Pasta Pomodoro
Call me a slave to capitalism if you will, but there are certain establishments of popular society that I tend to induldge myself in, namely coffee shops like Starbucks and booksellers like Borders, and like the little cafe known as Pasta Pomodoro that serves a delightful meal.
Today is a rainy day in San Jose, but it was not without its merits. I had a lunch in the local Pasta Pomodoro, a relatively light fare (for someone like me, at least 
which consisted of a pasta dish (I cannot for the life of me spell the type of pasta they served) with a spread of crisp, hot vegetables, braised and herbed chicken in a light, sundried tomato sauce, a salad that they called the Mista salad (a bed of assorted and fragrant greens served with crumbled bleu cheese and a tangy balsamic vinagrette) and an iced tea with peach Torani. It was indulgent, comparatively to my more humble lunch fare that usually would be an entree with a glass of water, but I was feeling particularly good this Friday and couldn't spoil it by being conservative.
The food came quickly, and each item was interspersed with fresh baked herbal bread and a very telling pesto dip that propels you into old Tuscany when it touches your tongue. Service was excellent--while I noted my server was particularly busy, I was attended to by a pleasant (and attractive young woman who saw my bread plate filled and my glass full at every chance she got.
Now what you'd expect from first glance at the meal was disatisfaction at its seemingly meager proportions, but let me assure you that was not the case once I was done. It was a nice hot meal that filled just the right corners of what I'd consider my prodigious belly, and when the check came it was not heavy on the wallet either. For all that plus great service you can usually expect to pay upwards of USD20 or more, but it actually didn't quite pass far over the USD11 mark, which was an unusual surprise.
The particular location, as is themed by this week's posts, was located in Santana Row, which by standards of upscale shopping districts would usually make you feel indulgent in even browsing their stores, but the meal was actually well worth the cost and then some. I left a big tip behind and they left me with a smile. Definitely a place to go to for a quick meal or an extended lunch period, without breaking the bank, which is always a good thing.
