Pochino Italy — Restaurant in Kennesaw

I had been wanting to try Pochino for quite a while after receiving a coupon in the mail and checking out their online presence. The menu reminded me of an old favorite of mine, Figo Pasta, back in the days when they were at their best. You get to choose your favorite combination of hand-made pasta and sauce. Pochino is more expensive, and has a different set of ambitions in their offerings, to be more authentic, compared to Figo. On that note, Pochino is a hit-and-miss.

I ordered a tagliatelle bolognese for myself, gnocchi panne e funghi for the wife, and we also split a margherita pizza and tiramisu. My pasta was top-notch fantastic. After reading reviews from others who ordered the same, I see that the restaurant owners responded very well to the reviews, and what I received was absolutely magnificent. The pasta was cooked just right, and the sauce was perfectly proportioned and flavored.

My wife commented on her meal that it was mostly good, but the sauce could have been less salty. That being said, if you like mushrooms, you will likely enjoy this combination of gnocchi with mushroom sauce. I stole one of her gnocchis, and was glad for it.

We both enjoyed the pizza, but with the caveat that it was cold. Was it cooked first and left to sit? Was it even cooked to order, or was it part of a batch? Is there a reason Pochino's margherita pizza does not include fresh basil? This pizza had a lot of potential: we could tell that it was cooked just right; the sauce was perfectly flavorful. But lacking basil is a big departure from the norm for this type of pizza, and eating it cold was a bit of a bummer.

Like many other reviewers, we found the bread rolls to be very underwhelming. Many Italian restaurants understand that the bread that comes with the meal is one of the most memorable aspects of the experience, so they will go the extra mile to make an offering that is exceptional. Pochino went in the opposite direction and made something that is memorably mediocre.

For dessert, the tiramisu was truly excellent. There is more than one way to make a tiramisu, and Pochino chose the right method for a family-friendly restaurant.

For the price, we expected larger portions, especially of the pasta. Had we not also gotten the pizza, we would've finished our meals and gone to bed still hungry. I would definitely go back, but I would be on the lookout for coupons and other discount offers.

Final word: In the time since we moved to Kennesaw, my wife and I have been surprised to see there are so many Italian restaurants here, and most of them are overpriced and not that great. Pochino has the most potential to really stand out from the pack as a "high end but not pretentious," authentic pizza and pasta place, and I wish them...

Arrived by myself on Sun afternoon to grab a late lunch before needing to prep for a dinner meeting in the city later that evening. I ordered a pasta, a pizza, a salad and a drink via the kiosk and proceeded to wait…. And wait… and wait.

As there was one other family ordering around the same time I was, they seemed to get their order within 10 min.

So after 20 min and still no sign of my order (not even the coke I ordered), I walked to the register, explained I had to leave given my time constraint and asked for a refund.

The staff was overly apologetic and somehow the other family ended up with my $45 worth of food— along with whatever they ordered. My name (what they use to find orders placed on the kiosks) was never called.

The refund itself felt like I was asking for a $500,000 certified check to be drawn from an account as my initial person had to flag a manager who then had to flag someone else who finally called what seemed to be an owner to “get the amount in order to do it on their side from their laptop at home”.

This took another 5-6 minutes, and come to find out today, they refunded my food (that I never received) but kept the $5 tip. I’ve seriously never seen such a circus to issue a refund (one that remains incorrect) but the experience did make me question if the owner trusts their staff. Plainly: it shouldn’t have been this painful for me as a customer and the employees behind the counter.

The food looks incredible, but sadly for me, in order for me to travel from Marietta — the execution has to be far better. And for $45 for a single person dining at an Italian Chipotle/QSR equal, I don’t think I’m far off.

Staff was again very friendly, but with so few guests on the property Sunday, my circumstance should have...

Penne pesto. Prosciutto and arugula flatbread. House salad.

Though the dining area is small, the atmosphere is very clean, very friendly and welcoming. Stephen, the manager CHEERFULLY welcomes you, like an old friend. Get to know your fellow diners while savoring the absolutely freshly made pasta, flatbread and salad you order.

The pasta is cooked to perfect al dente, covered in sauce that’ll make you lick your lips. You choose the sauce, not the restaurant: pesto, bolognese, amatriciana, panna e fungi, etc. (some you’ve never heard of but can try). Choose your pasta, too! Mix and match your own dish! The salad greens are not wilted but are crispy…each bite with slight crunch sound. The flatbread dough is airy and light. The food doesn’t make you feel heavy, when you finish eating. Dessert is gelato(cup or sandwiched between two cookies), cannoli and biscotti cookies baked with chocolate.

Ordering is easy. If you’re intimidated by kiosk ordering, a staff member will gladly help. A paper menu is next to the kiosk for an at-a-glance review before ordering. You’ll return to try the various pastas, sauces and flatbreads, so join their loyalty program.

Oh, if you’re lucky to meet the owner, you’ll understand why the staff is so happy and cheerful! We couldn’t stop laughing at...