When you find yourself in Darlington town centre in need of a quick bite to eat, I’ve discovered that Casa Della Pasta on Skinnergate is a great option.
Town was still fairly busy as I walked down Bondgate and Skinnergate at around 5:45pm last night (Monday, April 17) but Casa Della Pasta was empty when I walked in.
Having opened last month, the shop has proved very popular, and there's the option of either sitting in or taking away.
The food is prepared in front of you, which is always reassuring.
Read more: New pasta shop opens in Darlington - and it offers meals 12 hours a day
There are countless dishes to choose from on the menu, so I went with penne with salmon and broccoli in creamy sauce.
The standard portions, which cost £6.50, are enormous, so I opted for a small portion which was £4.
I decided to eat in and started digging into my dinner. The pasta wasn’t over-cooked, and the sauce was creamy but wasn’t too rich and heavy.
They weren’t stingy on the salmon either and I got a decent amount of broccoli. It has been ingrained in me since childhood that a meal is not complete without a green vegetable.
Read more: Eating Out Review: We tried Darlington's newest Asian-fusion restaurant
Read more: New bubble tea shop opens in Darlington town centre - take a look inside
Read more: REVIEW: A taste of Thailand at Andaman Home Café in Darlington with 'good clean food'
As soon as I started eating a stampede of people walked in, so it turned out I hadn’t discovered a quiet time to go after all.
I wolfed the pasta down within about ten minutes and then clocked the ice cream on the menu.
I chose chocolate and vanilla in a cup, rather than a cone, with milk chocolate sauce and ‘chocolatey biscuit ball thingys’ which was nice and nostalgic. The ice cream is priced at £2.50 with ‘extras’ costing 50p.
It reminded me of a Mr Whippy which I’m sure would be a big hit with kids. As a 25-year-old with a sweet tooth, it was right up my street.
Overall, the food is simple and tasty, and the service friendly and fast. You can’t go wrong with a big bowl of pasta for £6.50 or less.
For more quality journalism, subscribe to The Northern Echo for £1.50 a week here.
When the shop first opened, there was talk over how it would compare to The Pasta Shop on Woodland Road, but the two are not comparable, as they have different styles, and the majority of things on their menus are very different.
Casa Della Pasta also sells other options if pasta isn’t your thing, such as; salads, sandwiches, fries, and coffee.
Ratings (out of ten) Food quality: 7; Surroundings: 7.5; Value: 9, Service: 8.
Located at: 65 Skinnergate.
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm each day.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel