Italian favourite Vapiano shops seasonal and looks to spring with new dishes
IT’S all change at Italian eatery Vapiano, where the ingredients reflect the seasons, so the menu reflects the ingredients.
Nothing beats the taste of Italian food, and at Vapiano everything is made from scratch in the restaurant every day using only the best market-fresh produce.
New on the antipasti list this month are two bruschettas – gamberetti, with grilled king prawns, and mozzarella, with buffalo mozzarella added to the toasted ciabatta and Vapiano’s house topping of marinated tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. The pasta offerings take in a new vegan dish, the funghi Bolognese – with mushrooms, carrots and celery replacing the usual minced beef in Vapiano’s tomato sauce with soy-marinated onions and fresh herbs.
As well as the changes to the main menu, the restaurant has introduced some new specials for March and April, each created by the different chefs.
For starters, there’s a hearty Italian minestrone soup, made using an old family recipe from manager Fabrizio’s great-grandmother – a blend of potatoes, carrots, baby spinach, green beans, courgettes, borlotti beans and chickpeas with basil pesto, available in two sizes, small or large.
For mains, there’s a classic Pasta Puttanesca, putting anchovies, capers and black olives together with Vapiano’s homemade tomato sauce. The Pasta Montanara combines fillet beef with mushrooms, courgette, carrots and onions cooked in a dash of red wine and cream.
A delicious creation from one of the restaurant’s best chefs, Alessandro, the Risotto Campagnolo involves potatoes, onions and carrots – yes, really – plus bacon, white red wine and cream. As for pizza, the special is the manzo picante, created by Bankside branch general manager Chema. Vapiano’s fluffy base and tomato sauce is topped with chilli-spiced beef, green peppers, red onions and mozzarella, with an optional extra of Italian spicy salame
So, lots to try out, whether you’re veggie or eat carne.
