Adam Husicka
PUERTO Banus, Marbella – This glitzy seaside promenade is known for its luxury yachts, designer boutiques, and buzzing nightlife. But recently, it’s a humble pasta dish that’s stealing the spotlight.
At Italian restaurant La Pappardella, a dish called ‘Sexy Pasta’ has been blowing up on social media, with thousands of videos talking about it. Not because it’s particularly sexy, but because it arrives wrapped – wait for it – in tinfoil.
Yes, €30 for a plate of pasta served in aluminium foil. Naturally, I had to try it.
La Pappardella has a relaxed, open-air vibe, perfect for soaking up the Mediterranean breeze. The staff were friendly and, when I mentioned I was there for the infamous Sexy Pasta, they smiled knowingly. They’ve definitely noticed the social media attention.
The dish is a creamy mozzarella-based pasta, and you can add extras like chicken or meatballs for another €6. I decided to add some prawns, since I am on the Costa del Sol, however my wallet really wasn’t feeling very sexy after spending €36 on pasta wrapped like a picnic sandwich.
When it arrived, I couldn’t help but laugh. There it was: an actual shiny foil pouch, slightly puffed up with steam like a baked potato. The waiter opened it at the table with a bit of flair, revealing a gooey, cheesy pasta dish that smelled genuinely delicious.
So… was it worth it?
Honestly? It was decent. Rich, creamy, well-cooked. Nothing mind-blowing, but tasty. I’ve definitely had better pasta, for less than half the price, but there’s something undeniably fun (and ridiculous) about eating out of tinfoil at a sit-down restaurant.
My only real issues with the dish were that it only had about four or five prawns, which felt a bit disappointing, and I couldn’t help thinking about was how much aluminium gets wasted on this. Maybe the planet deserves better plating?
Having said that, I completely understand why this dish has people talking on TikTok. It’s performative, a little silly, and totally viral bait. And I get it. I now have the distinct honour of saying I once ate luxury pasta from a foil parcel, which is… something?
Would I go again? Probably not. Is it a “must-do” in Puerto Banus, as some influencers claim? Personally, I’d say no. But if you’re looking for a bit of novelty and don’t mind paying for the social media moment, you’ll have a laugh, and a decent meal.
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