Exchanging Smiles at Va' Pensiero Trattoria

To welcome back our dear balikbayan, Kiwee, RJ and I decided to meet her for dinner in one of our favorite Araneta Coliseum restaurants, Va' Pensiero. 

We've been to Va' Pensiero before when we watched Inception, but we wanted to visit this authentic Italian restaurant again! 

Va' Pensiero translated in English means "Fly, Thoughts." As written on their menu, the name was taken from the chorus of the third act of Nabucco by the famous Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi. Italians perceive it as a patriotic song which recollects the story of the Jewish exile from Babylon after losing the First Temple in Jerusalem. It has been a patriotic song since the late 18th century.


RJ and I took the same couch on the right side of the restaurant beside the glass window. Unlike our earlier visit, the restaurant was pretty quiet and it was a little darker on our side. I had a hard time taking photos of the food since there was little light. 

Anyway, we felt extremely excited when we saw real Italians in the restaurant! They were all wearing the same shirt just in different colors and they took so many group shots around the restaurant. They even took a picture beside the restaurant's firewood oven! I could hear their sweet Italian language all the way from our table. Italian language is so melodious, don't you think so?

Trivia: Did you know that the standard Italian language used today is based on Dante Alighieri's works? Dante Alighieri wrote the famous Divina Comedia epic poems. That's the reason why the Italian language sounds so melodious. Hehehe, enough with nerd Smarla :P 

If I'm not mistaken, the standing guy in blue shirt is the owner of Va' Pensiero, Chef Giorgino. Why do I think so? Because he kept smiling at us the whole time while we were in the restaurant!

I think he found us pretty amusing since we kept taking photos of the food. RJ shared to me that Chef Giorgino laughed when RJ tried to lift our dish vertically like a painting just so I could take a decent picture without worrying about shadows. Of course we didn't continue with this plan since the food might fall off! 

I didn't think Chef Giorgino could speak much English since he resorted to exchanging awkward smiles with us every chance he got! We beamed a smile each time he did but I think our faces were painted with awkward smiles. Nonetheless, he always shared with us his warmest smile. It was like he really knows us! Fred (of 12 Baskets) later told me that Chef Giorgino can speak English. He became Fred's professor at Heny Sison Culinary School! He taught them how to make pizzas!

Complimentary Bread with Dip (Php Free!)

Like last visit, we ordered from their couple-biased menu (pizza good for two + 2 bottomless ice tea for Php499). While waiting, we kept pinching from their complimentary soft bread and dipping it in their herby oil dip. I still like Italliani's dip more but I loved their bread.  

Rigoletto (Part of Php499 meal which includes 2 bottomless iced teas)

I wanted a herby and cheesy pizza but RJ wanted something with meat on it so this was our compromise pizza. From their couple-biased menu, we chose their Rigoletto pizza. It's a 12 inch pizza with tomato sauce, spinach, porcini mushrooms, parma ham, pecorino romano (Italian cheese), mozzarella & parmesan cheese. It uses the Naples-style thin crust. 

In contrast to the pizza from our earlier visit, we thought that the crust was a thinner and the flavors were less adventurous. I think this pizza is best for kids since the sweet & salty ham's flavor stands out while the spinach's and mushroom's tastes are subdued. 

Risotto con Osso Buco (Php380)

I still found myself hungry halfway through the pizza so we decided to order another dish, Risotto con Osso Buco. The menu describes it as saffron risotto with Milan style beef shank. 

RJ and I both adored this dish! I've tasted better risotto but the beef tasted so flavorful. The bone marrow is one of the tastiest parts of beef. Some parts of the shank were a little tough but we kept carving the meat out of the bone marrow hole anyway! 

The wonderful mix of ingredients in the sauce is the key to this dish. Its tomato sauce is cooked with white wine, broth and mixed vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions). Milan surely knows its way around the kitchen!

The risotto was okay. It was gleaming in its golden yellow hue from the saffron with a mild honey-like taste with a hint of bitterness. Va' Pensiero's risotto was similar to the taste of a stripped down Spanish Paella rice. I was looking for a more cheesier and finer (in terms of texture) risotto but I think their version served its purpose given that it's partnered with a very flavorful meat.  

Trivia 2: Saffron is a spice from a flower called Saffron Crocus. 1 pound of saffron is equivalent to 50,000-75,000 flowers. No wonder it is also the world's most expensive spice by weight.  

Our friend Kiwee arrived late from another dinner so RJ and I were almost done when she arrived. We offered her the last of pizza which she turned down. We decided to cut the last slice into three parts and shared it. In that way, we were able to share the dinner with Kiwee. Hehehe! (Sorry Kiwee, we were so hungry and excited already that we ate ahead of you :P Peace!)

If you want to experience the taste of old Italia, Va' Pensiero is right down your alley! Since Chef Giorgino used to be the owner of the original trattoria in Italy, Antica Trattoria Il Convento for 11 years, expect authentic regional Italian dishes served in Va' Pensiero. In fact, all their cheeses are imported all the way from Italy! Even their wine selection is purely Italian. 

Now you can enjoy the original trattoria in the Philippines in Va' Pensiero!

For more information on Va' Pensiero, check out my earlier write up on it: click me! 

More Info about Va' Pensiero:
Address: Unit 14 Araneta Coliseum Circle, Araneta Center, Cubao

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Contact Number: (02) 912-8270

Operating Hours: Su, M, T, W, Th: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

                             F, Sa: 11:00 am - 12:00 mn

~It's the little sweet notes everyday that matter. :)~