Poppa’s Pasta at the Kingston hotel is one of the best kept secrets of the year. Most of us have enjoyed their delicious homemade pastas and gourmet burgers over a schooner and bottle of wine to the comforting sounds of muffled sports commentators, scraping furniture, clinking glasses and clack-clack-clack of the pool room – but how many knew they do take-away? I did dine in at the Kingston this time around by the soothing warmth of a crackling fire, (balancing 5 meals, a note book, camera and the majority of my brain cells is a bit difficult in the car) but everything I tried can thankfully be ordered to go.
I started with the Jalapeno Burger – 180g homemade beef pattie, topped with Swiss cheese, spicy jalapeno peppers, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, battered onion rings, homemade aioli and smokey barbeque sauce. This thing is stacked sky high and loaded with sweet heat and savoury flavours. Probably not one for those who shy away from spicy ingredients – but if you like your burger to come with a little extra kick – this is the one for you.
The Chicken Burger came next and was filled with grilled chicken breast, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, red onion, avocado and aioli. The rich nuttiness of the freshly sliced avocado paired brilliantly with the super succulent golden grilled breast. The homemade aioli was thick, creamy and tangy, and the red onion added that little bit of mildly sweet crunch. The bread was soft and fluffy inside but had a lovely pale crust with a teensy bit of outer tactile crunch – absolute bliss.
My favourite had to be the Cheese and Bacon Burger – part novelty factor but mostly taste – a juicy 180g homemade beef pattie, topped with bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, homemade aioli, tomato sauce and, best of all, a generous squiggle of bright yellow American mustard. It looked amazing, tasted even better (see if you can resist prying the bread lid off the see the Jackson Pollocked sauce and mustard combo) and was hands down the best cheese and bacon burger I’ve ever tried.
As it would be a sacrilegious act to visit Poppa’s Pasta without trying at least one pasta dish, I also ordered the Gnocchi Napolitana, (Soft pillows of potato Gnocchi in a homemade, heart-warming tomato sauce with fresh basil and oregano) and the Penne Amatriciana (al dente Penne tubes with mild salami slithers, basil and chilli in a homemade tomato sauce). Both were absolutely delicious, flavour packed, piping hot and smothered in the finest curls of brilliantly sharp parmesan cheese.
If you’re having a busy week and need something fast, fresh, affordable and family friendly – you can’t go past Poppa’s Pasta. The burger patties are homemade, as are the pasta sauces and aiolis, the bread is fresh and ingredients are real. There is even the convenience of a 10 – 15 minute turnaround and drive through pick up – fast food without the artificial nasties.
If it’s been “one of those days,” give them a call on 6232 6026. If it’s been a particularly bad “one of those days,” perhaps circle the drive through bottle shop while you’re there.
