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The Weekly Eater
MY memories of Auntie Pasto's date to days B.C. (before crowds) when decor at almost every Italian-style restaurant in town meant red-checkered tablecloths and candles protruding from empty wine bottles. Auntie Pasto’s
delivers cloneThat's about as gimmicky as it got. Auntie Pasto's built its reputation on ample portions of no-nonsense food offered at low prices. Fifteen years later, they're still trying to offer good value for the same ample portions of no-nonsense food.
As one friend said, "Cuisine can get on your nerves. After a while, you just go 'Never mind the presentation. I want food.' "
Other restaurateurs have since caught onto combining comfort and value, but there's a lot of loyalty out there. As the perfect fast, pre-concert, pre-movie, cheap date haunt, Auntie Pasto's is not likely to run out of customers.
Auntie Pasto's -- Kapahulu
Food1/2
Atmosphere
Service
ValueAddress: 559 Kapahulu Ave.
And now there are two places to queue up. A second Auntie Pasto's has opened on the site of the former Internet C@fe. Auntie Pasto's makes use of all the space, including a landscaped garden and small back room for private parties. The space has never looked better, with walls painted MTV-style -- green, pink, purple haze -- a different color per room.The checkered tablecloths are still there, but the candle holders are more subdued. And of course, there are billboard menus on the wall for ordering at a glance. No printed menu needed. Most customers already know their favorites anyway, such as a friend who always orders Pasta with Meat Sauce ($7.50/$11) or creamy Clam Sauce ($8.50/$12.50) with a small Garden Salad ($3.95).
I like the Crispy Calamari ($6.95) dressed with olive oil, garlic and parsley, which is best paired with a salad. Those who order the pastas or entrees generally skip appetizers just because it's TOO MUCH FOOD!
Newer items include Eggplant Fritters, bland but homemade Mozzarella and dessert of Cannolis ($5.25), a little overdone with the chocolate sauce.
Among the pricier items is the Cacciuco, or Seafood Stew ($16.95), which you're better off ordering from a restaurant that serves cuisine. I'd rather not pay this much for thumbnail-size clams and shrunken mussels. On the other hand, Veal Marsala was well worth $14.50.
For dessert, try the Spumoni Pie ($5.25), with its three layers of ice cream topped off with rich pistachio. I was curious about the Chocolate Salami, but too stuffed to try it.
Taste what's new at Sam's
Just down the street, Sam Choy's Diamond Head is hosting Sam's Tasting Kitchen 5 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays.The series combines pupu and samplings of about seven wines. Last week, the featured wines were from Australia. I liked those just fine but found the appetizers -- except the Poke Boat and Lamb Risotto topped with pea greens -- too pedestrian for the price of $24 per person. This was fine for a mostly industry crowd who came for the wines, but not likely to satisfy a wider audience.
They'll try again tomorrow with wines from JMD Beverages and a menu that includes Korean-style White Crab Poke, a Roast Duck carving station, Chicken Adobo Drummettes and Baked Mussels. It promises to be lively. Reserve at 732-8645.
The event ends so early, you won't want to go home. That might be time to stop by Auntie Pasto's for the Chocolate Salami.
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
-- excellent;
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com
