| rev:text
| - Trust me... no one wants this place to do well more than me. However, after 4 visits I have to confess that it is a solid 2-stars. I'm confident in my comments... and maybe a little heartbroken.
1. Loved Chef Wade Moises when he was at SASSI in Scottsdale. I'm a fan for god's sake.
2. I'm a big pasta-crazed fool. Seriously love it.
3. Love dwntwn Phx.
So what could go wrong?
Service:
No one to greet you properly at the door. The space is awkward enough as it is. Staff was always inattentive and often seen hanging out at the bar. When asked why cocktails the "signature cocktails" took so long to prepare, the server responds clumsily "Because I had to read and learn how to make them just now." Yikes.
Back to the greeting... We waited about 2 minutes in the doorway listening to staff sitting at the bar chat about how they hoped they could close early that night. It was only 4:30 pm.
Vibe:
The space feels cold and almost clinical. With the lack of fabric in the space, it feels like I'm the ER of a hospital (minus the curtains that surround each patient bed.) The staff certainly doesn't add warmth. Also reminds me of a corporate staff break room. Art on the walls is just bizarre (read other's comments.)
The Cocktails:
They look good on paper. See my comment above about Service. That's all I can really say.
The Food:
Each time, the Fritto Misto app ($9) was salty and sad to look at. Orecchiette with Sausage ($15) looks fantastic on paper, but never quite right.
In fact, I've tried every pasta dish on the menu. I'm simply heartbroken. I crave handmade fresh pasta, but the pasta here just leaves me guessing... I'm I the odd ball out? Why do all these Yelpers love the pasta? It's wimpy and the proteins almost taste boiled (texture and flavor.) Approx quote from a guest, "gummy handmade pasta that looks like bloated playdoh in water." The sauces seem near amateur as if they were never tasted before serving. Usually on the salty side.
Forget about portions, price, space, ambiance, whatever. The important question... DOES IT TASTE GOOD?
Sadly, no.
At each visit, I brought other notable chefs from the Valley. In one instance, the five of us ordered an entire dinner, ate a few bites of each dish, asked for the bill and decided to head next door to Sens for dinner (which is another review in the making.)
I'll wait till sometime in the fall season before heading back to Pasta Bar. Maybe it needs more time (although it's been open for a few months already.)
As always, I'd encourage you to try it out and make your own decision. Wade is a talented chef who can do amazing things in the kitchen. I have faith in you my friend!
Side note... for those of you who fixate on butter and bread service at restaurants, do us all a favor and stick to your cheap filler salad bars. Bread and butter service is simply never worth commenting on as a crucial component of a meal unless it's stellar. (BTW... I realize the irony of making commentary on the worthless comments)
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)