“Fresh pasta made with love” is the central ethos to Gourmet Pasta Co., Newbury’s newest independent restaurant.
Located at 34 Market Place – the former Blue’s Smokehouse and ASK Italian unit – the eatery has been open for just under a month, but it seems to have already found its footing as one of the town centre’s more unique and pleasant food spots.
Founder and owner Hugo Lesser was inspired to open Gourmet Pasta Co. after he discovered a different pasta tradition while travelling in South America.
Millions of Italians emigrated to Argentina and Brazil in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and these migrants had to adapt their European cuisine to suit the ingredients available to them in the Americas.
Hugo wanted to showcase and serve these South American pasta variations, as well as Italian staples, in his new restaurant. Using fresh pasta all made on site, may I add.
I visited Gourmet Pasta Co. on a sunny weekday lunchtime with a friend, and it was lovely to sit by the window, peer out at the canal and take in the pleasant vibe of the room.
It’s airy, bright and nicely underscored by jazz music playing softly in the background.
We started our lunchtime feast in typical continental fashion with the Italian sharing board for two (£14).
The artfully constructed platter contained a wide selection of cured meats such as salami and mortadella along with some salad, olives, tomatoes, mozzarella and grissini (crispy Italian bread sticks).
It was beautiful to look at, and even more enjoyable to eat. A sure pick for any charcuterie fan.
For the main course, we both picked dishes from the gourmet pasta section of the menu.
I chose the black sorrentinos filled with Atlantic salmon and prawns (£18) and my companion had the white ravioli filled with Wiltshire ham and mozzarella (£16).
Sorrentinos are a type of Argentine ravioli that are larger and more circular than their Italian counterparts.
The large black parcels were chock full of the salty taste of seafood. The salmon and the prawns worked well together, and the pasta was lathered in a tomato, vodka and cream sauce that was a nice companion to the fish.
The white ravioli was your more typical European fare. Surrounded by tomato sauce and covered in parmesan cheese, the Italian pasta mainstay was in safe hands here.
For those not choosing from the gourmet pasta section, they can choose from a selection of different pasta types and sauces to create their own unique dish (£13, with some supplement charges for specific sauces).
Gourmet Pasta Co. also offers salad, meat and vegetarian options for those (strangely) not hankering for its signature dishes.
For dessert we ordered the salted caramel cheesecake and the berries and mascarpone parfait (both £7).
The cheesecake was one of the smoothest I had ever tasted, and it had a good amount of decadent salted caramel sauce generously dripped over it.
The parfait was even smoother. The mascarpone went perfectly with the tangy and juicy berries.
Both puddings were respectful to their Italian tastes while catering to the taste of the modern sweet tooth.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Gourmet Pasta Co. and I would recommend it to any fellow pasta enthusiasts.
It’s a great spot for a light lunch or romantic dinner, and there’s plenty of options for everyone to enjoy if you’re dining with a large group.
In an added bonus, the restaurant will soon be selling its signature pastas, sauces as well as other Italian deli products to customers for use at home.
Gourmet Pasta Co. is Newbury’s one-stop shop for all your pasta-related needs!
Gourmet Pasta Co., 34 Market Place, (01635) 635603, https://gourmetpasta.co.uk/
