Good Italian | Quality has its price

You can regognize good Italian cuisine by looking at the simple dishes, says Gino Pudu of Aroma in Schöneberg. "Many classics are banalized, treated as if anyone could prepare them, although Tagliatelle Bolognese or Spaghetti al Pomodoro are actually hard to make because the tomato sauce has to be perfect and there's little room for experiments. You just need to know how it's done." Pudu follows one rule of thumb: the less ingredients, the higher their quality has to be: Fresh mozzarella, good olive oil, homemade pasta. "Of course it's a little more expensiv3! How long do you think it takes to make pasta by hand?" says Pudu, "But when you explain that to your guests, they'll understand and recognize the difference. Our menu offers explanations about the recipes we use – where they come from and what's special about them." Of course, not every hungry dinner guest has an extra euro or two to spare. But successful restaurants like the Aroma have established a steady core of regulars through creativity and continuity. "You have to develop a feel for what people want and carefully try out new interpretations without breaking with traditions" says Pudu. "When it comes to food, you need to recognize trends to be able to offer something new to your guests."

It takes time and stamina to build up a solid customer base. Since they opened their restaurant in 2005, Elvira and Roberto Presti have made a name for themselves in their neighbourhood with their housemade pasta. The Prestis derive all of their pasta ingredients – from the wheat to the food coloring from organic sources. They charge between five and seven euros for a meal. But are Berliners savvy enough to appreciate such high quality standards? "They're getting there," says Elvira Presti after pausing for a moment to think about the question. "Some customers don't realize why it tastes so good. They eat here for years before realizing that the pasta was made without eggs and that their shape and consistency is perfect because our excellent pasta machine was a little more expensive." The form of the pasta does matter, says Presti, because a dish like Aglio e olio tastes differently with spaghetti than with penne. Elvira Presti grew up in an Italian household where fresh pasta was served every other day. Naturally, she has high standards when it comes to Italian cuisine.

The sauces alternate on a daily basis, although the Arrabiata and simple pomodoro sauce have been timeless classics. But inventions with seasonal ingredients like a sauce with beets, dates and coconut milk or bacon, zucchini and cream, or with maroni and chard, which Presti recommends alongside Pasta Mafaldi with curry seasoning, have been equally popular. "I personally like the classics," says Presti, "but our customers love the variations, so why not!" Add to this the authentic Italian atmosphere at Pastapresti: "it just emerges naturally because we love working here!"

(onu)