In December 1995 a small osteria appeared by the famous Golden Gates of Kiev, in the very heart of this ancient city. Pantagruel, the name of the osteria, came from the main character of “Gargantua and Pantagruel”, a book by a famous Renaissance writer Francois Rabelais (1490 - 1553). Pantagruel the giant was a cheery fellow with an appetite as large as his own massive size. A spirit of Italian cuisine by the real food virtuoso Costantino Passalacqua prevails in the osteria. Well, although Ukraine is not an obvious destination for the true fans of cucina Italiana, Pantagruel’s homemade pasta and risotto might prove to be a nice little wonder then, and impressive wine list will be just adding that crucial touch to the overall picture.
They say that the name of a place, much like a person’s own name, helps to determine its fate. It is sure to be true for the osteria: people do like eating and having fun here. Bona appetit!