Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 5. March 30 1981

Eating out — Mangiare Spaghetti House

Eating out

Mangiare Spaghetti House

Eva Street. Off Dixon Street. Opposite Pigeon Park and The State Opera House (watch your head).

Upstairs but easy to find, this small simple place with a fairly cheap limited range blackboard menu, offered a suggestion of a good place on a student income to have the occasional (small) splash out.

Menu
Spaghetti Bolognese $4.00
Spaghetti Vongole (clams) $4.00
Pastitso (layered pasta like lasagna) $4.00
Cannelloni (stuffed crepe-like rolls) $4.00
Galato Pureko (layered pastry with custard) $1.00
Baclava $1.00
Bread .50
Mixed Salad
(BYO)
$1.00

The waitresses, ready to explain the dishes and the pronunciation without fuss, were casual and friendly throughout the meal although outnumbering the patrons But it was a Monday night.

We chose Cannelloni and Pastitso. Both dishes were only mediocre - the pasta being rather stodgy and the meat filling, bland. Nothing the matter with either of them but at the same time nothing memorable. I might say that my idea of a good meal worth paying for is one that you couldn't knock up yourself. The salad was limp with bits of brown unpalatable celery laced through it.

The sweets were beautiful. (Banana Fritters appealed but were already unavailable). Especially good was the super sweet Baclava which you may like to try at the same time as the super-strength turkish coffee offered instead of each separately. Keep a glass of water close by.

There didn't appear to be anything particularly Italian about the operation. The whole set-up could be characterised as dull. Decor; travel posters and brown checked table cloths.

Food and service without flair. Greek musak and a totally unjustified $4.00 minimum charge.