Zhivago’s piroshkis will fade further in our collective memory, once Pasta? opens its doors at 416 Broadway East this summer. Pasta? arrives on Broadway, through the efforts of co-owners Francesco Angiuli and Gianni Chiloiro. Angiuli may be a familiar name, since he previously worked as Director of Operations for Via Tribunali. Chiloiro hails from California, where he owns a slew of restaurants including the long-running Pasta? Palo Alto, Pasta? Davis, and Pasta? Mountain View.
Though Pasta? bills itself as a trattoria, a casual italian eatery, Angiuli urged us to think of it as “a restaurant in every way, except there will be no white tablecloths”. Per its name, the focus of the menu will be on pastas but they will have a few meat dishes as well. In addition, there will be a full service bar. Pasta? on Broadway will be open 7 days a week and will serve both lunch and dinner. Look for it to open in June, when hopefully they will have received a permit for outside seating.
For those curious about the name(the name invites curiosity), here’s the story. When Pasta? Palo Alto first opened back in 1997, Chiloiro and his fellow owners ran the restaurant without a name for several months, because the first two names they tried “ran into trademark problems“–other restaurants already had those names. So, in a fit of both frustration and irony, they went with “Pasta?”
This is great news! Except for pizza places, Capitol Hill is lacking in good Italian restaurants. And, for me, pasta is the centerpiece of Italian cuisine, so can hardly wait to see what this place has to offer. Hopefully, it will be a big improvement over the mediocre Zhivago’s.
But why the “?” in the restaurant title? Seems kind of odd…
I guess pasta ^%##^$! just seemed rude.
I’ve added an explanation for the name – apparently the first Pasta** names did not work out because of trademark issues. So in frustration, they went with Pasta?
So wait… it’s NOT Pho, it’s NOT Thai, and it’s NOT Mexican? Thank god, something NEW on Broadway for once.
Correct, it is just another place that serves noodles.
La Spiga and Spinase both are excellent Italian but pricey. Hopefully Pasta? will be affordable and good. Of course, we also have Machiavelli, which I think is consistently fair. Looking forward to this place opening!
Totally agree – La Spiga is excellent but pricey. This place will be a great addition.
Of the three paragraphs in this posting, there is no mention of vegetarian options. Yet at least ONE CLEAR MENTION of meat!!!11 I think this is something as I’m sure many other people do and someone should do something about it immediately.
So, I don’t want to make assumptions, however I will go out on a limb here and say that with primarily pasta dishes, one can usually request marina sauce (no meat) or something traditional like pasta primavera (pasta w/ vegetables only). Not only are these yummy options vegetarian, they are vegan!
I am so excited for Pasta? to open!
Pasta? (get it)
Oh and the first response to your comment forgot about pesto! I mean, come on. Seattle is the pesto of cities after all.
I ate once at Pasta? Palo Alto and it was mediocre. The prices will be on the lower end compared to La Spiga, I’m sure, but the quality drops significantly too. The way I feel about it, if I’m going to eat at an Italian chain, I might as well go to The Olive Garden.
Gosh. And I was hoping for another nail salon…
Seriously? Lacking good italian places? What about Anchovies & Olives, Spinasse, and La Spiga? Would love to hear your definition of a good italian place then…
First off, your last sentence makes absolutely no sense.
zOMG! meat?! maybe there’s a clear mention of meat dishes because the vast majority of the general populace eats meat?! and isn’t vegetarian?!
Fail.
Why would you drive all the way to the Olive Garden for mediocre Italian food?
Just because it’s called Pasta? (pronounced Pasta-Q) doesn’t mean it’s a chain. To the contrary, it’s a purely local operation that’s got nothing to do with the California outfit of the same name.
God, I got tired of “?” about 3 lines in. I ? think ? I might ? chose ? to eat ? elsewhere? as in ? a place ? that? does not? resort? to totally ? retarded ? gimmicks. (period).
You’re right….I stand corrected. I was thinking more of the Broadway corridor, where my comment is true. I also agree with others who have wished for a more affordable place. Seattle in general is awash in great restaurants where a dinner costs $40 (and up), but very few quality places in the more moderate range. Hopefully, Pasta? will be one of those.
?!?!?!?!
I can’t eat anywhere that has such a stupid name. It ruins everything. This is worse the “‘zaw: pizza in the raw”. That crap sounds like it was named by Saved by the Bell characters.
So, if Pasta? turns out to be a fantastic place with authentic, delicious Italian food at a reasonable price, you won’t go there because of the name? Your loss.