I Like "Va Bene"

Finding “Va Bene” (VB for short) is a joy in itself; and for a walk-in diner, getting a table there is yet another joy.  It’s always best to reserve even though one might think that no one would ever stumble upon a nice Italian restaurant in a busy Petron gas station. Yes, that Petron by the corner of EDSA and Pasay Road, near the gate going to Dasmarinas Village. But VB has loyal diners, mostly repeat customers who call up to reserve before walking in. In my two times there though, my companions and I just took our chances and drove right up into the gas station. We’re in luck that each time we arrive, some diners had just finished dining and a table is ready for us to take over.  (Sorry, will post the number next time.)

I first read about VB in a Margaux Salcedo article a couple of years ago. I never had the chance to dine there until recently, once in March 2013 and one more time this April 2013. It’s now one of the 3 Italian restaurants that I fancy, all in most unlikely places. The other two are Bellini’s at the shoe expo in Cubao (owned by an Italian who is a former paparazzo) and Casetta del Divino Zelo (run by an Italian religious order) located in the middle of nowhere (in a farm near Tagaytay, adjacent to Ilog Maria Bee Farm). I’d keep coming back to VB.

Left: the menu cover;  Right: Chef Massimo when he was still at Mi Piace

If one wants to go beyond the usual spaghetti, penne, angel hair, etc. pasta, VB is definitely an excellent option. It’s got more pasta variety, freshly made at that, owing to the fact that the chef used to be the one in-charge of Mi Piace of The Peninsula Manila. But it’s neither cheap nor expensive, something like relatively mid-range. For instance, a cannelloni that serves two can set one back by PHP350, a good price for an authentic dish that tastes several notches better than the so-called “Italian” restaurants in malls.

Miguel here just arrived from Singapore for a quick break 

from his studies; brought him to VB right away and he almost 

finished our polpette antipasto (menu says that polpette 

is traditional italian meat ball cooked in tomato sauce 

with ricotta cheese and thyme crostone)

menu describes this as arugula salad with chicken

milanese, roasted onions and caramelized apples

in balsamico dressing

Left: menu says it's portobello mushrooms cannelloni in light tomato cream sauce;

Right: rolled spinach cannelloni with smoked ham and light tomato cream sauce; 

I asked the waiter why the portobello mushrooms cannelloni is creamier than

rolled spinach cannelloni and after saying "that's a good question sir" he quickly

answered that the first one is creamier due to the mushroom sap; 

VB also serves good ravioli, which we ordered during our first visit 

Cars can be parked at the gas station. An attendant hands out a parking coupon which can be validated at the restaurant for a free parking good for 1.5 hours.