Hey Boo, Do I Have a Cheesesteak for You!

 Boo's Philly Cheesesteaks and Hoagies

4501 Fountain Ave. 

Los Angeles, CA 90029

Since our trip to Philadelphia a year and a half ago, I've been searching for a cheesesteak to rival the ones we had on that trip. It's not easy. So far, my favorite spot in OC is John's Philly Grill, but I have not explored the LA cheesesteak scene much. I went to my trusted source on all things food in Los Angeles, LA Eater, and found a best-of cheesesteak map. I found one which would be convenient on our way home, and that's how we tried Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies. 

It just so happens that Boo's is mentioned on almost all of the best cheesesteak lists in LA. Andrew Ahn, a Philadelphia native, had the notion of starting this business when he moved to LA in 2002, but he could not find a good cheesesteak anywhere in town. That got the ball rolling, and he and his family decided to bring an authentic cheesesteak to the people of LA. 

That meant Amoroso rolls, deli meats from Dietz and Watson for their hoagies, and Wise Chips posted by the register. Andrews's biggest goal was to have fellow Philadelphians come here and claim that this was a legit cheesesteak served at Boo's. His vision is working, as they have this original location in Silverlake, which opened for business in 2011, and then added their Koreatown spot two years later. Both places have a 4-star rating on Yelp, with well over 2300 reviews between them. 

We were leaving Burbank on a Monday afternoon at half past 4, so we knew we would be in for a long haul back to OC. I ordered online, and when we arrived at the Boo's in Silverlake, our food was packaged up and ready for us at the promised time. This location does not appear to have any indoor seating, but there were a small number of picnic tables out in front of the restaurant. We grabbed our two sandwiches and began the two-hour trip home. 

Katie will almost always pick a hoagie over a cheesesteak. Yes, and I'm still married to her. At Boo's, they have four hoagies to choose from; two veggie sandwiches, an Italian hoagie, and this Turkey Hoagie ($13.95). This sandwich started with sliced turkey breast, then lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, oregano, hoagie dressing, banana peppers, and provolone cheese were added. As you can see from the pictures above, they really added plenty of toppings to this sandwich. It reminded me of a Chicago hot dog, but in turkey sandwich form. The turkey was fresh and clean tasting, and I enjoyed including the hoagie dressing, an oil and vinegar combo that adds a nice tang to any sandwich. My only complaint about this sandwich was that I expected more turkey to be included, but Katie found this sandwich manageable. She would not hesitate to get this again. 

Hoagies are fine and everything, but they are not as epic as a cheesesteak. Boo's has five beef cheesesteaks and six chicken versions to pick from. Predictably, I went the beef route by selecting the Boo's Mushroom Pepper Cheesesteak ($15.95). My first reaction to this was that I thought it would be longer, but they really stuffed the inside with steak, sweet peppers, onions, mushrooms, and my choice of cheese. They offered American, Cheez Whiz, or provolone. I never get American, but I split evenly between the provolone and Cheez Whiz. Today, the provolone won out. The mellowness of the provolone accentuates the other parts of the sandwich, which were excellent. The steak was tender, plentiful, and not as greasy as other cheesesteaks. The sweetness from the peppers cut the richness of the meat and cheese. The mushrooms got a little lost here, but I enjoyed the bites where they were present. This cheesesteak was made well, with minimal spillage of its contents. Even though it sat with us in traffic for two hours, it was not a soggy mess when we got home. Very well done. 

This is the leader of cheesesteaks in LA at the moment, in my opinion. I have a list of places that have come highly recommended for cheesesteaks that I still need to try, though; South Philly Experience, Philadelphia Steak and Hoagie, and West Coast Cheesesteak are among the most highly regarded. The cheesesteak from Boo's was not as massive as the ones we experienced in Philadelphia, but it was well crafted and was the closest in flavor to what we had there a year and a half ago. Luckily, Katie often works in this area, so she will be able to bring me one of these with some regularity. Right now, Boo's has my heart as far as LA cheesesteaks go. 

Out of five taxicabs (because the origin story of the cheesesteak involves a taxi driver seeing a hot dog cart guy making a cheesesteak sandwich for his own lunch, and suggested that he sell them), five being best to zero being worst, Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies gets 3.5 taxicabs. 

For more information about Boo's Cheesesteaks and Hoagies, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.boosphilly.com/

Pizza Fit for a Prince (Street)?

Prince Street Pizza

1870 Harbor Blvd. #104

Costa Mesa, CA 92627

It's just an embarrassment of riches regarding the restaurant scene in Costa Mesa. Whenever I hear of a restaurant that would be right up my alley, it's likely opening up in Costa Mesa. Harper Barbecue, Ospi, Matty's Patty's, Verde, and more have made it onto my restaurant wishlist in the last few months. It's another newish spot that brought us to this restaurant-rich town this Sunday: Prince Street Pizza.  

It seemed like Prince Street was never going to open. They had papered-over windows that announced they were coming to town for what seemed like years, but they finally opened their doors in July of last year at the much-maligned Triangle Square at the end of the 55 Freeway. On their opening day, 500 people lined up waiting to try their pizza.  

I tried Prince Street Pizza in the Arts District area of LA almost two years ago. They started in New York City in 2012 and have expanded rapidly, with many Southern California locations and outposts in Toronto, Chicago, Miami, and Las Vegas. PSP is most known for its Sicilian-style pizzas, which are square and have an airy, almost breadlike crust. They also have thin-crusted Neapolitan pizza, a more conventional round form with which most people are more comfortable. 

We arrived at noon, found parking in the dimly lit parking structure that is one of Triangle Square's trademarks, and went to the Newport Boulevard side at street level to get to PSP. We met a small line of three people waiting to order, and a few more waiting for their pizzas. Like all Prince Street Pizza locations, their storefronts are small, with no seating, and only a tiny bar where you can stand and eat your pizza, if you are so inclined. We got ours to go. 

Ordering is done as you stand in line and pick your desired slices from behind the glass case. You do have the option of ordering a whole pizza, but PSP has always kind of felt like a pizza by the slice spot, which New York is famous for, and it also allows you to have some variety as to the kinds of pizza you can experience on a single visit. After selecting your pizza, it's taken to the oven for a final reheating and boxed up for you. We took ours home, and here's how it turned out for us. 

The Spicy Spring ($6.50) is probably Prince Street's most popular slice, and it's also my favorite. They use their slightly spicy fra diavolo sauce on this, then add pecorino romano and parmesan cheeses, and finally, a bunch of the little pepperoni cups that cover almost every centimeter of the slice. I love the tiny pepperoni's thickness and the fact that you can't take a bite without a good amount of pepperoni. The crust reminds me of Stoffer's French bread pizza that we used to have as kids when my parents left us with a babysitter. With the amount of pepperoni used on this, the cheese gets lost in the shuffle with this slice, but I like the balance of this one. 

 

We got a variety of slices to try, with Katie picking two and me picking the other two. Of these four, I enjoyed the Meat Lover's ($6.50) the most, not surprisingly. It comes with pepperoni, bacon bits, sausage, garlic, mozzarella, and a marinara base. People online claim that their marinara is too sweet, and it might be, but with the savoriness of the meats, it balances out. The silver medal goes to the Naughty Pie ($6.50), with a lot going on. Spicy vodka sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, pepperoni, and Zab's Hot Honey drizzle on top. I'm not usually a ricotta person, but with the slight spiciness of this and the pepperoni, I could handle it. I wish the honey had been used with a heavier hand, as the slice we got only had minimal honey. 

The Sunset Square ($6.25) takes third place with its fresh and shredded mozzarella, pecorino romano, garlic, and sweet marinara sauce. The marinara was front and center, and indeed, too sweet. The slice was not balanced, and I grew tired of it after a few bites. Bringing up the rear was the Four Cheese ($6.25). I'm sure you can guess what the four cheeses were. That's right, fresh and shredded mozzarella, pecorino romano, and ricotta. There was too much ricotta, and this really needed a textural element, as it was very soft and rather bland. Not my jam at all. I'll let Katie have all of this next time. 

Even though I was not a big fan of the last slice of pizza, I still enjoyed my visit to Prince Street Pizza. I'm not as in love with it as I was when I first visited back in 2023. At that time, I was unaware of Detroit-style pizza, a distant cousin of the Sicilian slices I had above, and the Michigan version is superior. I've also had some delicious pizza in the last two years, as excellent pizza places are popping up all over OC: B + C Pizza, Brooklyn City Pizza, Gibroni's, Truly Pizza, Lunitas, and Terra Mia, to name a few of my faves. PSP is still good, and I wish they were around when I used to frequent the bars in this area early in this century. I would have loved to come here for a slice after a night at Goat Hill Tavern. I'll be back to Prince Street Pizza, but for now, I need to do a lot of good eating in Costa Mesa.  

Out of five ice cream scoopers (because the Prince Street Subway stop in NYC is not only where you would go for pizza, but it's also the stop for the Museum of Ice Cream), five being best to zero being worst, Prince Street Pizza gets 3 ice cream scoopers. 

For more information about Prince Street Pizza, head to their website by clicking here:https://princestreetpizza.com/

Some Really Fine Mexican Food at Casa Fina

 Casa Fina

1842 1st Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Usually, when we are driving up this way, it's a happy occasion. We leave OC to cruise up the 5 Freeway to Burbank for a family party, graduation, or baby shower. This was more of a somber trip, as Katie's uncle Jim passed away suddenly a month before, and we were up this way to lay him to rest and have a celebration of life. 

Uncle Jim would have loved a celebration. When I went to my first big family party in 2009, he was the first person I felt a real connection with. He was the life of the party, cracking jokes, making sure people were having an excellent time, and introducing me to people who would eventually become my family as the years passed.  

Katie and I had to leave a little later in the day than we would have liked, so we drove up around 5pm and headed straight to our hotel. We needed to grab dinner along the way, so I tried to find a freeway close spot with some good reviews. I checked out Eater LA, and they raved about the food at Casa Fina, also adjacent to the freeway, so we plugged it into our map app and were on our way.  

Casa Fina is one block from the historic Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. The restaurant is conveniently located in a little swath of land between three freeways, the 5, 10, and 101, which makes it super convenient. Casa Fina opened in 2017 and took over the spot that La Serenata de Garibaldi had for 32 years. They moved to the West Side, and Casa Fina has thrived here. 

The Casa Fina menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, pasta (?), combo plates, house specialties, entrees, and seafood. Most plates hover around the $20 price point, with only the molcajetes eclipsing the $30 mark. Our server, Emily, quickly took our order, so let's take a look at what came out for us. 

Before our ordered food arrives, let's check out their chips and salsa setup. This was, for sure, the most neon-green salsa we've ever had during the course of this blog. I'm partial to red salsa, but this one was good, as it was not too acidic and had a good amount of heat. It was not an uncomfortable amount of heat, but enough so it was noticeable. We were not presented with any red salsa, even though their pictures on Yelp show it as being served here at Casa Fina. The chips were fresh and crispy, with just a few blue corn chips in our basket. 

Queso Fundido ($16.50) is one of our favorite starters in a Mexican restaurant, and this version at Casa Fina was a good representation of it. They give you the choice of having this with either chicken, steak, or chorizo, which we chose. The chorizo was in big hunks when it came out, but it broke up easily once we mixed it with the bubbling cheese. This might have been our first fundido with sour cream on top, which disappeared quickly because of the heat coming off the skillet. I liked this flavor; the contrast between the chorizo and the cheese was excellent, and the tortillas, which I did not snap a picture of, were delicious. A very comforting start to our meal here. 

After a big breakfast, Katie was less hungry, so she selected this Taquito Appetizer ($9.50) with a Side of Rice ($2.95). The plating looked odd, but the taquitos were good. They had a nice amount of crema and maybe an avocado salsa on top. They were crunchy, and the chicken inside was tender, which is not always true in Mexican restaurants. Katie really enjoyed the rice. 

When I'm eating in a Mexican restaurant for the first time, I'll get the Carnitas ($19.95), a plate that I can use as a barometer to judge how good a Mexican restaurant is. I enjoyed these carnitas. There was a good mix of fatty and lean pieces; the tips were crispy and had a good depth of flavor. All good signs when I'm eating carnitas. The beans were delicious and helped with the few bites of pork that were a little dry. I enjoyed the rice more than usual in most other Mexican restaurants. This was a very solid meal. 

Casa Fina was just what the doctor ordered this evening. The food here was delicious, and I had no complaints about anything we had. They passed my carnitas test, so I'd like to try one of their combo meals or the shrimp enchiladas on my next visit here. We received some outstanding service from our server, Emily, and everyone we encountered this evening was very friendly. It was a slow Sunday night, but parking might be tricky during peak times. We got lucky and found a spot right out front on the street after circling the block only once. For a sad reason, we were up this way, but Casa Fina was a sliver of sunshine in a rather dreary time. 

Out of five anchors (in honor of our Uncle Jim, who served proudly in the US Navy, and an anchor is included on the United States Navy Seal), five being best to zero being worst, Casa Fina gets 3.5 anchors. 

For more information about Casa Fina, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.casafinarestaurant.com/

JW Hayes Enters the Barbecue Conversation

 JW Hayes BBQ at Minute King Market

3530 Irvine Ave. 

Newport Beach. CA 92660

Barbecue restaurants can be challenging to eat at. I should clarify that delicious barbecue restaurants are challenging to eat at. It's easy to pull up to a mediocre barbecue spot at 6 p.m. on a Saturday, have some bland biscuits with apple butter, and then choke down some dry brisket or small ribs with a minuscule amount of meat. Yes, I'm bashing Lucille's, which far too many people seem to love for some reason. It could be because it's easy to eat there.  

The great barbecue places have the following things in common: They are open for a limited number of hours because once they are out of something, they are out for the day. People usually stand in line well before they are open, and it takes a long while to get in because they have to weigh each order. Lastly, if you spy a smoker on the premises with a strong wood smoke aroma in the air, odds are that you are in for some excellent barbecue. JW Hayes BBQ ticked all of these boxes, and I was excited. 

Jeff Hayes started out on the competitive barbecue circuit back in 2013. He grew a loyal following at barbecue festivals. Still, he yearned to open up his own place where he could have more direct contact with customers and share his barbecue prowess with a more significant number of people. He ordered two 500-gallon smokers and started selling his barbecue out of the Minute King liquor store in February 2023. 

Since then, his Saturday-only stint at the liquor store near the corner of Irvine and Bristol has drawn crowds of barbecue lovers. I had a rare Saturday off from work, so I traveled the twenty minutes from home to try them. I arrived at 11am and was met with a line of twenty people snaking around the inside of the store's perimeter. It took me about 45 minutes from when I got in line until I left with my haul. Next time, I'd get here closer to their opening time of 10am. 

The menu featured ten kinds of meat and five sides when I visited. Meats included barbecue standards like brisket, pulled pork, beef ribs, tri-tip, pork steaks, pork spare ribs, turkey breast, chicken, and a prime brisket burger. The sides offered were sweet corn, coleslaw, mac and cheese, beans with or without brisket, and deviled eggs. Side go for $7 to $12, while the meats range from $16 to $45 a pound for the beef ribs. I made my selections and resisted trying anything until I got home. It was hard because of the wonderful smell of smoked meats coming from my passenger side, but I persevered.  

Let's start with the Beef Brisket ($20 for half a pound) and the Pork Spare Ribs ($18 for a half pound). The menu at JW Hayes is very detailed regarding where they source their meats. A quick Yelp search of their menus over their two-year run shows that they have gotten their meat from the same farms for the brisket Creekstone Farms in Kansas and Compart Family Farms in Minnesota source their pork. Side note, they also haven't raised their prices since they opened for business, which is not something most places could say. 

The brisket here was excellent. A good balance between lean and fatty, a nice looking pink smoke ring in most places, and it was tender without falling apart too easily. Very well done and one of the better briskets you can get in OC. I also was a big fan of the outer edges, which were seasoned very well. A must-get when visiting JW Hayes. 

The pork spare ribs were also a winner. Half a pound will get you about five ribs with plenty of meat. They also had a nice pink smoke ring and were very tender. The pork came off the bone with a slight tug, all in one piece, which signifies they would be good. They were. I should have gotten another half pound. 

Katie is always keen to try a Pulled Pork Sandwich ($15) from any barbecue spot we try for the first time. This pork sandwich came with some coleslaw and a squirt of their barbecue sauce. They did not use a lot of sauce here, so the smokiness of the pork could shine through. The pork was good—not too moist, but not dry either. I can't stand pulled pork that is as wet as a mop. The glossy bun kept everything together while Katie scarfed down this sandwich. She was a big fan. 

I can't remember the last time I had a burger from a barbecue restaurant, but something drew me to this Prime Brisket Burger ($12). I don't know if this burger was one hundred percent brisket or its percentage, but I know it was one of the better burgers I've had in a long while. I'm not sure what kind of cheese was used in this, but I found myself trying to make this burger last as long as possible. Well worth trying this as well. 

I never grew up eating mac and cheese. In fact, to this day, I have never had Kraft mac and cheese out of the blue box. Yes, I know. I was deprived as a child. That's why I always try the Smoked Mac and Cheese ($8) at any barbecue spot I visit, including JW Hayes. The mac and cheese had a smokiness, but I would have liked adding a textural element, especially since it was cheesy. Maybe some bread crumbs or some pieces of brisket. The Coleslaw ($7) was just how I like it; it's very saucy. It had a slight tang to it, but the end of each bite contained a sweetness. Good, but I could see some people not liking this. 

I have to admit, I really enjoyed JW Hayes BBQ. Is it the best in OC? As Heritage BBQ still holds that title, it's not, but I'd slot them into my number four spot, right behind Heritage, Evan's Smokehouse, and Craft by Smoke and Fire for the best barbecue in OC. I wish they had sausage and were more creative with their sides. For those of you looking to eat here, there are very few tables and chairs out front, so this is definitely a take-out spot during busy hours. Speaking of their hours, as I was writing this review, I saw on Instagram that they will be increasing their days of operation to Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 8pm and keeping their Saturday hours the same (10:30-4pm). So, maybe JW Hayes BBQ will become easier to consume, and more people will see how good this barbecue is. Perhaps someday, people will also learn that Lucille's is not a good barbecue restaurant. I'm not holding my breath, though

Out of five race cars (because this barbecue spot sits at the end of the runway of John Wayne Airport, and in 1950, the abandoned airstrip was used for drag racing until 1959), five being best to zero being worst, JW Hayes BBQ gets 3.5 race cars.  

For more information about JW Hayes BBQ, head to their Instagram page for all the latest about them by clicking here: https://www.instagram.com/jwhayesbbq/?hl=en

Overindulging at Fogo de Chao in Irvine

 Fogo De Chao

623 Spectrum Center Drive 

Irvine, CA 92618

The Irvine Spectrum Center has stepped up its restaurant game in recent years. Gone are the days when Red Robin, Ruby's, and Fox Sports Grill ruled the roost. Now this Irvine center at the interchange of the 5 and 405 freeways is drawing some big names to their roster of eateries. Din Tai Fung and Mastro's Ocean Club are confirmed to be coming soon, joining already operating big hitters like Cucina Enoteca, Habana, Paul Martin's, and Shake Shack. I visited recently to try another spot I had always wanted to try out, Fogo De Chao. 

I'm a little embarrassed that this Fogo De Chao location has been open for more than five years, and this was the first time I had eaten there. It seems like just a year or two ago, I was at this location attending the grand opening party of Kona Grill, a restaurant that only lasted two years. That party was nine years ago though. Man, time does fly by. 

Back in the present day, my good friend George had the great idea of visiting Fogo De Chao during their Best of Brazil event, where you get to try a slightly pared-down version of the whole Fogo experience. For the set price of $44, you get to partake in eleven of their fire-roasted meats carved tableside until you cry uncle, you also get unlimited trips to their Market Table, which consists of salads, seasonal recipes, smoked salmon, fogo feijoada, which is a black bean stew with sausage served over rice, and a load of other items. My competitive eating days are behind me, but I put on my stretchy pants and headed to meet George for this gargantuan meal. 

When we arrived at just past 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, we were seated near the bar, on the outskirts of the dining area. I was afraid the gauchos who sliced the meat would pass us by. If you're a lighter eater, they have a couple of seafood entrees and an option to choose just one of their cuts. They are served continuously, and the market table is included with this selection. Our server greeted us, and we took off for the market table. 

I was blown away by the market table, but I knew I was here for the meats, so I only tried a small amount of the Fogo Feijoada, the black bean stew in the picture above. It was excellent, but very filling, so I only had a small amount. The rest of the table items looked fresh and were refilled quickly. Maybe someday I will revisit Fogo just for the market table, but I doubt it. Bring on the meats!

Remember when I said the Taste of Brazil menu offered eleven options? We were only presented with five, and although they did come around quite often, I would have liked to have tried their pork offerings, which were missing entirely. I have heard that some meats are done at different times, so maybe we were too early for the pork ribs, pork chops, and parmesan-crusted pork. Also absent was the Fire-grilled Brazilian cheese served by the gauchos. 

The quintet of meats that we were served were all good. My favorite of the five was the Picanha, the prime part of the sirloin, and the signature cut served here at Fogo De Chao. Like all their meats, they are seasoned simply with a liberal amount of salt added. This allows the natural flavor of the beef to shine through. The Alcatra is also top sirloin, but is sliced much thinner to ensure tenderness. The Linguica was coiled around the skewers like a snake, and very photogenic and delicious. The Chicken was surprisingly tender, and the portion size was very generous. The Bacon Wrapped Steak was probably the weak spot. Some pieces were good, while others needed to be left over the fire a bit longer to help the bacon get a little crisper. 

Another way they try to curb meat intake is by bringing garlic-mashed potatoes, caramelized bananas, polenta fries, and pao de queijo, more commonly known as cheese rolls, to each table. When these things are brought to your table, you subliminally feel like you need to eat them—at least, that's how I always feel. I picked at them a little bit. I liked the mashed potatoes and the rolls, but left the polenta alone after my first bite. It was kind of boring. 

Fogo De Chao is one of the best Brazilian churrasco restaurants I've visited. Even though I did not get the whole experience here, since they had limited meats and I chose to take advantage of their Best of Brazil special, which is limited in the kinds of meats you can get, I still enjoyed my time here. I checked the Fogo De Chao website and they have just started up the special again, but this year it's going for $54, which is still a good deal for all you can eat meats. To save even more money, Costco usually has $100 Fogo gift cards for $80, a $20 savings that gets this closer to last year's price. As I had predicted when we sat down, the gauchos sometimes skipped us because of where we sat in the dining room's outskirts. However, our server took excellent care of us. Fogo is definitely a special occasion restaurant, and I want to try them again.  

Out of five umbrellas (because Brazil is home to the largest rain forest in the world, the Amazon is roughly the size of the 48 contiguous United States, so you better have an umbrella when visiting it), five being best to zero being worst, Fogo De Chao gets 3.5 umbrellas. 

For more information about Fogo De Chao, head to their website by clicking here: https://fogodechao.com/

It’s a Rager at Pasta Party in Orange

                         

Pasta Party

124 E Lincoln Ave. 

Orange, CA 92865

As I get older, I enjoy quiet nights at home binge-watching TV series or listening to audiobooks, cooking dinner, and, of course, trying to catch up on my restaurant reviews. However, this restaurant blog would be impossible to maintain without going out, so some nights we forgo the couch and head out with friends and family to catch up and explore a new spot. This particular Friday evening, the restaurant of choice was Pasta Party. 

Just mentioning this restaurant's name instantly brings me joy. Who doesn't love pasta or celebrations? Some individuals might not enjoy either, but they must be rare exceptions. In 2021, Pasta Party took over the old Orange Tree Deli. It's situated at the corner of Glassell and Lincoln, in the same small shopping center that includes Orange Tree Liquor and Jumbo Donuts.  

The man who brought Pasta Party to life is Chef Alexsanodro Orlando. He grew up in restaurants because his father, Antonio, is a well-known chef who primarily worked in notable Italian restaurants. He spent a decade at the famous Valentino in Santa Monica before opening a series of successful Italian establishments. Most recently, he was at Il Gatto Trattoria in La Habra, which took over the old Cat and Custard Cup space, and it’s definitely a restaurant I need to try right away. 

Alright, back to Pasta Party, which can best be described as a build-your-own pasta restaurant. The format is fast-casual: You order at the counter, and your food is brought to your table. Chef Alexsandro uses the same recipes that his family made in Southern Italy. You choose the pasta you want, your preferred sauce, and any add-ons you like, such as meatballs, sausage, chicken, or shrimp. The base price starts at $15.99 and increases depending on your selected options. 

Not in the mood for pasta? What are you even doing here then? Kidding of course. They also have pizza, sandwiches, and salads. Don't want to make a lot of decisions about what kind of pasta you want? They have signature dishes that come as they are listed on the menu. We ordered and found a seat in their oddly shaped, but comfortable dining room, and waited only ten minutes or so for our food to arrive. Let's see if this party was a rager or a snoozefest, like all the parties I threw in high school. 

First up for us was the Chopped Salad ($15.99) and Garlic Bread ($4.99). The salads at Pasta Party are meant to feed 2 people, but we stretched it out a bit to feed four. Who needs a lot of salad when you have plenty of carbs coming, right? The chopped salad consists of salami, mortadella, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, finely chopped iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and a white balsamic vinaigrette. The salad was fine, and did the trick for us to give ourselves a good base while waiting for our entrees to appear. 

The garlic bread came to the table and my mom assumed wrongly that it was complimentary, and asked for some. After we explained that we paid for it, they still brought some out for her. Outstanding service here. They did not have to do that. The garlic bread was buttery, and the parmesan and garlic flavors came out in bursts. Looks wise, it reminded me of the frozen garlic bread we had as kids, but better. 

The build-your-own pasta starts at $15.99 and goes up depending on your desired add-ons. I got the Penne with Pink Sauce, Sausage, and Meatballs ($25.99). Yes, this was a little pricey for a plate of pasta, but I like my pasta to come with a lot of meat. The pasta was cooked well, not overdone, with a subtle chew. The pink sauce was creamy, and the meats were good, but I assume they are straight from the freezer, as I'm sure they are not making them here. The serving size of this was good, and if I had any willpower, I would have saved some for lunch the next day. 

Katie had the classic Penne Chicken Alfredo ($22.49). Their tomato basil sauce is the only sauce that does not incur an additional charge. Again, the serving size was plentiful, and the Alfredo sauce tasted rich. Katie liked the chicken-to-pasta ratio, and she claims she should have stopped midway through but ended up finishing it, too. I guess we are a perfect pair. 

My brother-in-law did not feel like having pasta, so he ordered the Sausage and Pepper 12-inch Sandwich ($18.99) instead. The sandwich was cut into three four-inch sections, and included bell pepper, onion, giardiniera, provolone, and chopped sausage. The bun was fresh and soft. From my vantage point across the table, they could have filled the sandwich more. I also would have liked the sausage to be left whole so you could get sausage in each bite. There were some pictures online where they leave the sausage whole, instead of chopped, so maybe it's just the chef's whim about how you get your sandwich.  

My mom selected the 12-inch Pepperoni Pizza ($16.69). This was a basic pizza. The pepperoni was sparsely added, but there appeared to be a good amount of cheese to compensate for the absence of pepperoni. This will not win many pizza contests, but if you do not want pasta, at least they have other options. 

My dad loves to try Pastrami Sandwiches ($13.49), but only after he inquires about the thickness of the slices. The thinner the slice, the better for him, so he must have been assured that the pastrami would be to his liking. This pastrami sandwich was dressed simply with Dijon mustard and pickles on the side. He seemed to like it well enough and finished the whole thing, which is rare for him. 

Okay, I liked Pasta Party but was not blown away by it. If you're looking for authentic Italian food, you might want to try another Italian restaurant. I enjoy the concept of building your own pasta dish, but once you add everything you want, it can be pretty pricey. The other items we had this evening were okay, and nothing special. Good food, but I would not classify this as a drive-worthy restaurant. That said, Pasta Party could be a good option if you are in the mood for pasta and are in the area. The staff were delightful, and seemed like they were genuinely happy we were here. They also have lovely backdrops in their dining room that would be perfect for social media types. I'm glad we made it up here to meet my family and leave the house for a change. 

Out of five steamboats (because the city of New Orleans, known for the steamboats on the Mississippi River, also plays host to the world's most enormous bowl of pasta every year before the St. Joseph's Day Parade, weighing 800 pounds of noodles, sauce, and cheese), five being best to zero being worst, Pasta Party gets 3 steamboats. 

For more information about Pasta Party, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.pastapartyusa.com/