Pasta Freska
| Address: | 1515 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA |
| Phone: | +1 206-283-1515 |
| Site: | pastafreska.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–10PM 5–10PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
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Roebuck Jones
One of the worst dining experiences ever. The schtick is that the chef comes over at the beginning of your meal, touches you more than youre likely comfortable with, and asks each person what they like and dont like, then goes and creates a "custom" meal for everyone, based on what you tell him. Thats the schtick. The reality: Six of our party of eight specified no shellfish. Four said no meat. One specified no pasta - just protein (any animal you like) and veggies - and was assured that this was not an issue. After sitting for 45 minutes, a two-bite serving of eggplant parm in some kind of pinkish sauce arrives. Meh at best, but we were really hungry by that time. After an hour, the second plate arrives for everyone. Shellfish. Two people get one tiny mussel and two tiny clams each. No apologies from the server, no offers to bring something else. Just "this is what they told me to bring." After another 45 minutes, another plate arrives. Pasta. With meat sauce. Were almost two hours in and several of us have had only one or two bites of food. Its like were stuck in some kind of bizarre psychological experiment. Were all hungrily eyeing the airport-takeaway looking salads that are arriving at other tables. Ours never arrive. After another half hour, an amuse-bouche size serving of tuna arrives. Ostensibly, the main course. Overcooked, dry and somehow still disturbingly fishy but by that time we were all so hungry and hypoglycemic that we were grateful for anything at all, even this little fish hockey puck. An elongated nightmare of slack service, Costco-quality food and unfulfilled promises. I have never been so glad to leave a restaurant and call Paggliaccis in my life. Thank you, Paggliaccis, for restoring my faith in humanity.
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Sam DeLiso
AMAZING!!! Easily one of the best Italian restaurants in Seattle with a much lesser price tag than the upscale dining experiences sold at Seattles top rated Italian establishments! Very rustic and romantic ambience, extremely attentive and affable staff, and most importantly, a delectable and wide array of wonderfully prepared cuisine that you wont find in a Tom Douglas or Howie run eatery. From the beginning plate of Eggplant Parmesan, to the 6 or 7 others following (roasted salmon, grilled tuna, pistachio crusted chicken breast, sauteed lobster, heavenly oysters and clams, etc..), everything was simply to die for! Vegetarian and non-vegetarian pasta were all outstanding! Finally, to top off an already full stomach, the master chef convinced us to sample just one more dish to conclude the meal, which ended up being a trifecta of desserts with creme brulle, chocolate cake, and spumoni ice cream, all arranged in manageable portions that satisfied beyond belief....hands down, best Italian food and dining experience in Seattle....romantic evening, with a party of friends, business meeting, or alone..... You must experience Pests Freska!!
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Chad Schulz
I am typically not inclined to write reviews, but since I rely on them heavily when deciding where to eat, I felt it was time to contribute. My wife and I have lived in Seattle for two years now, just up the hill, and we had never heard of this place. I have to say, we were stunned by the quality of the food and service at Pasta Freska. We actually came in just wanting appetizers and a glass of wine, and ended up staying for 2 hours. A word of caution, if you havent been here before, the menu is...well, pretty much whatever the chef if cooking up that day. Small courses, and several of them. I cant recall exactly what we ate, but here we go: salad, baked eggplant, pesto salmon, cod, spaghetti with Italian sausage, steamed curry mussels, chicken cannelloni, another chicken dish...all excellent! Tuesday was half price wine night, so that was an added plus. The food for two was just over $50 (and we were stuffed), the wine $17 (a nice Chianti). I think we just found our new spot. I would highly recommend Pasta Freska!
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Glenn Gregoris
I found this place to be quite a refreshing change from the norm! I knew going in that they dont have a menu, so make sure you are aware of that or Im sure it would be quite a shock! I took my girlfriend there for her birthday and we had a wonderful evening! The first thing they do is ask you if there is anything you DONT like so that they dont serve you anything with those ingredients. Take note is that this is NOT a place to go if youre in a hurry! There were 8 or 9 courses including dessert. I think thats one of the things I liked most about it - you get to try a bunch of things you may not have normally ordered. One more thing to note - be specific if you are drinking wine. We said "yes" to wine and ended up with a bottle. It worked out, but if you just want a glass, make sure you say so. All in all, I would highly recommend this place. The food was fantastic and I really enjoyed the fact that I had no idea what was coming next!
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A Private User
At Pasta Freska, you arent given a menu, or even told what is being served that night. Here is how it works: When you are seated, the owner asks you if there is anything you wont eat, and whether you have a problem with spicy food. Then they bring you several courses of whatever they decide to bring you. If you want wine, then it seems they select the wine for you. If this sounds like a fun adventure to you, then you might like Pasta Freska. On the other hand, if you have a problem with not getting to choose your food in a restaurant, and not even knowing how much it will cost, then I suggest that you should stay away. It is fine for a restaurant to have whatever menu they decide on, but I think they should at least post it on the wall or have the waiter tell you what it is. I ended up being served food that was not at all what I wanted to eat that night. Wild horses could not drag me back to Pasta Freska.
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Brienna Rainey
Make sure to come with an appetite! This 7-course meal has got to be the most incredible dining experience Ive ever had. The customer service is incredible. The chef comes out and greets everyone individually and continues to check on you throughout the meal. Ive never once seen him without a smile on his face and the rest of the wait staff was equally as amiable. The food is absolutely to DIE for! Ive never been a huge fan of seafood, but the clams and mussels he prepared for us were the best Ive ever had. I also love that you dont have to spend any time picking things out of a menu. He asks simple questions (Is there anything you dont eat? Do you like spicy? DO YOU WANT WINE?), and then the food just keeps coming. Trust me, if you like Italian food and dont mind surprises, you will LOVE Pasta Freska
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Dave Hernandez
We came to this little gem of an italian ristorante, on a whim for my birthday last night. We loved it from the moment we walked in. From decor to serving styles, and to start the evening by speaking to the chef himself! Chef Mike came to the table, asked preferences of food type questions , from do you like seafood, to allergies, to wine choices, he was just a great abundance of a welcoming. They have no menus, and that is when the adventure begins! It comes to five courses of pure tasty italian tastys and savories of foods. I can say that Ive never been on a food ride like this before, but i had the best birthday dinner a guy could ask for in the better half of my 45 years.. Hats off to you Chef Mike. Brilliant business! Be ready, per person is about $30 to $60, depending on drinks. Truly worth it!
