Spoleto

NOT very nice to foreign customers. I have studied portuguese for 3 years and I’m not fluent but I can hold my own ordering a plate of pasta. When I tried to order the employees just started laughing at me. They stopped taking my order to group up and laugh and talk about me and how I can’t understand anything. I have worked in food service for 3 years and would NEVER treat a customer how I was treated today.
Also the pasta is no good. the just put some pasta in a pan with oil and meat and a package of carbonara flavoring powder. Not worth the money or the frustration.

This is a chain restaurant, meaning there are several around Rio that are just like it. It has a cool concept where you pick what type of pasta you would like and then what sauce and there’s a buffet of toppings you can add in. It definitely helps to know Portuguese because ordering can be tricky if you want to customize a dish. I don’t think I know all the different types of pasta if they didn’t have them printed out with pictures on the menu. They are pre-​portioned and pre-​cooked. The chef just heats it up in boiling water. You tell him what toppings and he throws it in a frying pan and mixes it all together. The meatballs are in the fridge and reheated in the the microwave. They tasted fine with tomato sauce.
Don’t have too many expectations for a fast food pasta shop and you’ll find this place decent.
The style of the restaurant is long and thin. In the very back is a sunlight panel which is nice on a cloudy day. They were having some trouble with a leaky ceiling so that section was blocked off when I was there.