Primo — Restaurant in New Castle

One of the worst experiences I've had in years

Decided to drive a good distance to try this place out with my GF after thinking it looked really nice online. Come in and meet the first red flag which is a very pungent odor like sweat. We brush it off and are seated in seconds by the friendly hostess. Being seated in seconds at 5pm on a Friday night at a fine dining Italian restaurant could be considered a red flag, but I digress.

The waitress finally arrives, "what are we drinking are you ready to order food yet?" is the first thing that's said, not "hello, how are you, my name is, have you been here before" ect. We go ahead and order and are extremely hungry and excited. Entrees arrive and our appetite quickly disappears and turns to disappointment.

I ordered Cajun chicken pasta, the pasta was entirely mush, the sauce so runny that it ran off the pasta like water, there was absolutely no seasoning whatsoever, including Cajun which is the main attribute of the dish; or salt or pepper which had to be asked for and was the only present taste. The chicken in both dishes was extremely tough and obviously frozen. The breadsticks were entirely flavorless and more similar to cardboard.

We both tried several bites including each other's plates and decided we couldn't do it. Our server comes back a couple minutes after setting the food down, "are you ready for to go boxes?" as we obviously have barely ate and are staring at our plates in disappointment. I explain the situation and am told that this doesn't happen and everyone around me is enjoying the food so she'll get the owner. Comes back and slaps the receipt on the table, "it's been taken off for you", and leaves. I pay 30 dollars for one beer, a side salad and an appetizer of fried rice balls.

I've never sent food back in my life, but if I'm paying 20$ a plate, it should at least be edible. Call Gordon Ramsay because this place belongs on...

Tastefully decorated interior that gives a very upscale feel. The ambiance of the restaurant is very casual and the music selection being played was quite appropriate and not overwhelming to the senses. The hostess was genuinely warm and welcoming. The waitress was very attentive. She was quite comfortable making menu suggestions and even brought out a beautiful desert display to tempt the taste buds towards the end of our meal. Our meal consisted of mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce for an appetizer, lasagna, with a Caesar side salad, my husband had the chicken parmesan with a Broad Street side salad. The appetizer and salads were served quickly. Bread sticks are not offered as a staple item, as is traditional at most Italian restaurants, but as an appetizer for purchase. A single bread stick is served with the meal. The salads were fresh and crisp and the Caesar dressing was good. The mozzarella sticks were quite tasty but the marinara sauce was somewhat bland. The lasagna was put together well, presentation was lovely and professional, yet without a savory sauce, falls short of excellent. The chicken parmesan, was cooked to perfection, with the chicken being moist and easily cut with just a fork, yet once again the sauce left something to be desired. Over all, the meal was good, the price was acceptable, wait staff outstanding, but would really love to experience a savory sauce bursting with the classic Italian herbs and spices, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Definitely will return to try some other dishes. Suggestions; Perhaps a monthly wine education and tasting for a nominal fee, would be an awesome way to introduce customers to wine pairing with meals. Bread sticks served in a basket traditionally, and adding a salad with the meals, as opposed to a side for...

Good Italian food in small town Indiana that feels a little more like something you would find in a larger city. “The Tim” is what they call grilled salmon on a salad of mixed greens with blue cheese crumbs, dried cranberries, and apples. It is really good. The baked spaghetti is good. I didn’t care for the regular spaghetti and meatballs sauce. Chicken Parm sandwich is huge and delicious. Chips are house made and good. We had the blue cheese and pesto chip appetizer. It was ok (also we were starving) but I’ll probably try something different next time.

Primo has a nod to fine dining but is very casual. The owner is fun and makes sure the experience is quality and pleasurable. The service is good, even when they are very busy. You can watch the food being cooked and prepared in the open kitchen. The wine list is ok but could use a bit more higher end wines. The price point is very good. Clearly it is a favorite local place as you often see friends greeting each other at different tables.

I just have to say that it is so nice to be able to go to a nice restaurant, enjoy food and friends and have a little normal back after the pandemic shut down. Primo is the kind of place to enjoy that...