Pasta E Basta — Restaurant in Amherst

We were on our last day of a short vacation in the area and finally got to see my niece and kids. We wanted to have a meal together and her daughter, who is eight, suggested we eat there. We thought we were headed to a place that was similar to an Unos or something like that because an eight year old suggested it. EVERYTHING we ordered was spectacular! The Italian soda was flavorful and not too sweet, the meals were nicely portioned and were so fresh and flavorful, the bread and dipping sauce was divine (we had to stop eating it because we could’ve filled up on it). At the end they surprised us with complimentary desserts and that Lavender cake with lemon glaze was to die for! What was really appreciated is we had four kids with us 8 years old and under and they were still excited because we just left the festival that was in town and they all were so kind and patient with them. The owner was extremely welcoming to us as well. This is the place we’ll go to over and over again wherever we visit the area. Make sure you go to. You won’t be...

This really is 3.5 stars. I’ll start off with the service was great. Exactly what you want from a waitress. Quick, efficient, and friendly.

To start we were given some fresh bread with olive oil and garlic which was delicious. Had to ask for seconds it was that good. The beers were cold and decent selection.

I ordered chicken parm since it’s a staple of any Italian spot. The meals came out quickly, around 15 minutes. Most likely because we were seated right when the place opened. The chicken was thicker than I normally like which results in a chewy and rubbery piece of meat. My only suggestion would be to make the cutlets thinner and just give two with the meal. I appreciate the generous portion, but chicken parm is suppose to be thin! Sauce was tasty and spaghetti was cooked good.

There is ample seating on the floors and a cute and cozy spot. Wish they had a tiramisu on the menu but oh well, I’ll be back if I’m...

Pickup order. Staff at counter were very nice, and the atmosphere was good.

Unfortunately there was no seasoning on anything. The marinara was so bland, with no spices or herbs to speak of, and the eggplant itself was undercooked and skimpy. A $4 upcharge for pasta added is ridiculous, when it costs the restaurant 10c, and nowhere have I ever seen a restaurant upcharge for pasta with eggplant parm.

Fettuccine Alfredo was...fine. Lacked seasoning and had no acidity to balance out the heavy handed cream sauce.

The broccoli was undercooked, crunchy, oily, and no salt at all.

The portion sizes were fine (except for the eggplant), but I don't think it's worth the price if there's no seasoning and they charge you $4 for spaghetti.

Overall...just more seasoning, more attention to the basics of cooking, and it could be a decent place. As it stands, I...