Curbing carbs but find yourself in Linguini Fini? Give it up, it's pasta point of no return as the one year old restaurant rolls up its sleeves to churn out 22 pasta dishes (14 new ones) available in 3 kinds of portion size (Lite – good for one, Regular – for 2 to 3, and Grand – for 3 to 4) to suit every carbo-fueled appetite.
Brooklyn-Italian restaurant Linguini Fini first opened in Hong Kong in 2011, which was then followed by its Manila outlet opening in 2014 under the Moment Group. This year, Linguini Fini Manila celebrates its first year of operations while a third Linguini Fini outlet, located in Hanoi, recently opened its doors. With Linguini Fini HK Executive Chef Vinny Lauria at its helm, sustainability is at its forefront of Linguini Fini, championing locally sourced ingredients, and the freshest pasta from scratch. Linguini Fini offers seven types of pasta to cater to one's many different pasta preferences: linguini, linguini fini (their signature pasta with finer strands), spaghetti, rigati (ridged tubes), papardelle (thick silken flat noodles), fusilli (spiral/corkscrew-like), and fettucine (flat noodles).
Here in Manila, Chef Daniel Lachica keeps the flavors rocking and the pasta always fresh, and to fuel their love affair with pasta, he has created an impressive lineup for new reasons to return to the restaurant. If pasta is your purpose in life like Linguini Fini, then here's their lineup of noodle goodness you must conquer soon with your fork.
Linguini Fini's 14 New Pasta Dishes:
1. LF Porchetta (P275/Lite, P495/Reg, P730/Grand) : a signature dish of pasta with red onion and basil topped with chunks of homemade porchetta.
2. Birthday Bolognese (P250/Lite, P410/Reg, P540/Grand): Linguini Fini's take on a Filipino favorite: sweet-style spaghetti served during birthday parties. The homemade spaghetti is covered in chunks of homemade sweet sausage, basil, roasted garlic, and Grana Padano.
3. Spicy Shrimp Arrabiata (P245/Lite, P435/Reg, P650/Grand): the restaurant's take on the classic Italian arrabiata ('angry' in Italian, translated into a spicy sauce ) with chili pesto, roasted garlic, and cherry tomato.
4. Fried Chicken Alfredo (P280/Lite, P535/Reg, P785/Grand): the classic creamy pasta with becomes playful with its chicken, served as golden chicken nuggets, and combined with parmigiano.
5. Truffle Shroom Fettucine (P280/Lite, P535/Reg, P785/Grand): a sure hit for mushroom fans is this meatless pasta loaded with two kinds of mushroom (shitake and porcini), and flavors get an extra punch of with the intoxicating aroma of truffle.
6. Linguini Adobo Gremolata (P165/Lite, P280/Reg, P405/Grand): this Staff Fave is a sure winner for local tastebuds as it gives pasta a Filipino spin; the herby and flavorful gremolata (traditionally a combination of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest) meets crisp adobo flakes, roasted cherry tomatoes, and salted egg.
7. Roasted Pepper & Shrimp Linguini (P250/Lite, P410/Reg, P540/Grand): creamy pasta is topped with roasted pepper, shrimp, and fresh herbs.
8. Linguini Vongole (P260/Lite, P390/Reg, P520/Grand): the popular Italian favorite cooked with wine and topped with clams gets added freshness with parsley and a tease of salt and meat from bits of pancetta (cured pork belly, or the Italian bacon).
9. Calamari Linguini Nero (P225/Lite, P405/Reg, P595/Grand): a spicy squid ink pasta combined with garlic, onion, pickled chili, and topped with calamari.
10. Longganisa Linguini (P195/Lite, P345/Reg, P515/Grand): another local spin to the pasta, this new Linguini Fini dish is lipsmacking and balances the flavor of crumbled homemade local sausage with chili leaves and pecorino romano topping the oil based pasta.
11. Baked Ziti (P250/Lite, P410/Reg, P540/Grand): this classic Italian-American tomato and meat pasta will please the lasagna lovers with its familiar and fresh flavors: bolognese melds with cheesy mozzarella, and topped with focaccia bread crumbs.
12. Lamb Rigati (P225/Lite, P405/Reg, P595/Grand): sweet with a layer of tangy, tomatoey flavor, the tube pasta is covered in tender pieces of lamb and sweet onion ragu.
13. Pesto Pancetta Fusilli (P260/Lite, P390/Reg, P520/Grand): a flavorful tumble of cherry tomatoes, basil, crushed garlic, oil, and parmigiano on al dente spiral shaped pasta.
14. Salumi & Mushrooms Fusilli (P240/Lite, P390/Reg, P580/Grand): brown butter laces each piece of firm pasta with just enough sweet and nuttiness, with a combination of mushrooms, roasted peppers and salumi bits.
8 More Pasta Creations to Get Your Fork On:
1. LF Aglio Olio (P145/Lite, P260/Reg, P385/Grand): Linguini Fini's signature dish of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and parsley.
2. LF Pomodori (P145/Lite, P260/Reg, P385/Grand): Linguini Fini's signature dish of homemade tomato and basil.
3. LF Puttanesca (P195/Lite, P345/Reg, P515/Grand): Linguini Fini's signature dish of spicy, tangy tomato based pasta laced with capers, anchovies, and olives.
4. "On Top of Spaghetti" (P280/Lite, P535/Reg, P785/Grand): just as the song goes, it's a serving of spaghetti topped with a homemade meatball, and of course, it's 'all covered with cheese.'
5. Shrimp & Clams Fettucine (P255/Lite, P455/Reg, P675/Grand): a simple and fresh seafood delight of a pasta loaded with shrimp, clams, and watercress.
6. Papardelle "Nose To Tail Bolo" (P245/Lite, P435/Reg, P650/Grand): Linguini Fini's signature dish deliciously presenting the 'nose-to-tail' philosophy of HK Executive Chef Vinny Lauria: pork doesn't go to waste here as a combination of pork testa, veal and oxtail ragu (which takes 7 days to make) meets Parmigiano Reggiano in a deliciously meaty and hearty plate.
7. Pancetta Linguini Carbonara (P255/Lite, P455/Reg, P675/Grand): the carbonara, the classic (and likely the most agreeable and most ordered) creamy pasta dish in the metro, gets Italian bacon for this one, combined with Grana Padano and basil.
8. 4 Cheese Rigati (P245/Lite, P435/Reg, P650/Grand): for a cheesy pasta fix, order this one which is a combination of Gorgonzola, Ricotta, Parmigiano, and Mozzarella.
Linguini Fini is located at the 3rd Level of Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall. Follow Linguini Fini Manila on Twitter and Instagram (@LinguiniFiniMNL), Like them on Facebook (/LinguiniFiniMNL). Visit www.linguinifini.com.
