Now that university is all done and dusted, I literally have done nothing but work and go out with friends for food – but hey, its blog research right? My bank account seems to argue, buuut sometimes you gotta go into overdraft to provide you guys with the best recommendations of where to spend your money and fill your tummy!
If you live in Wellington or have visited wellington over the past few weeks, then you might’ve heard of a new little pasta place called 1154 Pastaria – and if you haven’t, can you please surface from that rock you’ve been living under! People have been going OFF about this place; friends, family, fellow food bloggers – all mind blown at how this little Italian eatery popped up out of nowhere and serving $12 pasta. So, naturally, being the food-blogging sheep I am, I had to try this place and see if these banging reviews are true or just fake news.
I came here with 3 other of my girls, which I instantly knew was a mistake. This place doesn’t take bookings which can make it VERY difficult to find a table – especially as it is always full to the brim. If you come here as a couple you’ve got a better chance, but definitely keep it to a 4-person maximum – otherwise you’ll be eating on the streets. Eventually we got ourselves a spot and pored over their much-anticipated menu. All their pastas and anti-pastas sounded delectable – with plenty of vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free options that don’t cost any extra. I was also gobsmacked their prices – with their most expensive item on the menu being only $17 – that’s INSANE for a massive bowl of pasta!
In the end, I decided to try out their cheapest menu option, their $12 pesto pasta just to see if they deliver as much value with their cheapest options as their more pricier dishes – and I was also persuaded by the cashier to get one of their garlic buns to mop up any excess sauce (makes sense, right??). I have to say, I was a little disappointed by both the pasta and the bun. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the pesto sauce was tasty, however it was incredibly oily, and it was just pasta and sauce which made it very carby and filling – there is definitely potential for it to pack more excitement and flavour, with maybe the addition of some cherry tomatoes or spinach, which I would 100% pay extra for. Now, onto the bun. I feel like you can’t call something garlic bread if the whole bread itself doesn’t have the garlic flavour, and this was the case with the bun – the top was coated in a lush and flavourful garlic glaze, but the rest of the bun was plain and disappointing. My friends got the spinach ravioli and the bacon carbonara, which both gave me major food envy as they were DELICIOUS – so maybe I just chose the wrong dish!
I think for my visit to 1154, I have to give them a 6/10. Their pasta was nice, their location and ambience cosy and lively, however their buns were disheartening, and their lack of table-bookings creates a real conundrum for group outings. I feel like I may have to visit this place again to try out the other pastas on their menu, and their much talked about hazelnut cake, and maybe I’ll change my mind on my final CLL scale verdict. Don’t let my slightly negative review turn you away from this place – as it is a cute and authentic Italian eatery that is perfect for couples to come and have a hearty meal after a long day – however you will need to order the more expensive meals on the menu for real value, and don’t even consider their buns!
Cafe Crawler Lucy 