Va Bene Pasta Deli — Restaurant in Makati

💕 Date for Two: Business Lunch 1, Business Lunch 2, Chicken Milanese, House Iced Tea 💌 Total: P1583

Overall:Oddly situated on a gasoline station in the middle of EDSA is this quaint restaurant that serves delectable authentic Italian dishes.It was lunchtime on our visit, just in time to take advantage of their Business Lunch Promo.

We arrived there earlier than usual so we thought we were the first customers, but few minutes after, people started to come in and made the little place full of hungry lovely customers.

We got extra excited upon seeing their awards from different organizations, a good sign they offer good food and service.We were initially served a complimentary bread plate with tomato pesto salsa. It was good for a starter.

Business Lunch 1 (P399)

Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta – mixed mushrooms, lemon and parsley. The best Italian appetizer we’ve had. It’s rich, creamy and very flavorful. The mushrooms sitting on top were evenly sautéed.

Black Ink Linguine – zucchini, olive oil, clams and mussels tossed in black ink linguine with merely olive oil. The taste was very light and complemented the polenta very well.

Business Lunch 2 (P399)

Tomato Soup – mozzarella cheese, basil pesto, and black ink quadrucci. This one’s the ultimate comfort food. The soup was condensed and tasted like summer served in a bowl. And as pesto lovers, the basil pesto drizzle made this one even more wonderful.

Tortellini Bolognese – this hat-shaped pasta was a first on our book. It was served with a light parmesan cheese fondue and generously sprinkled with arugula.

Chicken Milanese (P550) – deep-fried chicken breast battered and covered with crumbs topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with lettuce and potatoes on the side. We find the fillet a bit thin and wished it was bigger for the price.

House Iced Tea (P140) – their iced tea was fine though kinda expensive for the serving. Best to order wine instead.

Overall, we’d highly recommend this place to anyone craving for an legit Italian food.

Value for money: Worth it! Best to go here during lunch time to avail their Business Lunch Promo and get huge savings than ordering several a la carte dishes.

#DateForTwo at Va...

This restaurant used to be an “open secret” favorite among a select group of Metro Manila “gourmands”. Celebrities, socialites, politicians would come to this restaurant if they want to enjoy their authentic Italian cuisine in a “no-frills” setting. Alas, no secret as delicious as this could remain a secret forever, most especially because it now has a following that is continuously increasing each day.

The restaurant is conveniently located at Petron Gasoline Station in Dasmarinas Village, EDSA. Parking is free for Va Bene visitors.

I don’t usually crave for a specific kind of dish BUT their Organic Egg Tagliatelle pasta dish would often drive me crazy that I would subject myself to experience the traffic of EDSA just to have this either for lunch or dinner. The earthy flavor of the mushrooms, most especially the dominant scent and taste of truffle (oil) is just so distinct, so very, very rich. If one is lucky that truffle is in season, slivers of this precious fungus are garnished onto the dish. They also make their own pasta and this may be verified through their “open kitchen”. So rest assured that when you are dining at Va Bene, the quality of your pasta is “autentico” (authentic)

There's no restroom in the restaurant but it's super walking distance within the 2nd floor of...

The worst service I’ve ever experienced. The ambiance was dismal—dim lighting, tired furniture, and even small insects lurking in the couch. I went to the Petron branch for dinner and ordered the Gnocchi. The only server on duty was Rannie, who seemed overwhelmed. When I asked for a wine pairing recommendation for my dish, he admitted he didn’t know and had to consult the kitchen. After a long wait, he returned with the most generic advice: ‘white wine.’ No specifics. There were only two options on the menu, yet I had to do my own research and chose a Pinot Grigio.

When the wine arrived, it was served at room temperature—completely unacceptable, especially for an Italian restaurant. To make matters worse, when I pointed this out, the waiter suggested I add ice. Ice! At that point, I gave up on the wine altogether.

The food didn’t save the experience either. The Gnocchi was swimming in a watery, flavorless sauce, a clear sign of carelessness in the kitchen. And for this, I paid over 600 pesos, plus a service charge for what was, frankly, abysmal service.

Overall, the experience was a complete disappointment. If you’re looking for quality food and attentive service, do yourself a favor and skip this place. It’s just not...