The call came at 11:30 AM..."We're here at Park Central waiting for you to go to lunch downtown"." I said, lunch is tomorrow not today, but I said, OK, bee there in 10 minutes".
Friend says's he heard that Pasta Bar was good so let's try that. I said, yeah, there are 3 restaurants there, a Irish Pub (Turf) a Thai restaurant (Sens) and Pasta Bar. I said "Larry likes Thai"...Phil said, "Phil likes Italian" and that was the fateful decision.
I knew I was in trouble when we entered the restaurant and first, there was not a "sense of entry" nor anyone to greet us other than the strong smell of newly painted walls. Bartender said "sit where you like".
Two of us had the lunch special (about $12) and friend who suggested Pasta Bar ordered from the menu. His pasta was $15. Lunch special came with a drink. I will say, the pasta was very tasty, the salad had very good thought and fresh locally grown produce. Salad and pasta lunch special was served on the same plate which to me was unappetizing. Lunch came with a very thin slice of bread. Bread was excellent but no butter. Server/bartender was made aware and out came a the smallest portion of butter I have ever been served and to be shared with all three of us. There was enough to cover half a Triscut wafer! Pasta was fresh, but without any meat.
The atmosphere is dark and we were told that it was to be an Italian diner. What added to the dark side was the art work. Andy Warhol images of Jim Jones, Rasputin, Christopher McVey and other icons of evil. The headache lingered on all day after I paid the bill for $52 for lunch. Hope they improve the portions, the service and the look. I would be hard pressed to come back.