly eating restaurant grub that really appeal to me, whether they are authentic-anything or not. And this applies to my love for Pasta King's penne carbonara with prosciutto. After reading some reviews of others who have eaten there, most of them think that the food is really nothing to rave about, and others think that the food is surprisingly very un-Italian for a restaurant that specializes in pasta. All these reviews are good to know, since it does leave you curious about what real authentic Italian cooking tastes like. But I still like my penne over at Pasta King's. In fact, I've been there four times, and I have ordered nothing but the penne. I love the fat, juicy pasta, the salty and creamy sauce, and the thick, juicy, fatty slices of prosciutto. The serving is also very generous for P175, so you can go out full and happy just by spending a little over P200 for pasta and a drink.
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| Penne carbonara with Prosciutto |
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| warm tea for a rainy afternoon |
My fourth visit was especially fun, since I was meeting Thirde, a friend from Manila who I met through this blog, and the owner was kind enough to serve us macaroons for dessert, on the house. That capped our afternoon, especially since once we got out, the sun was shining and a cool breeze was blowing, perfect for a late afternoon stroll.
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| Free macaroons! |
