Great concept. We went for lunch and were thrilled with the options. Our food was absolutely fantastic. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauces were very flavorful. Everything was perfectly cooked. Loved the ambience and the price too! read more

Pastabilities - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Bottom Line Up Front: A total Friends and Family recommendation. I'd even recommend Pastabilities to my biggest enemy....it was that good. I've got nothing remotely negative to say. We throughly enjoyed our experience last night and we will be back. For the longest time I thought Pastabilities was just another Olive Garden / Carrabba's Italian Grill knock off serving large volumes of average pasta to please the masses. But....goodness was I sadly mistaken. This ignorant preconceived idea kept me from Pastabilities until last night. (Note: In order to enhance your experience, call ahead to get yourself on the wait list as the queue of hungry anxious people is long at the door.) Last night was a pleasure, from start to finish. Everything was 100% on point. Reception: Friendly, polite and welcoming. Wait Staff: Knowledgable, friendly, attentive, accommodating, engaging and responsive. Bar Service: Fast and spot on. Kitchen: Wow...absolutely wonderful. Great flavors, perfect timing and more than enough to fill you up and take a little something home for tomorrow. The complementary bread with a side of tomato sauce and hot oil was tasty indeed. (So much so that my 14 year old son had to have more.) My wife and son both selected the Hot Bolognese while I elected to have Uncle Tony's chop topped with a kale salad. While their pasta dishes were very good and I'd belly up to either one of them any day of the week, my mouth is watering just thinking back to that chop last night. Almost 1.5 to 2 inches thick, perfectly cooked (crispy exterior but juicy, moist and full of flavor on the inside). The kale salad was exceptional and paired perfectly with the chop. My only regret is that I could not finish all...but on a positive note - I have lunch today. ;) Will we be back.....YES Worth the drive from Maracellus....absolutely Worth the money....indeed Worth the praise....no question about it. Please do NOT make the same mistake I did by overlooking Pastabailities. This is NOT a Olive Garden / Carrabba's knock off hiding their average flavor/quality behind masses amounts of food. Pastabalities is so much more. You will leave happy and content. Do yourself a favor and give it a try. read more

Pastabilities - Hot Bolognese with pappardelle pasta. - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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This place is recommended by Guy Fieri so we had to check it out. Sure enough at 4pm when they open for dinner there was a long line outside. But the hostess staff was able to get people seated fast enough, pretty impressive! There's a lot of seating, even outside but too hot ATM. They started us off with some bread and oil... which was mostly tomato sauce drizzled in olive oil... this was so good, just make sure you don't dip and dip you get full from apps. There's a lot of pasta choices like the Riggie turn down with meatballs, Alfredo sauce helped tone down the spicy tomato sauce. Pastabilities is worth the stop if you're in the Syracuse area! read more

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As someone with a gluten allergy, I all but swore off eating out at Italian restaurants. But after a trip to Italy where I ate the best gluten free pasta, I had a hankering for more. Pastabilities delivered when it came to pasta cravings! I came in with no expectations but left feeling so satisfied. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could eat their gluten pasta twice a week and not get tired of it. I got their gluten free penne with the hot vodka sauce. I added blackened chicken to the dish and definitely recommend adding a veg or protein - I was able to get two meals out of it. I went with my vegan friend and she really enjoyed their vegan pink sauce! This restaurant is allergy/preference friendly based on our experience. The interior is cool and modern, their cocktails look great (though I didn't try any this time). Our waitress was very friendly and answered all our questions. I love that they have someone to help package leftovers and refill waters because they are busy! The only box Pastas doesn't tick for me is price. For my pasta dish with the added chicken it was a little more than $30. But for the price, you can taste the time and love put into the dish and I felt transported back to the Italian eateries with delicious saucy pasta. Overall so worth a try and as a special treat. I will definitely be going back! read more

Pastabilities - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

So many people raved about this restaurant and their fresh pasta. So I finally decided to check it out and Pastabilities did not disappoint! First everyone was so friendly! Host, runner and server were all extra nice and friendly. Second the food was much more complex than I anticipated. It's not just tomato sauce; there's much more ingredients involved, which is why the flavor is so fantastic. read more

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Pastabilities is an amazing restaurant. The ambiance is so nice, upscaled and trendy but relaxing. The decor is fun. The service was amazing and everyone was super friendly and accommodating. The free bread and hot tomato sauce was delicious. Our pasta dishes were very good and the portions were large. I really liked the option of getting half a serving of pasta! The food is reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. While it can be hard to get a reservation and the wait time for a table can be long, once being sat the service and food are quick. read more

Pastabilities - Menu - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Service was spot on . Great atmosphere very laid back everyone enjoying themselves, very cozy and comfortable Food was amazing looking forward to our next visit now that I have cracked the code on how to get a table read more

Celebrating a friend's birthday here was a great decision! This is the second time I eat here, I've tried different dishes and they all have been beyond delicious (no wonder why there's always people waiting!). Gina took care of us and she was delightful. Pastabilities makes justice to its fame. read more

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INCREDIBLE PASTA, SERVICE AND AMBIANCE ==================================== My husband and I have been trying to go to Pastabilities while in Syracuse since the summer of 2022, but we were never organized enough to make a reservation. We tried walking in a couple times, but we would have had to wait for hours. Flash forward a couple years to April 2, 2024 and my husband and I drove down from our Airbnb in Sackets Harbor to pick my daughter-in-law (dil) up from the airport. I asked where she wanted to go for dinner weeks ago and was ecstatic when she recommended Pastabilities. I made a reservation on Open Table a few weeks in advance and I had to give them my credit card that they would charge if I didn't show up. There was no way we weren't going to show up unless my daughter-in-law's flight was delayed. I started off with their house chianti while waiting at the bar. My dil chose a chardonnay. My husband's beverage of choice is always a Diet Pepsi. I can't get him to stop. I give up, but it's nice I always have a designated driver. Yay me. We all started off with bread and spicy pasta sauce. That was really good and we took some back to the Airbnb. My son arrived a few days later from his deployment to Syria and he loves to add that to his scrambled eggs. My dil and I both chose the campanelle pasta with the fresh basil pesto which included pinenuts, walnuts and and locatelli cheese. I was in hog heaven and could not stop eating that to save my life. My husband chose the short rib straganoff and that was incredible as well. I kept snagging bites of that. He was able to spare some leftovers, so we had that the next day. My husband liked their tiramisu for dessert and I loved my Irish coffee for my dessert. There are a lot of good restaurants in Syracuse, but this will probably be on the top of my list for future trips. read more

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This place is such a gem! Make sure to make reservations or call ahead to be placed on the wait list. Food was fantastic! The pasta is made in house, along with their bread and sauces. Service was attentive and quick. Our server, Lillie, was a sweetheart. We did have an issue with one of our dishes, and before I could ask what they could do, she immediately said she would get us a new one. Dessert was the homemade strawberry crunch cake. It was delicious!! read more

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Food is absolutely incredible. Love always stopping through here. The Spicy Tomato Oil is epically full of taste.

I adore Pastabilities! It's usually very busy, so calling ahead is ideal. They have a great bar and interesting seating areas. Each space is a little different on atmosphere and decor. Our waitress was wonderful and attention. The food was outstanding as usual. You must order the bread and hot oil. It's classic. I can often find parking over by The Most. read more

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The food is phenomenal! The highlight of my traveling out of state for work is their restaurant! The run-down appetizer deserves a chef's kiss! I recommend eating in versus ordering; you receive a lot more. Let's go to entrees; the only one I have ever ordered is the meatball riggie turndown. It was love at first taste and will forever be my go-to order. The service is spectacular! The way the bartenders work together so effortlessly gives good vibes. The ambiance is casual, but for dinner, it was a little more elevated. read more

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Pastabilities is so good. Everyone loved their pasta. Highly recommend. Just call early to get on the list. read more

Pastabilities - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

My favorite restaurant in all of Syracuse! Anytime I am in the area, I make sure to stop here. This is a create your own pasta bar with a ton of options. The spicy tomato oil is to die for. I personally love that mixed with the vodka sauce served over rigatoni with grilled chicken - a killer combination. Anytime I come, I always make sure to buy the spicy tomato oil to bring back home. The place is usually packed but service is incredibly quick, so the waits aren't usually too long. There are so many options and everything is cooked Al dente. It's a nice restaurant in a nice down town part of the city, so there is lots to do. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Pastabilities - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

When it comes to the must visits in Syracuse, this should be at the very top of that list. I was only in Syracuse for a short time, but I would absolutely come back here next time I'm in the area. It's probably actually number one for the must return list. The pasta was just absolutely amazing and the spicy tom was something I will dream of for a long time. They had so many great options. It was hard to choose, but I really enjoyed the lasagna I went with. It had so many different flavors, and the sauce was just unreal. I will say as a New Mexican I wasn't a fan of their hatch chile margarita but luckily that special was on the way out. I definitely recommend making reservations, especially on the weekend. They got really busy for good reasons. read more

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I'm so glad we made it a point to come in here. It was a 4 minute walk from our hotel (Best Western). We arrived at about 6pm on Sunday and we could see it was packed. As previously stated, the front area is very small, hectic and uncomfortable. The hostess asked if we had a reservation (def make one if you're planning on going here) which we did not. She then advised us it would be a 2/2.5 hour wait for two. I looked over and noticed the bar (which at that moment was also full but I saw one couple had boxes in front of them, empty glasses and their CC in the bill folder) so I asked the hostess about the bar and she then said it was "first come first serve". We stood behind the couple and once their payment was collected they left and we slid right into their spot. 5 minute wait. The bartender came over and cleaned the area in front of us and introduced himself. He was super friendly, knowledgeable and just overall great at customer service skills and bartending. I ordered a DBP Old Fashioned which was beautiful and delicious. It had a nice smoke that wasn't overwhelming and a sweet and savory taste of duck fat. The Hot Tom oil with their house made stretch bread was really good. I could have munched on that all night but we both ordered the dinner special and knew we had a lot of food coming our way. I got the meatball starter--the meatball was seasoned perfectly and had a good amount of melted mozzarella cheese on top. The best part was the scoop of cold ricotta cheese! My husband got the square cheese bread as his starter and I took a bit of one corner and let me just say, the cheese on that is perfect and has a delicious taste! My linguini had such a good flavor, fresh taste--you can definitely tell they are made there. The hot vodka sauce has a nice kick but was creamy and cheesy. The dinner special was a great value--it honestly gave us both two meals. We packed half of our dinner, some stretch bread, and our deserts. We could have easily had some more bread and packed some of our starters too. All in all, after the messy entrance, it was a 5 star experience with our bartender and the food. read more

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Pastabilities always delivers. Last night's trip was no exception. Delicious food with generous portions! Our server was very knowledgeable and inviting. The hot tomato oil is a signature of theirs and is served with freshly baked bread as a complimentary starter. The gnocchi was AMAZING and is one of about 7 pastas they make there. Definitely get a reservation, as this spot is always popping (for good reason!). read more

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One of my fav places to grab a bite to eat in downtown Syracuse. Walking distance from surrounding blocks downtown that house many offices or parking lots around the corner from the restaurant. A group of 6 of us went for lunch. They do not take reservations and lunch is pretty hit or miss for seating availability. There are booths, bar seating, and tables to the right as well as the back of the restaurant. During the warmer months, there is outdoor seating. Food is reasonably priced and delicious. They have a lunch special that changes daily. Menu is digital that you can view using your phone but they also have physical menus upon request. If you're looking for good pastas, soups, salads and all around food, check out Pastabilities! read more

A must to hit this place up when I'm in Cuse. The food is great, especially if you love Pasta & bread . There is always a line. I believe we even waited with a reservation before. It was worth it. The lunch system is different than full service dinner. You are seated, then you order through a QR code to begin a tab on your phone or you can order at the bar. The ambiance is so cute. I love the art on the walls and the lighting is def a mood. It's definitely a cool spot. It's always booming, but the service is great (full service at dinner). The drinks were meh but they weren't bad. My biggest reason for this place being a favorite is the spicy Tom oil and stretch bread.... O M G! At dinner it's complimentary, but I still order when I go for lunch. That spicy tomato oil is something special! Definitely go here. read more

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I visited from Omaha, Nebraska and would definitely go back to this restaurant. The food was brought to the table quickly and was delectable. Lots of options to choose from - my friend ordered the Pesto Fredo and it was refreshing. Perfect environment for casual eating or even a business meeting. read more

Pastabilities - House Tomato Sauce & Stretch Bread - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

A colleague of mine and I found out we were going to be in Syracuse for work, we immediately booked a reservation! We went on a Sunday evening and boy were we glad we thought in advance. We arrived early and decided to sit at the bar after checking in with a very friendly hostess. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. Our waitress was super bubbly and very attentive. We took all of her recommendations twas not disappointed at all! As a matter of fact I was so delighted with the food I returned the next day for more The antipasto was so fresh, but you either need to share it or only have that as it is filing. My colleague loved his carbonara, he said the pasta was fresh, he didn't even feel bloated after consuming it. I'm not sure which item was the star for me because that hot tom sauce is absolutely incredible and because I didn't check a bag, I have to order some online. The fried Zucchini lasagna was to die for and I'm not a vegetarian, but I would order it over and over again! Last, but certainly not least the spiced peach mango burrata was very interesting in a great way and unique to the point in my travels I haven't come across anything similar. It was delicious just writing this review makes me want to take a flight just for it. This menu has something for everyone and no one will be disappointed, I guarantee. It is a bit dark in there if you sit in a booth as we did. I do wish there were chairs at the bar as opposed to stools, but that's really the only complaint. read more

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Omg - I cant believe where to begin - you want pasta this is the place and if you love sauce this is the place!!! Summer thyme sangria - nice and light - when you sit down bread and sauce and be ready as the sauce has a nice kick - all the staff was extremely nice - our waitress was great, the bus girl was great and I will assume it was the manager that walked over to ass and made sure we were good and told us to make sure to go to the state fair! The ambiance was very cute the two things that I saw was the front door and and if you sit at the bar which I thought was cool was you have bigs or a pocketbooks there are coat hooks underneath - this is a must do and see and get there when they open or make a reservation! Enjoy my pics as they do no justice read more

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Great evening for our party of 6. We had no reservations but got on the waitlist and waited about half an hour or so sipping drinks near the front entrance. Lively place, but when we were seated, it was in a relatively quiet side room. Fast service. Excellent bread and spicy tomato oil sauce while we waited. We ordered an antipasto and the calamari for the table, both excellent. Most of us had pasta dishes - bolognese or carbonara - all of which were excellent . I had the short ribs with pappardelle pasta - also very good, but a little salty. I hadn't been to Pastabilities in years, but will return soon. read more

I just had an incredible time here with my husband and my mother in law. We got here at 3:30PM and there was already a line formed of people waiting for the 4:00 opening. We were seated at a booth and our waitress was Lakin, who was OUTSTANDING. Seriously, she represents the restaurant so well and did an incredible job. She was attentive, but not overbearing, and knowledgable of the menu. So, the vibe inside is really cool. It has a cozy industrial feel to it. We loved it. Now the food. The stretch bread and hot tomato sauce. Out of this world. It reminded me of my grandmothers spicy sauce, which is saying a lot. We had additional garlic bread as an appetizer, along with the Wicky Wicky pasta-cini (fried angel hair pasta w/ riggie sauce). Both were great. I couldn't have been happier, we were off to a great start. I had the lasagna, my husband had the chicken riggies, and my mother in law had the roasted chicken parm with pumpkin ravioli. The lasagna was great and there was a huge portion of it. I loved the pesto drizzle over it. I'd absolutely get this again. My husband's chicken riggies were great. Spicy, creamy, full of flavor. Seriously, a home run. And then there was my mother in laws chicken dish. The presentation was okay, but this is why we don't judge a book by its covers. This may have been the best dish we had that night. The chicken was packed full of flavor and the pumpkin ravioli was great. Give me a whole dish of those please! Overall, blown away from service to food and everything by in between. We absolutely will be back and will be bringing our friends. On a side note, their house Cab Sav is In Sheep's Clothing by Maison Noir. This is Andre Mack's vineyard and is one of my husbands favorite Cab Sav's. Major props to whoever added this to the menu. read more

The food and service was amazing! We went for a Mom and daughter dinner and we had the best time. We had to wait 45 minutes but had coffee at the bar and the bartenders were so amazing! They even gave us water after our lattes while we were waiting. 45 minutes went by so fast. I would highly recommend this place! read more

I went for lunch which is a fast casual setting. The service during lunch is minimal as you order online using a QR code and then your food is brought to you but not much else. I didn't mind this at all. They also had the option to order at the bar and pay there with cash. I ordered the chicken riggies and they were honestly some of the best I have ever had. Perfect amount of spice and the chicken was nice and juicy. It was a pretty decent portion for the price. I would definitely go back and try some other items on the menu. read more

Pastabilities - chicken riggies - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

A group of 11 went to celebrate my birthday last week at Pastabilities. This place really doesn't need any more reviews, but I want to call out the service and how wonderful it was to schedule with them for a larger party. I had first called another place in town and they said they couldn't do separate checks, which I understand but also don't want to deal with. Pastabilities said it was no problem at all to do separate checks, and they explained up front that a 20% gratuity would be added to our bills. I did have to put my credit card down to hold the reservation. Dinner was great, and so was the service! We were in this little side room that I've never seen before that was super cute (I didn't take any pictures of it). I've never had a bad anything there, but the green chili alfredo that is currently on special ranks as one of the best dishes I've had out. read more

Pastabilities - Green chili Alfredo & blackened shrimp - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This place is absolutely delicious and the ambiance is so relaxing. Food came out fast and our serve was great! We made reservations but it was worth the wait. We're definitely planning another trip here, love it love it love it! read more

Pastabilities - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I've been to Pastabilities a few times, and it's one of my favorite date night locations downtown! You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu, everything I've tried has been divine. The bread and hot tom oil is an awesome start to a meal. My go to order is chicken parmesan, with chocolate cake for dessert. The staff is very friendly, and I've never had a long wait for food. I'd definitely recommend a reservation though, as wait times for a table can be long. read more

Pastabilities - Chocolate cake with caramel frosting - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

The Pastabilities are endless! After being featured on DDD it's extremely busy so a reservation is required. We started with the meatball bake and it didn't disappoint. I had ravioli with bolognese sauce and it was so delicious and my husband had linguine with pesto sauce and loved it. If I'm ever in the Syracuse area I will definitely go back to Pastabilities. read more

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Ok, so the reservation system can be complicated, and the wait can definitely be long. Call ahead and learn the rules, and you'll be fine. I will preface this review with the fact that I don't love pasta, but my daughter wanted to go. Even with a reservation, we had a bit of a wait. Everyone was very friendly and informed us during the wait. We were good. The hot Tom sauce (served with bread while You're waiting for your food to arrive) was VERY good. I would highly recommend this. The pasta dishes were fine. Were they AWESOME? Well, I don't love pasta, so they were fine. The Cosmo was their version w yuzu...It wasn't awesome, but it was decent. My takeaway is this: if you like pasta, you will like Pastabilities. Figure out the reservation system ahead of time (maybe a week?) and do that. The staff is great! Enjoy read more

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its so comforting inside. something about it-- its just cozy!! the waiter was so nice, i didnt have time to get her name though. wicky wicky meatball riggies are so good! delicious meal choice if youre a fan of spice read more

Pastabilities - Wicky-Wicky Meatball Riggies - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Amazing service for our recent meal. The waiter was friendly and attentive. I recommend ordering the stretch bread with their signature Hot Tom Oil, the first round is complementary and would suit two people. I ordered the baked spinach manicotti and my partner ordered the riggies turn down (riggie sauce and Alfredo sauce combined) with meatballs. The server informed me the manicotti was overdone and offered to have it remade, but little did they know the crunchy, browned, cheese is my favorite! Can't wait to go back! read more

Pastabilities - Hot Oil Appetizer - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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HEAVEN. I wish they had this in my hometown city, my gosh it's SO FREAKING GOOD. If you'd like to eat here, plan ahead and make a reservation. On graduation week, we waited 3 1/2 hours for a 9:30 PM seating finally and it was worth it. We were seating and served bread and a tomato type marinara/oil - I wish I could buy it by the bottle it was amazing. One person at our table ordered a salad for themselves and it came out big enough to feed us all so we all ended up enjoying the Little Gem salad, also amazing. For dinner, I had the Broccoli, walnut, garlic oil pasta with the cone shaped noodle (can't remember the name) and added mushrooms. This pasta is perfectly simple. Wouldn't change a thing. The mushrooms were a complimentary addition and I didn't feel heavy and stuffed after eating it compared to a lot of pasta dishes. The portions are huge for everything. Like enough for 2-3 people. 10/10 amazing!! read more

Pastabilities - Garlic Oil, Broccoli & Walnuts - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Absolutely the best experience! The food is all made from scratch with the exception of maybe the gluten free pasta (which was also delicious). Very nice atmosphere, fantastic customer service and excellent food!! My non-gluten free family loved the meatballs, garlic bread and their entrees...especially the Mac and cheese. I had chicken riggies with gluten free pasta. So good!! read more

One of my family's favorite places to eat. Love the hot oil and bread and the pastas are amazing.

Came back to Syracuse after graduating from SU many years ago. I knew one spot I had to go to was Pastabilities. The food, ambiance and service were exactly as I remember! Top notch. The vibe inside the restaurant is inviting and intimate without being pretentious. The staff are friendly and helpful but never make you feel rushed. We loved the stretch bread with spicy tomato dipping oil - the recipe and quality has not changed in 15 years. Still an absolutely perfect way to start your meal! The pasta options are numerous and I love that they give you the ability to combine sauces for a unique meal. One person is our party was vegan and was pleasantly surprised by all of the options that fit her dietary needs. She especially liked the vegan meatballs. Our meal was delicious and our experience overall was so enjoyable. I only hope I don't wait another 15 years before coming back! read more

Pastabilities - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

If you ask anyone in Syracuse where to eat, then they will suggest Pastabilities. It is just simply that good. It's a bit more of a hipster-ish place, but still extremely nice inside. It's crowded and lively, but in a way that means you can still hold conversation indoors easily. Highly HIGHLY recommend their PESTO FREDO. And of course, you must try their famous stretch bread and tomato oil. They have a little Pastabilities bakery that's across the street from them, which I have bought bread from multiple times. A true staple of Syracuse, in my opinion! Definitely too expensive to go to often, but great for a celebration, a nice date, or a birthday. read more

Really wasn't impressed - was hoping for so much more. It started with the bread and the oil. I was hoping the bread would be warm wasn't it was cold and didn't really like the oil and would've preferred butter; regarding the entrées - I had asked for pasta sauce that was not spicy instead I got what the server called a two out of 10 spicy. I could barely eat it. It was too spicy. One of the other guests had angel hair pasta that arrived in a giant clump. Two of us had dessert one was chocolate mousse, which was 2/3 whipped cream, very little chocolate and a small portion; the most disappointing was our birthday guest got the gelato Sunday with a chocolate chip cookie. The chocolate chip cookie was burnt, and the gelato was inedible. read more