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    Pastai

    3.6 (262 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Pastai Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    PASTAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Pastai

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    Reviews With Photos

    Gnocchi Alla Norma (eggplant + ricotta salata)
    Craig G.

    Expectations were high for this cozy Chelsea spot offering up Southern Italian cuisine. Unfortunately, the fare didn't match the allure. We went in for the Restaurant Week prix-frixe menu ($60): one appetizer, one entree, one dessert. Service was attentive, but the meal was uneven throughout. After a small plate of fresh, soft bread + oil, we split: bruschetta (toasted bread + fresh ricotta + pistachio + hot honey) and fried artichokes in a mustard aioli. The bruschetta was excellent, with the creamy ricotta playing off the toasted pistachio and slightly spicy sweetness of the honey. The artichokes weren't anything special: mostly leaves with an underwhelming sauce, though the few hearts were tender and bright. For entrees: Gnocchi Alla Norma (gnocchi + eggplant + ricotta salata) and ravioli filled with ricotta in a mushroom and marinara sauce. Pastai does fresh pasta very well, though the sauces on both dishes lacked depth. The desserts fared much better: both the sfinci (ricotta doughnut balls filled with orange vanilla creme, topped with bitter chocolate sauce and candied orange peel) and cannoli (fried pastry shells with sweet ricotta cream, chocolate, and candied orange peel) hit all the right notes.

    Eggplant Parmesan
    Jessica F.

    Came here on the recommendation from a friend. They have a good drink happy hour. There is ample seating at the bar. The service was very good but the food unfortunately not so much. They serve bread before the meal which is always welcome. We ordered the octopus and eggplant to split both were fine. The octopus was tender but lacked flavor. The eggplant was baked well but was bland. We ordered a pistachio shrimp dish. The pasta (which is made in house) and sauce was very good. The shrimp unfortunately were boiled and slightly raw. Unfortunately not a restaurant I see myself returning to.

    Bar area
    Nicole K.

    This is a gorgeous little spot, but unfortunately the food didn't hold up. The complimentary bread was not good - I actually mistakenly assumed it was gluten free because it was so bad. Entrees were weirdly soupy. Service was slow and scattered, seemed like there was only one waiter on a Friday night. Overall not much reason to visit unless you're looking for a gluten free friendly spot

    White Wine
    Christy M H.

    Really enjoyed my time here! The second I walked in I noticed how quiet and peaceful the environment was. The dim light feel also adds to the authentic Italian feel. Everything was beautifully decorated and the tables were not overwhelmingly close together which I appreciated. My service pup was welcomed kindly which I also appreciated. Our waitress was patient, helpful and very caring. We wanted a cheese platter with other things that weren't included and the staff made it work for us. I also tried the pasta based on the recommendation of the waitress and I did NOT REGRET it at all. Great taste. Everything was perfect and I really had a great night here. We were the last ones to leave and didn't get rushed out. This place has AMAZING costumer service. I will be back.

    Garganelli CON BURRATA, could have had a little more flavor. Even some more tomatoes would have helped.
    Katherine S.

    The garganelli con burrata past was okay. Could have used more a flavor. The cherry tomatoes were fresh as can be. More tomatoes would have helped bring more to the plate. The create your own Pastai was made with bucatini with tomato sauce and a meatballs. The tomato sauce was very good , you can tell they use fresh tomatoes for it. The meatball tasted delicious! The service was good there was one person sitting at the bar and one table outside so it's somewhere a reservation might not be necessary for lunch .

    Bucatini with cauliflower-saffron rag
    Alex H.

    Stopped in to Pastai before heading to work an event for Tribeca Film Fest yesterday, and we were excited for the dinner, but then let down afterwards. The restaurant is intimate, only a handful of tables, relaxing decor, low volume crowd so you can hear your guests you dine with, great bartender making drinks so big thumbs up there, and a menu of food items that seem to be the best thing ever. However, things were not impressive when we got our food taste wise. The fried olives were my favorite of everything though, best app to get, it doesn't come with sauce but I recommend asking for some kind of dipping sauce because this dish deserves it. The potato croquettes were underwhelming and bland, nothing special here, just tasted like raw potato with some meat in the middle. The servers are friendly, and efficient, as well as the other staff on site. The pastas were both very ordinary and bland. Also my gf's was salty and she didn't care for it. Mine was the Cauliflower one and it was tasteless and lacking. Nothing special and just, fill your stomach kind of food. Manhattan dinner, Manhattan prices, Inflation we get it. 2 drinks 2 apps 2 mains. $140 including tip out the door. Bottom line, not worth it, I'd look elsewhere for a special evening. Regular dinner on the fly though, sure why not.

    Bread
    Ashka S.

    Walked in for dinner during restaurant week. We decided a la carte vs restaurant week didn't make a big difference, so we ended up ordering a la carte. The food was great although I did need to add salt/spice per my own preferences. Service was great and the restaurant was cute! I would come back.

    Space
    Franny A.

    Chelsea gem, a little under the radar. Southern Italian, homemade pastas but everything shines here. Late night bite. Ate: Lasagna with broccoli rabe Salmon with garlic spinach Total $63 before tip The lasagna is incredible!!! Hands down one of the best if not the best I've ever eaten! Fresh pasta, fresh flavored ricotta and perfect tomato sauce! The cheese on top slightly crisped. Perfection. Salmon while pricey was also perfect snd came with a delicious caper sauce. Rediscovered and it feels so good. So sorry I did not get a good pic of the lasagna, next time.

    SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
    Lauren L.

    dropped in to pastai for a quick lunch. we were greeted by the most lovely man (they opened the doors 30 minutes early for us) and he was so helpful in helping us decide on what to get. basically every pasta but the ravioli and lasagna could be made gluten free and this pasta did NOT disappoint. the decor was ADORABLE and felt like a home away from home.

    penne alla norma
    Vivek D.

    Came here for dinner on a weekday. Was lucky to put in a reservation because the indoor seating was packed most likely due to the nice weather. The main dining area is actually not that big, but it's not a little bit of a rustic charm to it. Not sure how to describe it, but it's unique for sure. It looks like there is a proper dining room in the back though. Plenty of options to choose from the main menu, though it's worth noting the daily specials are plenty too. We got the bruschetta with cheese to start. I got the penne alla norma, which was fine. Just wish the eggplant was cooked a bit longer, but nothing major. Portion size was plenty too. It's perfect for people who want a cozy environment for a date night. I think the service and ambience was pretty nice. Would definitely recommend to others.

    Espresso martini
    Warren L.

    Met one of my old college buddies here. It a place I've been wanting to try. Started with some antipasto. Fried artichokes an eggplant dish and Brussel sprouts. All where good. Had two espresso martinis. Also very good. Main dish was pasta carbonara. A dish that I make myself and I think mine is the best. This version was pretty darn good. My buddy has the halibut. Looked good. Service was prompt. Prices are pretty normal. Place is nice. I would go back

    Second attempt at a medium rare steak, came out red and cool in the middle but we ate it. ‍
    Thea W.

    We made reservations and showed up on time, but the host was too busy to acknowledge us for over 5 minutes, which felt a bit weird. We ordered a bottle of wine, which was nice but marked up 3x retail price. I liked that these guys do gluten free options! That goes a long way for me, but unfortunately not a lot else was great. We ordered the Brussels sprouts with prosciutto, which we never received. We also ordered the pasta with burrata, tomato and broccoli raab pesto. The pasta was cooked well and the pesto had a nice bitterness to it, but lacked salt and acid which would have brightened it up a lot. We also ordered the Filet Mignon, medium rare. The filet mignon was absolutely not a filet mignon, but rather a sirloin, which is a VERY different cut of meat and not what we wanted for 45 dollars. Worse, it was cooked EXTREMELY well. After cutting the first bite and realizing it was so dry it was hard to swallow, I cut into the middle she saw the whole thing was light brown and dry inside. Not medium-rare. My husband waved the host (who also appeared to be the only server) over and showed him the steak. He was very accommodating and took the steak back but we didn't see it's replacement for 40 minutes, and when it came out it was very rare- even cool in the middle. My husband likes rare steak so we decided to just ask for our check. I asked them to remove the Brussels sprouts, which we had never gotten and he explained that they did go out, just to the wrong table. In the 2 hours we were there our server didn't check in with us once, but the busser kept our water glasses full, which we appreciated. Overall we were there for 2 hours and it was the worst 150 dollar dinner I think I've ever had. Seems like this place could make a few simple adjustments and do a lot better.

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    15 days ago

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    2 years ago

    Alright pasta for an overpriced price. So many other better italian places to try so this one is a skip !

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great appetizers like the fried artichokes and the bruschetta and the arancini. Pasta was fresh and tasty. Great service.

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    2 years ago

    Best restaurant week menu i had recently. A lot of good options. I had the peach salad , genovese and sfinci for dessert. All were very good

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    3 years ago

    Always a solid option for great food and great service. A good meeting place for work or family, and they're good with kids too.

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    Page 1 of 7

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