The Italian Dream

Bellissimo!! One of the few words that I know from the Italian language and one of the first words that came to my mind when I had a lunch at The Pasta Bowl Company. The food and the place are simply beautiful.

If you are looking for the best Italian meal in Gurgaon, The Pasta Bowl Company (TPBC) is the winner hands down! Located in the Cross Point Mall, TPBC also scores additional points because of it’s central location, proximity to the Galleria Market and a comfortably accessible parking.

 

 

It had been more than a year since I had been hearing about TPBC, (and all good) but somehow could not visit the place. This time when my friends and I finalised TPBC as the venue for lunch, it was a happy happy day.

On a weekend, as I sat gazing different food pages on social media, I came across this Instagram post on the official handle of The Pasta Bowl Company introducing the late lunch menu ‘Cucina Con Amore’ which means Cooked with Love. So I dialled up my friends number and we decided on the ‘happy day’. The new menu offers a three course meal for late lunchers especially aimed at the corporate sector.

We arrived just around noon. I believe it was such a great choice of time because it made the place look beautiful with the natural light peeping in from every possible opening. The brick wall interiors just give you a sense of calm and you can not ignore the huge clock on one end and small sports cars on the opposite end. TPBC also have an open kitchen which gives you a good view into live cooking. A very special and cute attraction is the fresh grown basil right on the kitchen shelf.

 

 

We started with the ‘Primo’ which was Bruschettas and ordered the Pomodoro and the Funghi E Olio Di Tartufo. The latter had pesto sauce and cherry tomatoes. For me anything with authentic pesto is a winner. Additionally, If you also add Truffle Oil to the dishes on my plate, you are not an ordinary winner but you are a champion. Both the Bruschettas gave this place a head start in the championship. TPBC is known for using ingredients imported from Italy. This can be experienced through the Truffle Oil Bruschetta. The chef made sure that the truffle oil is used in right quantity and does not over power your taste buds. We were left wanting for more.

 

 

Then came ‘Secondo’, that is the second course, offering a choice of pizza or a pasta. I ordered the Pizza Ortaggi Siciliani and my friends ordered the Fusili Bianca. Both theses dishes took me to Italy for a while…… They were not the usual Italian food that we are used to in India with cheese overload. The pizza had a very different shape and was topped with fresh and colourful vegetables. It was both a visual and a gastronomic treat. The Peperoncino Chilli stood out distinctly both in taste and appearance. Whenever I think of the meal at TPBC, I always think of freshness. It was just the way I experienced as I enjoyed my meal!

Coming back, the Fusili Bianca made me change the way I cook pasta at home. It was very light and mild on flavours. The Parmesan, cream and parsley were added in quantities which allowed me to relish the texture of the pasta as well. The pasta and cheese were very well balanced. The objective of cooking pasta highly rich in cheese has now taken a back seat for me.

 

The final stages of foodgasm had almost set in as I flipped through the menu to see what is next. Dolce Vita (Life is Beautiful and luxurious) when desserts are on the way……Ah!! The third course named ‘Dolci’ offered a choice of Cannoncini and Panacotta della Stagione. My mouth is watering as I write about the Cannoncini. The texture of the lemon cream was amazing. You could feel the flavour bursting on the palate slowly and in a smooth manner. What surprised me was  the taste of the Brioche because I was not expecting it to have that delicious taste and was extremely soft. The Cannoncini brought out the kid in me as I relished it in a manner I have enjoyed cream rolls during my childhood.

Hold your breath to read about the most delicious dessert I have had in a long time. The Panacotta della Stagione which luckily for me was the Mango Panacotta. With every bite I took I wanted more of it. I wish it was served in a magic plate that would refill every bite of it. The gooey texture, the right temperature and the appropriate amount of sweetness made it very very delectable.

The entire experience of eating here became more interesting when you have Chef Om and his team ready for a chat on everything Italian. We also had a chance to learn a lot of Italian words and one word that comes to my mind after the lunch at TPBC was ‘Grazie’.