The Intrepid Gastronomer:

Pasta bene? More like just oKay...

» A review of Old Spaghetti Factory

K.P. Davis
Contributor

here is something very
comforting about Italian food.
Maybe it’s the warmth of a slightly

filling your belly to bursting
point. Although pasta is one of
the easiest things in the world to
prepare at home, I have always
preferred letting expert hands
make my Italian dinners. There
is nothing but love in true Italian
dishes; unfortunately I found that
love lacking at the Old Spaghetti
Factory.

Walking into the restaurant,
I was immediately confronted
by a cacophony of visual kitsch.
Regency era prints hung next to
New Westminster artifacts under
crystal chandeliers. Brown tile
floors set off the yellow stucco
walls and the green ceiling gave
the whole place an old dingy
colour pallet. Everything had
a classic feeling, but so much
of it was jammed in it felt like I

: had walked into a Victorian-era
: Applebee's.

My guest and I sat down next

: to the trolly, where some child
: was celebrating their birthday.
: The faux Tiffany lamp that hung
spicy marinara, or the soft noodles :

over our little two-seat table was

: in poor repair, with a large chunk
: missing and the sharp edges iF
: having being taped over. My mood : ©
: was successfully raised however
: bythe arrival of the bread—crisp
: and soft inside and a little sour to
: stimulate the pallet.

The minestrone soup was

: hearty, with a thin tomato base

: that wasn't overwhelmed with

: shell pasta. Lots of vegetables

: rounded out the soup very nicely,
: although I did find the chickpeas
: to bea little underdone. The

: salad was nothing to glow over

: Inareview—common fare with

: your dressing of choice. I would

: definitely recommend the soup

: over salad.

I paired my meal with Two

: Oceans cab-merlot, while my
: guest was more experimental.

 

: The strawberry kiwi sangria (a

: house cocktail) was delicious and
: peachy, heavy on the strawberry

: and light on the kiwi, with just a

: little fizz.

My tortellini was subtle,

: stuffed with a zesty cheese and

: coated in a rose-basil cream

: sauce. It was well-rounded with

: roasted peppers and mushrooms.
: The pasta itself was a little off-

: texture and gooey, though the

: flavour was still very palatable.

: The other dish, a brown butter

: pasta with mizithra cheese was

: quite delicious, cheesy and salty,

 

Indian Summer Festival

» A cultural celebration coming to Vancouver

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

Fo those of you looking to
put a little more culture into
your life, look no further than
Vancouver’s own Indian Summer
Festival, happening July 9-19

at locations all over Downtown
Vancouver. Highlighting
performance art, food, music,
candid discussions, and much
more, the event is sure to be
entertaining and educational.

The festival is put on by the
Indian Summer Arts Society, a
non-profit devoted to promoting
South Asian culture and artists in
the community.

Some of the celebrity guests
that will be in attendance include
Vikram Vij, celebrity chef and
entrepreneur on Dragon's Den.
He will be hosting a cook-off that
will take place during the festival’s
opening gala on July 9, as well as
putting his celebrated culinary
chops to good use for the Dinner
by Starlight, a formal event with a
location only to be released to the
select few who grab their tickets
fast! Though, at $350 a pop, I
think Mr. Vij might be overselling
himself.

If you want something a little
more affordable, the Vancouver
Art Gallery will be playing host
toa collection by esteemed artist
Reena Saini Kallat. Her unique

  

: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Khan & Amaan Ali Khan perform on July 15 via
: Indian Summer Festival Facebook

: show will feature refugee and

: immigrant migration routes

: through a complex and symbolic
: weaving of materials, all to

: highlight the growing global

: community and issues that

: have arisen from that—such as

: problems with finding cultural

: and spiritual identity in a rapidly
: expanding world. The show will

: run from May 12 to October 12

: at their offsite location on West

: Georgia Street, and will have free
: admission.

If you'd prefer something a

: little more business-orientated,
: aseminar will be held on July

: 16 at Simon Fraser University’s

: Goldcorp Centre for the Arts,

: featuring Jessica Jackley, co-

: founder of the micro-lending

: site Kiva. She will be discussing

: various ways of thinking outside
: the box when it comes to business
: strategy, and how to recognize

: entrepreneurial opportunities

 

: within rural or everyday life

: that others might miss. It is her

: Intention to promote a new sense
: of business that’s not just about

: money, but also promotes a better
: community.

For you film geeks, acclaimed

Bollywood actor Anupam

: Kher will be attending a forum

: discussing his career and

: involvement in international

: cinema on June 14, at the Djavid

: Mowafowgian Cinema on West

: Hastings. The comedic actor-

: turned-author will also be taking
: this opportunity to discuss his

: new book; The Best Thing About
: You is You!, and attempt to create
: a dialogue concerning the cultural
: divide between generations.

For more information on

: the Indian Summer Festival, as

: well as a list of its events, you

: can check out their website at

: IndianSummerFest.ca or contact
: Tourism Vancouver.

: though the prawns we ordered
: on the side were a little chewy
: and overdone. My friend was a
: little sensitive so we tried their
: gluten-free pasta, which, though it :
: appeared overcooked, was actually :
: pretty decent. Wealsosampled — :
: some meatballs in marinara which :
: were basic with just a little bit of

: spice. The meatballs were soft and
: tender with lots of flavour.

We finished off the meal with

: spumoni ice cream and coffee.

: And though the ice cream was

: nutty and delicious, the coffee was
: of a much lower quality.

BJ Jensen

 

 

I think it is unfair to compare
: the Old Spaghetti Factory to other
: Italian restaurants, which outclass
: it bya mile. It’s fairer to compare

it to other big kitschy chains like
Red Robin or Boston Pizza, in

: which case the Old Spaghetti

Factory is a unique, easy to

: please—though far from perfect—
: choice. Nota place for a romantic

: evening, but a good place for food
: with friends. And for you budget-

: conscious college students, the

: location in New Westminster

: offers a 10 per cent discount when

; you show them your student card.

dcseal5 with great colleagues

celebrating students

Qougiire