puttanesca – Jellybeans in the City

My classic faves at Pazzo Rollio, SM Hypermart Pasig

There are lots of Italian food joints all over the metro but every once in a while, there’s one that stands out because its concept stayed fresh despite having been around for years.

I first tasted Pazzo Rollio’s offerings almost four years ago and, to this day, they remain among my favorites because they retain the taste I love while still seeming new and unusual.

Wanna know what I mean? Read on.

Together with my friends from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH, I visited Pazzo Rollio’s branch in SM Pasig to reacquaint myself with its signature dishes, which include:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Php185). A wonderful start to the meal! A thick mixture of spinach and artichoke with a layer of mozarella on top, and served with bread and fried wonton chips.

Pasta Puttanesca (Php220 solo | Php360 family). Spaghetti noodles with a house/made sauce of anchovies, tomatoes, olives, capers and garlic.

Fellinis (Php195 solo | Php310 family). Angelhair pasta and shrimp in housemade pesto sauce.

Bleu Cheese (Php245 solo | Php385 family). Chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy and cheesy gorgonzola sauce.

Bistecca (Php320). Flavorful and tender beef tenderloin pieces top pasta with a pommery mustard sauce.

Buffalo Wings (Php119 for 6 pieces | Php219 for 12 pieces). Yummy chicken pieces in Original and Garlic Parmesan flavor.

The name “Pazzo Rollio” translates to “crazy rolls” in Italian. And Pazzo Rollio’s rolled pizzas are definitely crazy good. These are central to the resto’s concept: paper-thin pizza dough slathered with cheese sauce and toppings, it is baked in a hot oven and served with arugula and alfalfa sprouts, ready for rolling. While rolled pizzas are available elsewhere, Pazzo Rollio’s are among the less expensive and more varied in flavor that I know of.

Big Bang Supreme (Php250 solo | Php450 family). Topped with bacon, ham, pepperoni, caramelized onions and mushrooms.

Pazzo Special (Php280 solo | Php480 regular). Topped with bacon, ham, salami, crumbled meatballs, mushrooms and bell pepper.

House Blend Iced Tea (Php50 glass | Php150 pitcher). A refreshing beverage that goes well with Pazzo Rollio’s dishes.

All these just go to show that there’s definitely more to Italian food than meets the eye!

Many thanks to Miss Vinci, Ana and Jem of Pazzo Rollio for having us!

This Pazzo Rollio branch is located at SM Hypermart, Frontera Verde Drive, Ugong, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 11am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 5707801.

Other branches are located at:

Third Floor, Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila, QC
Fourth Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila

Treat the gang out for a tasty and filling meal of Fellinis and Bleu Cheese pastas with a Big Bang Supreme rolled pizza for Php1,099!

You can also Create Your Own Rolled Pizza (Php280 solo | Php480 family) by choosing your preferred toppings for your pizza which include bacon, ham, salami, prosciutto, chicken, shrimp, sausage, crumbled meatball, anchovies, olives, caramelized onions, red onions, garlic, jalapenos, mushrooms, bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, pineapple, chili flakes, basil, parsley, gorgonzola, mozzarella, pesto sauce, barbecue sauce and truffle oil.

Check out my reviews of other restaurants offering Italian food:

Hidden gem of Italian Cuisine: Cucina di Francesco, Libis

When you think about food places in the Libis area, chances are this Italian restaurant hidden away from the busier sections of the metro has escaped your notice.

Cucina di Francesco got its name from the name Francesco Forgione, the name that Saint Pio of Petrelcina, more affectionately known to devotees as Padre Pio, was born with.

Incidentally, the restaurant is located in the same compound as St. Pio Chapel, so I would imagine families fresh from Sunday mass coming in for lunch.

In this instance, however, I took my fam here on the way to our weekend staycation.

From outside, the restaurant presents a comfortable, homey and welcoming facade.

Inside, the place is bright and cheery, with large windows letting in lots of natural light and large hand-painted murals giving the premises an eclectic vibe. There are more seats to dine in on the second floor, while the third floor is mainly used for events.

I booked our table the night before via Zomato. We were a few minutes late but I called the resto to apprise them of our arrival time so our table was waiting for us when we arrived.

My daughter #ExhibitA, who’s trying to eat healthy, requested for a salad so we ordered a Ceasar Salad (Php180). The focaccia croutons, fresh microgreens and rough-chopped walnuts delectably add to the taste and texture of this classic dish.

Our little boy #ExhibitB, on the other hand, is a well-known pizza monster. We got him a Tre Formaggi (Php350) whose lethal combination of bleu cheese, emmenthal and mozzarella on top of creamy bechamel got my baby reaching for slice after slice.

Hubby got himself a Pasta Puttanesca (Php195). The sauce made from olives, anchovids and capers in fresh tomato sauce makes this a tasty pasta dish. (Hubby liked it well enough but insists that his mom’s version tastes better.)

We split orders of Lasagna al Forno (Php260), a meaty baked lasagna with bechamel cheese sauce (which I found a bit dry) and Italian Beef Stew (Php485), a dish made of beef chunks, Italian sausage and vegetables braised in tomato wine sauce and served with parsley rice.

All in all, I wouldn’t mind another visit to Cucina di Francisco and checking out more of its Italian viands. The place certainly is charming and even has free WiFi! Plus, the wait staff are also friendly and accommodating.

It’s quite near my home and is easily accessible. Since it is a free-standing resto that shares a sizeable multi-level parking lot with the church, I wouldn’t have to stress myself in looking for a parking space as opposed to the likely scenario if I were to visit a mall-based eatery during mealtimes.

It also employs persons with disability, such as those in the autism spectrum. This is an advocacy near and dear to my heart, being a parent to a child with special needs myself.

For those who are artistically inclined, Cucina di Francesco also serves as a venue for art and crafts workshops on weekends in partnership with Maartsy such as Plush Keychain Making and Acrylic Flower Jewelry Making in January 26 and Mandala Coffee Painting and Doodle Art with Lettering on January 27. For inquiries, call +63 2 9175861785.

Cucina di Francisco is located at RER Compound (St. Pio Chapel), 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City, open daily Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8am to 8pm and Fridays to Sundays from 8am to 9pm. For reservations, call +63 2 5349935 or book your table via Zomato like I did. 🙂

Here’s some trivia for you: Did you know that puttanesca translates to “in the style of a whore” in Italian? While some food pundits would attribute the name to seedier origins, some food historians date the sauce back to the 1950s when Sandro Penti of Rancio Fellona were requested by hungry late-night patrons to “Facci una puttanata qualisiasi” or “Throw together whatever.” Which was what the good Penti did with what he had at the time: tomatoes, olives and capers. The rest is history. More on that here.

Check out my reviews of other Italian restaurants:

Italian Food Trip at Friuli Trattoria

My coworkers and I decided to take advantage of the relatively lighter traffic and held one of our (in)famous happy lunches in Maginhawa Street. We opted for Friuli the consensus among the group was in favor of Italian food. We ordered Bacon and Egg Carbonara, Tuna Carbonara, Puttanesca, Mushroom Pizza and Cheesesteak Pizza. IMHO, the pizzas are ok but I’ve tasted homemade pasta better than those served here. Plus, I can’t believe they charge P10 for 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese!

Check it out on Zomato!