Ann Arbor Palio-fancy pasta specialty

Ann Arbor’s Italian Pasta Spot – Great Noodles, But Skip the Rest! This is a cozy, Italian-style spot that specializes in pasta—and while their noodles are solid, everything else falls flat. If you’re here for a pasta-focused meal, it works, but don’t expect much from the salads or desserts 🇮🇹! 🥗 Salad: Big Portion, Big Disappointment The salad is huge (enough to share!) and has super chopped greens—but that’s where the good parts end: It’s totally bland—I had to dump the seasoned oil from the bread basket into it just to give it some flavor. The chicken in the salad? Not fresh at all. It had a weird, off smell—gross enough that I picked it out and didn’t touch it. Total waste of a side. 🍝 Mains: Pasta Saves the Day (Rich, Filling, a Little Greasy) Thankfully, the pasta dishes are the stars—portion sizes are massive (I got full halfway through!), and the flavors are on point: Beef Ravioli: So good! The ravioli filling is made with veal—super smooth and (like it was blended into a paste), but still dense and hearty. It’s packed with filling, no skimping here. Tossed with spinach and a savory sauce, every bite is rich and satisfying. Pesto Penne with Chicken: Also delicious! The pesto is loaded with cheese (creamy, not grainy), and the chicken is way better than the salad’s sad meat—tender, seasoned, no weird smells. Dried tomatoes add a sweet, tangy kick to cut through the richness. My only tiny complaint? The penne was a little undercooked—could’ve been softer. 🍫 Dessert: Way Too Sweet, Totally Forgettable We tried a chocolate dessert (no photo, it wasn’t worth capturing) and it was awful. It’s cloyingly sweet—like someone dumped a bag of sugar into it—and had no depth (no rich chocolate flavor, just pure sugar). We took two bites and left it. 💰 Final Verdict: Come for the Pasta, Nothing Else Palio’s pasta sauces are creative and tasty—definitely worth coming back to try other noodle dishes. But skip the salad, skip the dessert, and just focus on the main event. It’s not a “wow” spot, but it’s reliable if you’re craving hearty, Italian-style pasta. #UniversityOfMichiganAnnArbor #AnnArborFood #AnnArbor #ItalianFood #Pasta #AnnArborEats #MichiganFood #CasualItalian