Pasta Grill
| Address: | 915 Front St, Conway, AR 72032, USA |
| Phone: | +1 501-205-8751 |
| Site: | pastagrillconway.com |
| Rating: | 4.7 |
| Working: | 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
VA
VakarianGirl
*!Not Italian!* I agonized forever while writing this review over two, three or four stars. As you can see, I opted for three. Pasta Grill is a great restaurant ran by people who obviously care that much more about food than *almost* all of the other eateries you will find in Conway (admittedly, that may not be saying much in a town who votes a piece of fried catfish the "best fish" in the city). That said, however, I really do take exception to this restaurant being called - or calling itself - Italian. I mean - ye-es - in the American sense it IS Italian.....meaning it sells spaghetti, alfredo, meatballs and cheesecake. Unfortunately for me, though, I am after a slightly more authentic Italian experience - which I used to get when Russos was still in town, until after about four years of having a deserted dining room they packed up shop to make room for their premises to become another fried-fish-and-oyster place. But - I digress. Pasta Grill is very good, very popular and the darling of the Conway socialites, who line up outside before they open for either lunch or dinner waiting for the floodgates to be opened. I myself have eaten here several times - and the food is consistently good-bordering-on-excellent. It is not however authentic Italian and should never be construed as such. For starters - those who experience issues with dairy-heavy recipes will want to take extra precautions when eating here, because you will be VERY hard pressed to find something that doesnt involve a pasta that is laden with lashings of cream-based sauce clinging to its surface. From their signature cajun cream sauce (which is excellent, by the way), to alfredo sauces, to light cream sauces (?), to vodka sauces, to pesto cream sauces - almost EVERY SINGLE pasta dish they sell comes as standard with one of these. Newsflash: true Italian dishes never see the addition of cream in any manner. That authentic carbonara sauce that theyre famed for? Yeah its supposed to be eggs, cheese and bacon - and it is NOT supposed to be smothered afterwards in an alfredo sauce. Actually - while were on the topic - alfredo sauce was invented by a restaurateur in Rome to appeal to his American clientele. It is basically the Italian attempt (and equivalent of) mac & cheese. I mean to go back to Pasta Grill and see how open to substituting their cream sauces for lighter, tomato-based acidic sauces they are. Given their attention to detail and great (if creamy) food - I am sure they will have no problem in accommodating special requests. Additionally, Pasta Grill incorporates many other non-Italian ingredients into their cooking, such as crawfish, jambalaya (with Polish sausage), cajun sauces, "blackened" shrimp scampi, spinach feta cream, straightforward steaks, chicken tenders, chicken cheesecake, shrimp & grits, cornbread, and breaded chicken items. While this is a great restaurant that you will be hard-pressed to find quiet on any given day, I do take exception to them calling themselves Italian when they are obviously a southern-inspired pasta joint with an emphasis on cream sauces that have no place in Italian cuisine.
RO
Ronaye Casteel
Such a quaint little store front. Must be good for all the people in the tiny bullpen? So surprised we were when having our name put on the list and told "itll be just a few minutes" for our party of 3. Awesome! So after 20 minutes and watching party of 4 after party of 3 be seated, one party of 4 even greeted by the hostess at the sidewalk(they must have been regulars) I stepped up to the hostess and host to inquire to be told by a very sweet gal that our was another 15-20 minutes! "There must be a mistake, we were told just a minute" . Her gracious apologies cut off by the fellow who originally gave the misleading timeframe by asking "whats going on here?" That tone immediately raised my eyebrow! So I explain, "you told us it would be a minute, did that actually mean 30?" With a gesture of his hands "look around, were busy" I argue that his just a minute was expected to be a close estimation and vastly different then the 35-40 minute wait that it is turning into. Customer service etiquette would have a host humble themselves with an apologies for the mistake made, but not this guy! As if I was a toddler he needed to appease and a snotty tone to match "well do you want a water or a piece of bread or something?" "No thank you, were not starving", I tell him and pick-up the conversation with the sweet thing that shot me square to begin with "so were looking at another 15-20?" "Yes, Im sorry" she sheepishly replies. I check with my party and advise her that we wont be waiting. All that dramatically laid out, little millennial man needs a lessen in his job as a businesses first contact with a patron and the destruction it could lead to. An apologies for the mistake, an offer of a glass of wine while we wait(which I would have happily paid for, and frankly would have "locked" us in for the wait) would have prevented this review, which is not even for the food but the service. I am a 15 year veteran of the service industry from dishwasher to restaurant manager and everything in between so with that I say sorry to the owner who wont get a lovely review for the experience he worked hard to create and the server who doesnt get the gratuity only another server gives. You can thank the egomaniac greeting your patrons!
GL
Glenn Waterworth
Nice atmosphere, cozy little place. Super long wait times due to limited seating. Normally wouldnt mind... Usually a sign of great food if they attract that kind of crowd. I know now that the crowd is solely due to lack of competition since there are no other Italian restaurants in Conway. Food had much to be desired. I ordered Alfredo, an Italian restaurant staple. Sauce was the consistency of milk and lacked any taste. Shrimp were overcooked and had shriveled into tasteless rubber nuggets. I get things happen, but at least two people handled my meal before I got it and yet nobody thought to fix it. On a side note, it really bothers me when servers share opinions not related to the food they serve, talk about personal subjects, or otherwise distract from the dining experience. Being personable is one thing...making guest feel uncomfortable is another. For the price, wait times, and quality of food, I will most definitely be traveling elsewhere next time I crave Italian.
PO
Pomdudes
If you are even thinking about Italian food, you must try this place! It is exceptional in its presentation, its aroma and its taste. My wife had the "Southern Most Pasta" and I had the unusual-sounding "Drews Hash". Both dishes were served to perfection and oh-so-delicious! Bold, solid flavors anchored both dishes and we were tempted to polish them off right there but wed wanted to have dessert and the dark chocolate creme brulee did not disappoint. The space is somewhat small but well-designed and service was superb. Our waiter, Taylor, was attentive and efficient on this busy Saturday night. Pasta Grill has moved to the top of our list for dining places.
RY
Ryan Weiler
By far one of the best places to eat in Conway, a town known only for its number of restaurants, banks, and churches. If youre planning on stopping in after 6, they have call ahead seating which helps you avoid sitting around for over an hour while you wait. Unfortunately they dont take reservations which can be a draw back for the larger parties. Seating is limited, max capacity may be about 100, so dont plan on a family event to be held here. Quality of food is always top notch and when in doubt go for the jambalaya pasta. Wine selection is great and prices arent outrageous, always important for those that wish to grab a drink or two with their meal.
