By Thomas Southmayd

As I attempt to describe my experience at Pasteizza, I find myself stuck between a loss of words and a belt buckle I swear fit me a few hours ago.

Pasteizza is a great new addition to Montreal West’s restaurant scene. Owners Shan and Suba describe their recently opened restaurant as “pizza, pasta, paradise.” One might wonder what “paradise” entails. We were soon to find out.

Anna and I were greeted by a wonderful waitress and a candle-lit atmosphere. The kitchen, where the owners cook the meals themselves, is at the back, facing the dining room. Diners can watch the chefs in action and the chefs can view their customers. Along one side of the restaurant is the bar where customers can sample a vast selection of liquors or a pint of beer on tap. Anna and I sat at a two-person table near the window. The restaurant was fairly full, serving several other couples and a few families.

While looking over our menus, we came to realize what exactly Shan and Suba meant by “paradise”. On top of the extensive pizza and pasta menu, Pasteizza offers an array of steaks, subs, seafoods, escalopes, hamburgers, poutine, not to mention Chinese and Greek dishes.

Anna and I shared a plate of fried calamari ($8.75). I consider myself a calamari aficionado. Pasteizza’s dish was served in a large bowl, garnished with succulent seasonings, lemon wedges, and marinara sauce. The calamari was fried to perfection.

Anna ordered an 11” Meat Lover pizza ($14.50), layered with cheese, pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, hamburger meat, ham, and onions. The pizza, cut into six slices, was served on a pizza pan, straight out of the oven. Anna served herself a slice and dug in. The dough was fresh and hinted of garlic and basil. The crust had risen to a perfect height. What stood out the most for Anna was the juicy bacon and Italian sausage. What stood out most for me was the onion. Unlike any other pizza I’ve tried, it was cut into thick slices, about the size of the rest of the toppings, introducing a sweet taste to each bite. The cheese melted to the point that it drooped off the edges of each slice.

My Penne Gigi ($12.75), a pasta dish of penne, mushroom, green onion, bacon, ham, in a rosé sauce, was served in a large bowl and garnished with basil. The rosé sauce worked perfectly with the other ingredients because of its slightly creamy texture. The bacon and ham were just as fresh and juicy as those on Anna’s pizza. The penne was cooked slightly al dente, adding character and complementing the other ingredients.

After our main course, we decided we absolutely needed to order dessert. The blueberry strudel consisted of two strudels, a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a blueberry glaze. It was served on a small plate with the blueberry glaze drizzled over the strudels and ice cream. We were blown away by the strudel’s warm exterior, warm blueberry interior, and the addition of ice cream within the strudel itself.

With its friendly staff, calm, intimate atmosphere, and incredible food, Pasteizza is a must-visit for anyone searching for pizza, pasta — or paradise.