Pizza Hut - 3lb Tuscani Pasta

[2slices]

I get such a laugh out of these commercials. The most recent takes a family out to a restaurant blindfolded, then sneaks them back into their own house and feeds them pizza hut pasta. 3 pounds of it!!!! While blindfolded (wtf?) they say something like "we're in a real Italian restaurant" or something like that. After the reveal they are, obviously, shocked to be in their own house, and can't believe how great their pizza hut delivery pasta is.

This one is almost as good as the same product being served in Italy to "real!!" Itlaians who are also stunned it's pizza hut. Does pizza hut exist in Italy?

Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion of the 3lb pasta deals they're pitching. We don't have pizza hut where near where I live, and I doubt I would give it a go. But with such big claims I have to know what it's like.

Oh and 3 lbs of pasta? Jeez

[im_nomad]

I get a kick out of those commercials. particularly the part where they don't realize they are in their own kitchen. No , "gee, this feels familiar".

If their sauce is anything like their pizza sauce, i'd pass.

[markabauman]

Don't think there's any such word in English or Italian as "Tuscani". Anyway- a quick PH story- I posted something similar in a thread about Coupons. Friend goes into a local Pizza Hut to get something to go and sees some coupons on the counter. Asks the person behind the counter if he could have one and use it. She says he could have one but not use it, since it's for a "next time" order, or for a phone-in order. He says "So if I walk out the door and call you on my cell phone I can use the coupon?" She cheerfully says "Sure!"
It's like another one of those Jack Nicholson diner moments in "Five Easy Pieces".

[Loki]

my problem with the pasta was that it was overcooked. it was damn near soggy. The sauce was acceptable and I wouldn't complain about it if it was served on a good al dente pasta. Hearing other people say that it was al dente makes me wonder if there is just some continuity/consistency issues with preparation

[madgreek]

This pasta cracks me up. It's so obvious that it's pre-cooked and warmed up to order. I cant wait till they package the exact same thing in a consumer grade box with pretty shiny colors and sell it in the freezer aisle at Wal-Mart-lol.

[jackrugby]

No Pizza Huts near where you live? Where do you live? Must be Nirvana!

[OCAnn]

Three pounds sounds like a lot. I bought the Tuscani pair (Meaty Marinara & Bacon Mac & Cheese) tonight to feed four adults (two couples). We finished the meal (which came w/breadsticks) and guys wanted more. While it's not chowish, it certainly fits the bill for a quick meal when the occasion calls. I thought the meaty marinara was pretty good; I can't compare it frozen meals/Stouffers, b/c we don't do frozen pre-cooked meals (we go out, cook fresh or take-out). The bacon mac & cheese, while good, was a bit salty. The pasta themselves were nice and al dente; not soggy at all. I actually thought they meals were pretty good...esp at $15 to feed four. All that was lacking was a nice chopped salad; I may likely do this again on a night I'm too tired to cook or feel like carbo-loading.

[lergnom]

I know nothing about this but I knew the chef at one of those restaurants where they replaced the regular coffee with Folgers. The commercial was shot at about 1:30AM and there were multiple takes, not simple interviews. F-a-k-e.

[annagranfors]

Had the "Meaty Marinara" and was pretty "meh" about it. Think marginally better Stouffers. (I am, however, tempted to go back for their new Mac 'n' Cheese 'n' Bacon...)

[chileheadmike]

The Man Vs Food guy ate two.

[Arthur]

Scoff all you want at the commercials and the portion sizes, but Chowhound's own in-house Supertaster thinks the quality of Pizza Hut's pasta is surprisingly good: http://www.chow.com/stories/11097

[2slices]

woh, so much for asking, that's the answer.

I would like to add that I wasn't scoffing so much as laughing. The commercials are just ridiculous, even if the food is good.

[Chris VR]

You mean CHOW, not Chowhound. Chowhound is the discussion site. CHOW is the columns, blogs and other "experts".

[mpjmph]

What kills me are the advertisements that present this (+bread sticks!) as the perfect meal for a family of four. 3/4 pounds of pasta/sauce per person?!?! I'm no stranger to carb overloads, but the thought of feeding a family, with children no less(!) what will be close to a full pound once the bread sticks are added is just sad.

[Laura D.]

Not to play Devil's advocate, but 3lbs of cooked pasta (and weighed with sauce no less) is very different than 3lbs of uncooked pasta. Without sauce I'm guessing that 3lbs of cooked pasta started as not much more than 1lb. of pasta. With sauce it might have been even less. I'm not trying to claim it is health food, but I don't think it is fair to assume that it is any worse or perhaps even as bad as any other portion of pasta you'd get at a restaurant these days.

[wildehare]

Well this is months later, but I have to say that 12 ounces of food, 3/4 of a pound of cooked food, isn't that much at all. Many frozen meals are in that range and often leave the eater searching out the snack machine at work a couple hours later. Maybe if you are a female weighing around 115 lbs or something, but definitely not too much food for a family of four.

[Bob W]

Apparently the Pizza Hut three-pound pasta trough has done so well that Domino's felt the need to roll out its pasta breadbowls.

I almost fall asleep just looking at these massive carb offerings.

[2slices]

lol @ trough.

[monkeyrotica]

Pizza Hut is really giving Dennys "Just a Humongous Bucket of Meat and Eggs" a real run for their money!

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/...