It’s hard to find restaurants around campus that strike the middle ground between good food and low cost. Pascale Italian Bistro at Drumlins, however, gives people the opportunity to eat well and not blow their budget.

You may have been familiar with Pascale’s Fayetteville location, now called Tavern 104, but Pascale has a location closer to campus. Pascale Italian Bistro is connected to Drumlins Country Club but is open to the public six days a week. The bistro offers traditional Italian cuisine along with pub-style food. They are also open for lunch daily, offering fresh soups, salads and sandwiches.

Pascale offers a brand new student menu with over five dishes to choose from. Everything on the menu is $10, consisting of dishes like “all you can eat pasta,” grilled salmon and personal pizza. This menu is available to all Syracuse University students as long as they have a student ID available.

 

I tried the baked lasagna from the student menu. The portion was large and the lasagna was very rich and tasty. Each layer of lasagna had the perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio. I thoroughly enjoyed the combination of fresh ricotta, ground beef and pork, mozzarella and marinara sauce. I was very full and unable to finish this dish, but I would definitely recommend it.

I also tried a fairly new dish to the lunch menu, the shrimp tacos. This is a very intriguing entrée, comprised of battered shrimp and coleslaw, covered in spicy aioli. The large pieces of shrimp are served over three flour tortillas with a side of spicy mayo dipping sauce. At first, I was very confused about this dish because it tasted like something I would order at a Japanese restaurant.

Chef Sal Alessandro served me the tacos and explained how he used to work at a Japanese restaurant. Alessandro was inspired to use his Japanese techniques, adding a twist to the menu. The tacos were very heavy and I could taste the excess of calories from the beer-battered, deep fried shrimp. The dipping sauce had a powerful kick to it and was perfectly spicy.

Pascale has a very comfortable setting with a friendly feel. The restaurant has a large dining space, filled with booths and tables that overlook the golf courses at Drumlins Country Club. There is a bar in the center of the restaurant, offering a wide variety of wine and craft beers. There are flat-screen TVs around the bistro, making Pascale a popular spot during basketball and football seasons. There is also a separate back room for larger parties and a patio outside for outdoor seating.

All of the breads and desserts are made fresh daily at the Pascale Bake House. The bake house is open to the public from 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. six days a week, offering desserts like cupcakes, cookies and cakes. Pascale’s most popular desserts are the banana cream pie and the bête noir gluten-free special.

Pascale also has a brand new pizza oven. There are several different pizzas to choose from and all of the dough is handmade. The most popular pizza on the menu is the “con carne pizza,” filled with homemade Bolognese sauce, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella. The pizza prices range from $10–$14 and can be personalized upon request.

Pascale is family friendly but a step up from eating on Marshall Street. It’s casual enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re eating a super fancy meal but if you’re yearning for a little bit of a nicer dining location, this is also the place to go.

Published on November 1, 2015 at 8:06 pm

Contact Callie: caweinst@syr.edu