Tonight was my first time trying out pasta bar with a couple of church friends (http://www.solidrockexperience.org) and was quite unique in a way. It's place I would go for a quick luncheon. I'm a pasta guy, so I know a lot about pasta and how it should be cooked and etc. I use to work pasta station. (Ha chef I know what craziness of pasta station. I'm preety sure you got a little taste of it at Babbo) Pasta should be SIMPLE, period! And pasta bar showed what simplicity of pasta was. Good pasta and little sauce.
As an appetizer I ordered the caprese salad and the flavors I would say was delicious to my pallet. The intensity of the basil pesto was perfect and buffalo mozzarella melted in your mouth. The heirloom tomato was a little under ripped but what can you do? Appetizer = A+
Now the main course, PASTA! I ordered the fennel pasta (not sure what it is called but lets call it the fennel pasta) and I thought it was a bit strange. Pasta and fennel? To tell you the truth this dish was okay. I thought the flavors didn't really complemented each other and the pasta was a little on the thick side. But on the other side it was a unique idea.
The chef worked at Babbo in NYC and he should know what he's doing. I'll be there in couple of years after I get back from Europe. =) French Laundry (Napa) and Le Manoir (UK) here I come!!