Tiger Pappardelle and San Diego Zoo Safari Park

A recipe for Tiger Pappardelle inspired by our visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California! This homemade pasta is arranged into tiger stripes with orange, white, and black dough.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Last month, we visited the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park for the first time! It was such an incredible trip.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is located in Escondido, California at 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road. As one of two parks included in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, they are an international, nonprofit organization with a focus on conservation and were also among the first to recreate natural animal habitats through open-air exhibits.

Originally called the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park, it was renamed the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2010 and is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of the San Diego Zoo.

It is home to over over 3,600 animals representing more than 300 species and subspecies across 1,800 acres. The park also has 1.3 million plants with over 3,700 species.

Check the hours on their website before visiting and the schedule for daily activities. Some of the more popular shows were not available while we were there. There are special events held throughout the year.

On the day of our visit, the Safari Park was open from 9 am to 5 pm. Parking was $15 ($20 for RVs) at the time of this post (2022).

Safari Base Camp

We began and ended our day at the Safari Base Camp. Located just inside the entrance, this area has a few gift shops, dining options, and the Wings of the World Aviary.

The Wings of the World Aviary is home to a variety of birds such as the African Openbill, African Spoonbill, Nicobar Pigeon, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, and White-crested Laughingthrush.

The kids especially enjoyed the Conservation Carousel. For $6 per ticket (in 2022), you can ride unlimited throughout the day with the option of around 60 animals.

From the base camp, there are a couple of different trails depending on where you want to start your day.

I especially love how the trails were arranged. There are often some incredible views with many spots to rest or areas for kids to play and climb.

Walkabout Australia

We walked straight to the Walkabout Australia section. A more recent addition to the park, Walkabout Australia opened in 2018.

It was definitely a highlight of our day with a close-up view of Kangaroos and Wallabies with no barriers! We even got to see a couple of joeys peeking out of their mom’s pouches.

I didn’t get a photo (they were swimming fast in the dark!), but the Platypus Habitat is also home to the only two platypuses outside of Australia!

World Gardens

From Walkabout Australia, we walked along the trail north through the World Gardens. It was such a beautiful area with an Old World Succulent Garden, Baja Garden, and California Nativescapes Garden.

Condor Ridge

Walking through the Condor Trail also offered sweeping views of the savanna and plains across the park. This area features North American animals including the California Condor, Western Burrowing Owl, and Bighorn Sheep.

Along with the Los Angeles Zoo, the San Diego Wildlife Alliance led a captive breeding program to help reintroduce the California Condor back into the wild. In 1987, only 27 of these New World vultures (and the largest North American land bird with a nearly 10 foot/3 meter wingspan) remained.

They began releasing the condors back into the wild in 1991 and by December 2020, numbers had increased to a population of 504 across Arizona, Utah, California, and Baja Mexico.

Tiger Trail

We finished the loop on this side of the park with the Tiger Trail. This section offers many viewing areas to see Sumatran tigers, a play area for kids, and a spot to rest in Tiger Trail’s Rambutan Longhouse.

Nairobi Village

Just east of Safari Base Camp is Nairobi Village. This area has additional dining, the Nairobi Nursery, Petting Kraal, Lagoon Loop with views of plenty of birds (including Chilean flamingos and ducks), a play area, and Lorikeet Safari (not available during our visit).

The Petting Kraal is an up-close experience to pet and brush goats. Keep an eye on your belongings! The goats will attempt to eat maps and other items.

African Plains

For lunch, we had reservations at The Watering Hole at Kijami Overlook.

This full-service restaurant and bar features salads, appetizers, and seasonal items with outdoor seating (plus an overhead cover for shade) and a gorgeous view overlooking the African Plains.

Chad and I ordered the Watering Hole Caesar (romaine, Caesar dressing, capers, grated egg, garlic toast bread crumbs, and Parmesan), Pulled Pork Sandwich, and Serengeti Sunset Cocktail (coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine).

The kids both enjoyed the Mac ‘n’ Cheese (other option is turkey sandwich) with baby carrots and jungle crackers in a souvenir bag while watching the giraffes and rhinos during the meal.

Reservations are recommended, particularly during high-traffic days.

Lion Camp

After lunch, we walked through Lion Camp on the way to the Africa Tram in the African Outpost.

You can view the lions from multiple windows and this is also the area with Shiley’s Cheetah Run and hot air balloon tours for an additional cost.

African Outpost

Midday on a weekend, the lines for the Africa Tram (included with admission) were about 45 minutes long. There were a few places to sit at different points in the line and once we were on the tram, it was a nice 25-30 minute break from walking.

This guided tour takes visitors across 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) in an open air tram with views of Giraffes, Rhinoceros, Zebras, Angolan Roan Antelopes, Cape Buffalo, South African Greater Kudu, and a variety of birds.

For a more exclusive and closer look, the park offers special safari experiences for an additional price. You can even have a sleepover adventure with their Roar & Snore Safari.

We spent a full day here and still didn’t get a chance to see everything. Other areas include the African Woods, Gorilla Forest, and Elephant Valley. Overall, we had such a fantastic time and would definitely love to visit again someday.

At least four hours are needed if you move quickly to view the main areas. Downloading the official San Diego Zoo Safari Park app on my phone and looking through the map before our visit to prioritize must-sees was definitely helpful. The kids also appreciated the large paper maps once we entered the park.

Many of the animals are active in the morning, especially on hot days. The zoo can get crowded during holidays and the weekend.

Kids can visit for free in October at the time of this post. This can increase crowd levels.

Be sure to pack sunscreen year-round. Wear comfortable shoes and a hat is also helpful. I ended up purchasing one in the gift shop and it made such a difference.

Temperatures are generally cooler in the winter, but we still had a bright, sunny nearly 90˚F (32˚C) day mid-February. As the park is more inland, it is often a few degrees hotter than the coastal areas of San Diego.

Mostra Coffee

We stopped by Mostra Coffee‘s Carmel Mountain Ranch location on the way to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Located in a shopping center at 12045 Carmel Mountain Road, there was plenty of parking and it was just barely off our route.

They feature a menu filled with Filipino-inspired coffee, tea, specialty drinks, and pastries.

I ordered the Bibingka Creme Brûlée Latte (espresso with homemade vanilla syrup, coconut and vanilla bean infused milk, torched sugar, and Bibingka topping- so so good!), Ube Wan Kenobi (ube milk), plus a couple of chocolate croissants for the kids.

They have additional spots in Bankers Hill near the San Diego Zoo and 4S Ranch.

Smack’n Guamanian Grill

Smack’n Guamanian Grill was an easy spot to pick up dinner on the way back to the hotel with online ordering through their website.

Found in a small lot with plenty of parking at 9506 Miramar Road, they feature Guamanian/Chamorro BBQ, sides, and desserts.

We had the BBQ Mix (BBQ Chicken, Pork Ribs, and Beef with Chicken Kelaguen, Red Rice, and Cabbage Salad) along with a side of lumpia.

Cardellino Restaurant

On our last morning before heading back to Los Angeles, we had brunch at Cardellino Restaurant.

Located at 4033 Goldfinch Street in Mission Hills, San Diego, Cardellino Restaurant is currently open for brunch, dinner and Happy Hour with a focus on Italian-American cuisine.

There was plenty of street parking early on a Sunday morning. Reservations can be made through their website.

We enjoyed the Ultimate Cinnamon Roll (with pecan ice cream, vanilla bean glaze, and currants), Green Eggs + Avocado Bowl (soft scramble eggs, charred kale, spinach, and chopped Italian salsa verde), Cacio e Pepe, plus a side of pancakes and scrambled eggs for the kids.

It was a perfect ending to our weekend!

Tiger Pappardelle

To pair with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park post, we made homemade Tiger Pappardelle!

Orange, white, and black rounds of dough are rolled into sheets and arranged in a tiger stripe pattern before cutting into ribbons and boiling until just tender.

To help show off the colors and pattern of the pasta dough, I cut the sheets into wide ribbons called Pappardelle. Pappardelle are a style of pasta originally from Tuscany in Central Italy. The individual strips are quite broad at about 3/4-1 1/4 inch (2-3 centimeters) across and perfect for holding more hearty and rich sauces.

I paired the Tiger Pappardelle with a Ragù di Cipolle (Onion Ragù) from the cookbook, An A-Z of Pasta.

Other options include this Pappardelle with Radicchio and Speck from Manu’s Menu, Speck and Mushroom Pappardelle from Inside the Rustic Kitchen, and Slow Braised Beef Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta from Sweet Tea and Thyme.

A Few Tiger Pappardelle Tips

If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little more flour. If still too crumbly, add a little more water (or milk for the white dough). 

Wrap the dough in plastic or cover and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll and shape. If you have leftover dough, it can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to a day before using.

No special equipment is required for this pasta shape, but a couple of items will make it easier. I rolled out the dough by hand, then used a manual pasta machine to seal the colors together. You can use a pasta machine from the beginning if desired for ease to create a thin sheet (about 1/16th inch, 1.5 millimeters thick) of dough.

Lightly dust with flour as needed to keep the pasta from sticking to the work surface or pasta machine.

When arranging the black stripes over the dough, remember they will widen as you roll the sheets. Keep enough room between the stripes to show off the orange and white colors.

Make sure to keep the sheets of pasta covered when not in use to keep them from drying out. If you do find the surface starting to dry, dampen lightly with a wet paper towel to help the colors stick together.

To easily cut the dough into uniform strips for the Tiger Pappardelle, I used a 6-Wheel Stainless Steel Cutter.

Allow the Tiger Pappardelle to dry for 30 minutes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or hung on a drying rack before cooking.

They can also be arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet and frozen before storing in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notable Ingredients

A “00” pasta flour (found in larger grocery stores or Italian markets) is best to get the right texture, but all-purpose can be substituted in a pinch.

I used dark cocoa powder to create the deep color in the stripes. It can be found in the specialty baking section of some grocery stores or on Amazon: Black Cocoa Powder.

Tiger Pappardelle Recipe

Adapted from Pasta, Pretty Please

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Tiger Pappardelle

A recipe for Tiger Pappardelle! This homemade pasta is arranged into tiger stripes with orange, white, and black dough.

Course Main

Cuisine N/A

Keyword homemade, noodle, pappardelle, pasta, tiger

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

Orange Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) 00 pasta flour
• 3 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons (90 grams) tomato paste

Black Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) 00 pasta flour
• 2 tablespoons (12 grams) dark/black cocoa powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) cold water

White Dough:

• 1 cup (125 grams) 00 pasta flour
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) heavy cream

Instructions

To make the orange dough:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, add the flour.
• Make a well in the center. Add the eggs and tomato paste and mix until well-combined.
• If too wet, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little water.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To make the black dough:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, add the flour and cocoa powder.
• Make a well in the center. Add the eggs and mix until well-combined.
• Slowly add water to form a dough. If too wet, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more water.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To make the white dough:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl, add the flour.
• Make a well in the center. Add the milk and cream and mix until well-combined.
• If too wet, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little more milk.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To assemble:

• Divide each rested dough into two equal pieces. Keep the pieces covered when not in use.
• Take one piece of the orange dough and place on a floured surface.
• Roll the orange dough into a thin sheet using a pasta machine or rolling pin, until it is about 1/16th inch (1.5 millimeters) thick. Cover the sheet with a towel.
• Take one piece of the white dough and roll into a thin sheet using a pasta machine or rolling pin, until it is about 1/16th inch (1.5 millimeters) thick.
• Cut the rolled white sheet into straight or wavy lines about 2 inches (5 centimeters) wide.
• Lightly moisten the top of the orange sheet with a damp paper towel.
• Arrange the cut strips of the white dough diagonally over the orange dough, leaving about 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters) of orange between the stripes.
• Gently press a rolling pin across the sheet to seal the white strips onto the orange dough. Cover the sheet with a towel.
• Take one piece of the black dough and roll into a thin sheet using a pasta machine or rolling pin, until it is about 1/16th inch (1.5 millimeters) thick.
• Cut the rolled black sheet into straight or wavy lines about 1/8-1/4 inch (3-6 milliliters) wide. Cut the strips into about 2-3 inch (5-7.5 centimeter) pieces to make the black stripes.
• Lightly moisten the top of the orange and white sheet with a damp paper towel.
• Arrange the cut strips of the black dough perpendicular to the white strips over the orange dough, leaving enough space between the stripes to show the orange and white colors.
• Gently press a rolling pin across the sheet to seal the black stripes onto the dough.
• Roll the dough into a thin sheet using a pasta machine or rolling pin, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, until it is about 1/16th inch (1.5 millimeters) thick and all the colors are sealed together.
• Use a pastry cutter or pappardelle cutter to cut the sheet into ribbons about 1 1/4 inch (3 centimeters) wide.
• Arrange the Pappardelle into small nests on a parchment-lined baking sheet or hang on a pasta drying rack to dry for 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta in batches, careful not to overcrowd, and boil until they rise to the surface and are just tender, about 2-3 minutes if fresh.
• Drain and serve immediately with desired sauce.