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Pasta Market (Italian cuisine)  $$

 8
JaT Rating

4546 El Camino Real, Los Altos, 94022  (Directions)


650.949.1235


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Big selection of pasta dishes and take-out food at this Los Altos eatery


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 1040
Reviewed: 4/27/2005
Rating: 8
My photo gallery 		When you eat out a lot, deciding on a place to eat can be a daunting task. Normally what we do is drive around blindly anticipating a restaurant that looks appealing to the eyes and stomach. We had just crossed the Mountain View city line and entered into Los Altos. I didnt feel like driving further so we spotted Pasta Market in the Village Court where San Antonio and El Camino Real intersect.

Ive always seen this place before when I worked in Mountain View but never tried it out. Pasta Market isnt a fast food restaurant but service is speedy. If you dont feel like eating there, they have some takehome pasta dishes for you to cook, or they even deliver food to your door.

From the menu, you can choose your own pasta, sauce, and meat. I opted for the premade selection called Linguine Di Mare and a Peroni beer.

pasta - I think it was fresh but Im not trained to tell the difference between the dry pasta and homemade stuff. Maybe in lasagne but not stringy pasta. It was good but overdone. The pasta had no bite to it, little texture, it was too easy to chew. I like my pasta al dente almost chewy

sauce - wasnt heavy on the herbs or acidic. The natural juices from the seafood made it tasty

seafood - mussels, scallops, clams, and shrimps. All the seafood was cooked just right and not overcooked. Of the 4 shellfishes, the shrimp was the best. Most italian places I got to usually skimp out on the seafood. Pasta Market did not disappoint.

Pasta Market is a no thrills restaurant. Its very casual where you order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Its definitely not fast food status and I was quite happy with the food I received and would recommend giving Pasta Market a try.
 
8
Agent Rating


Reviewer: jsatre
Total Reviews: 75
Reviewed: 9/19/2006
Rating: 8
My photo gallery		 The Pasta Market is a spin off of the Florentines Pasta Shops. They offer quicker, less formal dining with a scaled down menu.

2 weeks ago I picked up their to-go bag lunches. The Sunnyvale location is at: 460 E. El Camino Real @ Fair Oaks.

The bag lunch is a heck of a mound of food! You get a choice of pasta, choice of sauce, salad, dressing, parmesan cheese, warm dill bread and their heavenly slightly spicy cheese spread. All for about $7.00! They add .50 for filled pasta, but its still an awesome deal. Small appetites beware! You'll have trouble finishing it!

On this last trip I ordered the beef ravioli with marinara. The beef ravioli are a blend of spinach, parmesan and ground beef. A nice smooth texture and they are seasoned just right. Its also nice that they cook their pastas al dente. The heat of the pasta on the ride home can continue to cook them just a tad longer.

The marinara is really good - fresh herbs with plenty of chunky sweet tomatoes. Marinara is best done with fresh ingredients and with just the basics… I have to say Im hooked on their marinara; Im hard pressed to choose another sauce.

My colleague ordered tortellini with the basil cream sauce. She said it was one of the best pasta dishes shes had in quite some time. Like me, she only ate about ˝ and saved the rest for dinner.

The bread is highly addictive! They give you 3 pieces, cut just like pizza slices. Brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with dill… dip in the spicy cheese sauce and man, youll find yourself filling up on the bread if youre not careful. So good! And its freshly baked.

The salad, like Florentines is crisp iceberg with cucumber, tomato wedges, garbanzo beans and shredded carrot. Of all their dressing I like their house Italian Basil the best. Its slightly creamy, a bit tangy and flavorful. Its a nice change from a basic oil Italian or Ranch.

Best darn Italian deal out there… $7! I havent eaten in at the Sunnyvale location but the service is similar to a Carls Jr.; order at the register and they bring it out to your table. Seating is open. Ill continue to order the bag lunch with Im in the mood for simple Italian pasta and dont want to break the bank. Oh, and I earn waiter.com points when I order there on-line. Why, why not save the time and get a free one every so often?

The Pasta Shop is an easy pick!
 
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