Pastavino

"Pastavino is very aesthetically pleasing, where once you walk into the restaurant you feel as if you're transported into a relaxing and elegant atmosphere facing the waterfront! The service is also very professional, attuned, friendly, and warm. Our server, David, was very patient and kind, taking the time to explain to us certain ingredients we weren't familiar with, which we are very appreciative of! He also helped us find a seat that was warmer (in the terrace), which made our experience a lot more comfortable because today was definitely quite chilly, and the indoor dining was definitely colder due to it being air-conditioned. I want to take this moment to thank David for being so considerate and for demonstrating exemplary service! Now given the amazing service by David and the amazing ambiance, why the low score? Unfortunately it boils down to the food. We started off with the Polpo, which was the Spanish octopus with crispy potato and garlic aioli. The sauce was very mild in flavor, which did not enhance the flavor of the octopus by much. The octopus was also not cooked consistently throughout, where some parts was incredibly soft up to the point of having a raw texture, and some parts was overly charred leaving an intense bitter taste that overpowered the taste of the octopus. As you can see in the picture, the char was not consistent which left some areas tasting more burnt than charred. For our main, I got the Chittarra and my wife got the Bucatini Neri Vongole. My chittarra was overly al dente, which diverted my energy to chewing rather than savoring its taste. The owner, John, was kind enough to explain to us that due to their pasta being all homemade, it is often not possible to make them any softer than al dente due to it not having time to dry out to reduce its water content. The owner was kind enough to replace my dish with a different pasta which I appreciated. Would be helpful to highlight that on the menu in the future since not every diner will know this fact. However, although the remade pasta was softer, the dish itself was overly salty and the pork pieces were a bit burnt, which altogether detracted from the dish's creaminess and richness. My wife's bucatini was also very al dente, but she enjoyed it due to its generous amount of clams (although more shells than actual clams), which you can see in the pictures. Overall, I want to emphasize how amazing the service is from David; he really worked hard to ensure and provide diners with the best experience possible. Unfortunately this time it was a miss for us, but it could likely just be due to the selection we chose that was subpar and underwhelming. This is their autumn menu and will likely change depending on when you read this review, so good luck! (: Lastly, there was this little fly that bothered us the entire meal, so just keep that in mind if you dine in the terrace! P.S. John, one of the owners, was kind enough to reach out to inquiry about our negative experience, which shows that he is dedicated in addressing issues diners have and trying to improve the restaurant as best as they can during these challenging times. However, the rationale he provided for the charred octopus was that it was typically served charred, and the saltiness of the Chittara was that it was simply how it is typically made in Italy, which was dismissive and highlighted only one issue without addressing my other concerns regarding the dishes (e.g., what about the inconsistent texture of the octopus, etcetera). Nonetheless, the important note to keep in mind is that if your experience is not optimal, do your best to speak up at the moment for David and the other friendly servers appear willing to remedy the situation as best as they can. I have not experience any rude waiters or waitresses as highlighted by other reviewers, but I have experienced the heavy handedness of the saltiness of the food that others have wrote about. If your dish comes out too salty, bring it to your servers' attention and I am sure they will do their best to address it!"

"Great atmosphere, absolutely cozy and enjoyable. Service is fine. The food could be better, it’s just could be really better and a lot room to grow in this way. Salmon was absolutely not salted and it changed the whole taste of everything. Dessert menu is not rich in variety, I wish they have a lava cake otherwise it’s just boring menu of desserts."

"Went here on Thu, 09/22/2023, and was an outstanding experience! The Italian dishes were not only delicious but also authentically prepared, showcasing the chef's expertise. Half Calabrese is a decent size. My fav was Mezzaluna e tartufo, it was just to my taste: sweet flavor of corn mixed with truffle flavor - yum! I enjoyed a perfectly balanced Negroni that was rich in flavor and set the tone for the evening. The attentive service provided by the staff was remarkable. We selected outside seating, allowing us to enjoy our meal in the pleasant weather. Overall, Pastavino exceeded my expectations."

"What a brilliant meal. I almost wrote this review from my seat last night but wanted the experience to marinate. Astounding service, and one of the best meals I’ve had. The crudo was fresh, light, just what you’d want to warm up the taste buds. Chicken was masterfully cooked, and the breast soaked up every last ounce of flavor. As someone who had never tried octopus before, and usually don’t indulge in seafood (outside of tuna) I couldn’t help but have a taste based off of scent alone, and was not surprised at how delicious it was. My husband is still talking about the olive oil cake. Bravo!"