The Place
A recent addition to the vibrant international food scene on London Road, the philosophy at Butta La Pasta is fairly straightforward: fresh, seasonal pasta dishes inspired by various regions of Italy. The name itself translates as “throw in the pasta” – a common saying in Italian households – and nicely reflects the laidback, homely feel that owner Stephen Ogden has brought to a fairly no-frills but comfortable restaurant.
The Food
Due to their emphasis on keeping things seasonal, the menu changes on a monthly basis. It might be small but it’s big on pasta dishes and all the staples were present: spaghetti, lasagne, tagliatelle, rigatoni and orrecheti. The starters were a choice of Tuscan-inspired tomato soup pappa al pomodoro, crab bruschetta, antipasto, and Sicilian caponata. Desserts are the only thing which remain more or less static – with lemon tart, chocolate torte, pistachio loaf cake and homemade ice creams and sorbets all sticking to the uncomplicated but tasty ethos.
To start, we ordered the crab bruschetta – a generous helping of white and brown crabmeat spread across toasted ciabatta with red chilli, celery and lemon. It provided a fresh, zesty start to proceedings.
We tried some of the caponata on Stephen’s recommendation and weren’t disappointed. Served to us as part of the antipasto platter, this quintessntially Sicilian, aubergine-heavy dish of braised Mediterranean vegetables had a pleasant sweet and sour taste which paired nicely with the homemade focaccia. The remainder of the hearty platter was supplemented by buttery gorgonzola, sliced salami and grilled courgettes.
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The pasta is obviously the main event here, and my tagliatelle with pea and prosciutto sauce lived up to its billing. It was delightful: simple, delicate and covered in a rich, creamy sauce which quickly had me in comfort carbs heaven.
My partner ordered the spaghetti lucia, a customer favourite and easy to see why. Perfectly cooked prawns with anchovy coupling well with ripe tomatoes and adding a depth of flavour without being too overpowering.
Fully content and carbed up to the nines, we just about managed to finish a helping of dark chocolate and coffee ice cream – a decadent end to a very satisfying three courses.
The Verdict
Friendly service, zero pretence and a menu which does the basics extremely well – Butta La Pasta ticks all the boxes for an inexpensive evening of hearty Italian food made with real passion and authenticity in mind.
280 London Road, Sheffield S2 4NA // facebook.com/buttalapastauk
