So I tried Pasta e Basta while they were at an Italian event over by Brick Lane. I hadn't heard of them before this, and tried them out purely on the basis of the menu - and this was because I love n'duja sausage. I hadn't heard of the pasta shape before either, so I distinctly remember standing a distance away and quickly googling what "paccheri" was. I should have just walked over to the stall and either asked or looked at the display of pasta they had on the stand.
There's something to be said about dinged up cooking equipment. They've seen love, and they've seen food - lots and lots of good food. That was the case here. Pasta was cooked to order and was cooked to a perfect al dente that would have made plenty of Italian-based restaurants jealous. The chap working there was studious in his cooking, and the pasta was simply terrific.
Heat from the n'duja, pops of freshness as the cherry tomatoes exploded in my mouth. It was all just so good. I'd have been raving about it regardless of where I got it from, yet here it was as street food just off an area well known for bagels and Indian food. Not at all what I was expecting - and that was a very good thing. read more