Riffing on the egg-before-the-chicken debate, let me ask you this: is the ubiquity of televisions in restaurants a reflection of the express appetite of diners or have diners simply acquiesced to the presence of televisions in light of their ubiquity?
Despite the prevalence of the phenomenon, I am still, perhaps naively, surprised when I encounter a glowing blue screen in a room that seems otherwise stylishly appointed. For me, televisions are anathema to the stimulating conversation and multisensory enjoyment provided by a good dining experience.
There are countless establishments that specialize in showing the big game and, like millions of other people, I too enjoy watching a major sporting event among other enthusiasts while partaking in good food and libation. In these cases, however, I have usually made the deliberate decision to head to an establishment that I know will be replete with shockingly huge, ultra high definition screens upon which I can count the pores on the visage of my favourite athlete.
I would suggest to you, however, that the mere presence of a television in a restaurant influences the experience of every diner. It’s sort of like when pranksters “photobomb” news reporters, making faces behind them when they deliver their report; I defy you not to look.
I recently visited Pastameli in Caulfeild Village Shopping Centre with my hungry son, The Boy.
Pastameli is an interesting example of a restaurant that straddles the line between competing dining styles: it is, in seemingly equal measure, part take-out joint, part sit-down dinner venue and part casual bar.
Pizza appears to be the common thread that binds together its various ambitions; in fact, as you walk into the restaurant, pizza is the first thing that you encounter in the form of a thriving take-out shop, complete with by-the-slice display heaters and a small waiting area. Towards the back of the take-out area, the sit-down portion of the restaurant unfolds, with a small but busy bar to the far left.
Under new ownership since 2013, Pastameli, a 25-year bastion of casual dining in the small Caulfeild Village scene, faces the tough challenge of balancing its brand new, slightly higher-end menu of contemporary, locally focused fare (pork belly with scallops, for instance, or mussels with red coconut curry) with the tried and true favourites like pizza, fettuccine Alfredo, or eggplant Parmesan that have established a loyal following.
Following my recent meal there, I am of the mind that while the kitchen seems quite capable of dishing out a broad menu, and a greater variety of options is doubtlessly welcomed by neighbourhood regulars, the atmosphere of the restaurant still lends itself slightly better to a pizza crowd than to a more formal dinner crowd.
The entire dining space, housing maybe 50 seats in total, contains no less than four televisions, all of which were broadcasting the Canucks versus Rangers game. The Boy was fascinated by the boisterous commentary coming from the hockey fans at the bar as we tucked into our first course of Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings and a side order of golden beet fries.
The wings were proficiently prepared and matched the game-night mood of the joint. The beet fries, narrowly cut morsels of sweet and slightly crispy yellow beets deep fried in batter, were addictive and remained remarkably light and fresh given the cooking method.
Pastameli supplies a separate, lengthy menu for their pizzas, which range from basic mozzarella to meat-laden creations featuring capicolla, Italian sausage or salami.
For his main course, The Boy opted for the New Yorker pizza, here interpreted with pepperoni and mushrooms. The pie arrived piping hot and generously topped, a dense, substantial pizza with chewy, bubbly crust and mountains of cheese.
I watched several pizzas make their way to other tables over the course of our meal and have concluded that Pastameli does not do delicate, wafer-thin Neopolitan-style pies, but rather leans towards more filling, imposing creations.
I selected Root Beer-braised Shortribs with Fettuccine Alfredo for my main course, clearly attempting to pack my entire day’s suggested calories into a single meal.
The shortribs were fall-from-the-bone tender and the whole dish was taken right over the top by the rich and creamy pasta side.
While the ribs were a touch too sweet for my taste and might have benefitted from some sort of acidic contrast to the root beer braising liquid to offset the prevalent, caramelized notes, it was still obvious that they had benefitted from a slow and patient preparation by the kitchen; the dish will likely find favour with those who prefer unfettered decadence in their meals.
A slice of New York style cheesecake with berry compote put a devilish smile on The Boy and nicely capped off our rib-sticking meal.
Our dinner of two appetizers, a medium pizza, one main course, dessert and a glass of wine came to $88 before gratuity. Pastameli is located at 5369 Headland Dr. in West Vancouver. pastameli.com 604-922-9333
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. Contact: [email protected].
