As a college student, it’s pretty easy to get quickly bored of the campus food, and at the end of a lazy Sunday, a bowl of warm pasta sounds like heaven. With one of the best deals on pasta in the city, Fumo is a cozy neighborhood Italian restaurant that offers $12 pasta for its hungry customers on Sundays. From penne vodka and penne funghi to spaghetti vegan pesto, their huge and rich portions will leave you satisfied.
I’ve gone to Fumo countless times with my girlfriends, and it is the perfect place for a dinner night out. There are several locations scattered around New York City, with Fumo Kips Bay only a couple blocks from Grand Central. The restaurant, located on the corner of 415th Street and 3rd Avenue, includes outdoor seating under its sage green awning. The inside of the restaurant is pretty small, and while we’ve never had trouble getting a seat, I would recommend making a reservation. The flickering candles atop the tables provide ambiance to the restaurant. There is a bar in the corner, in which their Happy Hour runs from 4-7 p.m. on weekdays when their specialty drinks are only $6.
In addition, Fumo is very accommodating to different dietary restrictions. The menu offers many vegan and gluten-free options, such as the spaghetti vegan pesto, as well as vegan burgers and pizza. The ingredients of the pizzas can be substituted for gluten-free or cauliflower crust, and the cheese can be substituted with Daiya cheese. As someone who tries to limit dairy, I am very satisfied with the options.
In my opinion, what makes Fumo so special is their incredible service. The servers are always so nice and attentive. Though the restaurant was full when we came in, they found us a seat within five minutes. They gave us free warm bread and even gave us seconds. On our most recent visit, we ordered the baby spinach salad as the starter, which had honey pecans, avocado and carrots drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette. It was sweet yet refreshing. We also frequently get the steamed spinach with garlic and olive oil. While it was very delicious, it didn’t compare to the authentic Italian dish I tried.
Hands down my favorite entree to get is the penne vodka. The sauce is creamy, rich and mixes well with the parmesan cheese flaked on top. Another favorite is the penne funghi, which has wild mushroom, marsala cream and truffle oil. While I am usually too full from the starters and the bread, the portion sizes are perfect. I could finish the whole bowl and still be comfortable. However, there is always room for dessert, and Fumo’s options don’t disappoint. They offer tiramisu, tartufo, brownies, panna cotta and cannolis. It is a tradition for our friends to always split a tiramisu, and Fumo’s is probably the best I’ve tried. I still think about it to this day.
My opinion of Fumo hasn’t changed, as it has become a staple dinner spot for my friends and me. The affordable prices are enticing, and the pasta itself is even more tempting on a Sunday evening, which leaves me always running back to the city for the $12 pasta.
