Okay, I’m going to attempt to blog from my phone while I get my computer problems sorted out. Apologies for typos and possibly photos that spill outside their containers.
My friend Nappin Ass Nate and I decided to pay a visit to Puck Food Hall at 409 S. Main for lunch yesterday. Recently re-branded, this market has a variety of vendors, including Mexican food, gelato, coffee, pasta, a butcher/deli, Chinese, pizza, a bakery and more. They also have a bar, a pop-up library, and (soon) a chef-in-residence.
The great thing about a food hall is you can go there with other people and you don’t all have to order the same thing. Nate went to the Mexican vendor, Venga, and ordered a tamale. Since I went to Venga already (it was excellent by the way) I wanted to try a different vendor. I had seen some yummy looking photos of Pasta 409’s offerings on Facebook and checked out their menu
The Capelli D’Angelo Con Gaberi sounded tasty, and was one of the dishes I’d seen in Facebook photos. It was angel hair pasta with baby shrimp, garlic, lemon, butter, and parsley – a nice, simple dish. I ordered it and the man behind the counter made it while I watched.
About 8 minutes after I ordered, my lunch was ready.
The shrimp pasta was outstanding. The ingredients all came together to make a most flavorful dish. The piece of garlic bread was perfect for sopping up the extra garlic butter sauce.
However, the portion size left a bit to be desired. My lunch was $13, $14.20 after tax. I paid with a debit card, and although I wasn’t served at a table, we Downtowners just don’t believe in zeroing out tip lines – we take care of the people who take care of us. So I tipped $2, totaling out at $16.20.
That was not anywhere near $16.20 worth of food! You know the kid sized microwaveable Chef Boy-Ar-Dee cups you can buy 10 for $10 with your Kroger Plus card? It was maybe that much food. MAYBE. (Comparing only quantity here, not quality.) I was hungry again two hours later, and I’m not a big eater. I pulled a total Nuh-Uh Girl move and ate a friend’s leftover beef jerky to make it through the rest of my Thursday. The portion of shrimp was decent, but I sure would have liked a couple of additional ounces of pasta.
My buddy Nate got gnocchi from Pasta 901 to go along with his tamale from Venga. He agreed that the pasta was delicious, but that the portion size was rather small. (He praised the tamale as a good value.)
On the way down there, I got a photo of the best Bird scooter photo ever.
This is where they all belong! I’m not anti-scooter; I just hate the reckless, inconsiderate riders. So many people on the Birds think they have the right to mow over pedestrians, disobey traffic laws and the rules you agree to when you sign up, and park them thoughtlessly. Much like the pedal party bikes, they aren’t inherently bad but have a way of turning people into douchebags.
Enough about scooters though. Puck Food Hall is a fantastic concept and the quality of the food has been consistently excellent when I have dined there. It’s like having 10 new restaurants in South Main. Can’t beat that!
Since my computer is down, I’m typing this on my phone at Bardog. Sitting next to an investor in Slider Out, soon to open a block north of Puck Food Hall. He says they’re shooting for July 15.
Back sometime soon, but maybe not tomorrow, with more news.