Did our trip to Italy ruin Italian cuisine outside of South West Europe for us? Especially when it's dining at a franchise restaurant like Vapiano. That's what we were about to find out last Sunday when I visited Vapiano for a second time in the Netherlands.
The first time I went to Vapiano was at a location in Utrecht, before our vacation to Italy and I was so excited that I forgot to take pictures. The pasta I ordered then was hearty, creamy and filling and I had trouble finishing the plate on my own. The second time was after our vacation and was at a venue in Amsterdam, where the ambiance is chill and relaxed, listening to a random playlist in the background: there's something for everyone.
When we decided to go and grab something to eat in between two appointments last Sunday, I wasn't sure what to order at Vapiano's. Especially when it came to pizza, because I had plenty in Italy and didn't want to be disenchanted if the food didn't compete to the flavors found in South West Europe.
After scouring the menu a couple of times, I finally ordered a mid spicy Carbonara with tagliatelle - instead of the usual spaghetti - with complimentary bread. The pasta was creamy delicious and filling and not so strong that I wasn't able to finish it. It could've used more bite though, so we added the condiments at the table and some fresh basil. The substitution of the pasta type made a huge difference as the sauce clung better to the wheat based dough.
My husband took a chance in testing the difference between pizza found in Italy and that found at a franchise restaurant outside of Italy and went with tonno pizza (tuna, red onions, tomato sauce and mozzarella). We came to the conclusion that the pizza was good enough for one found in the Netherlands, but still couldn't compete with the distinct fresh and sharp flavors from Italian pizzas.
For drinks we both ordered their fresh lemonades: watermelon royal for me and summer breeze lemon for my better half. The lemonades were fresh and paired well with the food, as those could break down the heavy savory food.
Knowing that Vapiano's a restaurant chain, we summarized that we got what we paid for and what we expected beforehand: good food and drinks, based on the palette of the masses. Franchises often standardize their menus to reach more people, which is why Vapiano offers condiments at their table. How did you spend your Sunday? Let me know in the comments below 🤓.
Chasse into the backstage! 💃
Do you also want to share what you had Sunday and/or interested in partaking in #DashOutSunday? Be sure to read this post for more information. Looking forward to reading all about it 🤓.
