UOVO | Pasadena — Restaurant in Pasadena

I ONLY write GOOD reviews… I don’t waste my time, otherwise!

I had been wanting to try this restaurant -I mean - who doesn’t want fresh Italian pasta FLOWN IN DAILY from Italia? Let alone IN MY CITY (Pasadena).

Let me tell you - the PASTA DOES NOT disappoint.

Let’s start from the beginning - I was greeted and led to my accommodation.

I had read the menu ahead of time so I was well-versed on what to get (otherwise, I would take two days to order👀 lol but that’s a ME problem).

I started with the Battuta di Carne (aka steak tartare) made with 100% grass-fed Wagyu beef.

MIND you - this is NOT for the faint of heart. It IS raw meat. FYI - IT IS simply prepared and SIMPLY - AMAZING. So - if you like sushi lol you can eat this… that tells you to - GO FOR IT.

Next, I went with the “special” TRUFFLE pasta of the day - it was OUTSTANDING. Look - European countries make food sans SO many terrible ingredients the FDA had approved here and LET ME TELL YOU - it SHOWS. I ate a FULL plate of PASTA and… HAD ROOM FOR DESSERT. Like - AMPLE room because it was all so LIGHT and air-y.

PS - I HAVE dined in actual Italia - so it tracks.

I was excited to try their tiramisu.

I was pleasantly surprised. It differed slightly from the tiramisu I am used to - but by no means did it disappoint. It had a more “cake-y”/ice cream-y feel, but the flavors were spot on.

Apparently, the style of THIS tiramisu mirrors a specific hotel in Rome based on the Uovo owner’s taste. They allowed him to offer their recipe HERE! Amazing!

My server was Caleb (and he did a great job of explaining the Battuta di Carne btw) was great. Attentive but not intrusive. As it happens, I already knew what the battuta di carne was, however, others would not have been shocked once they receive their meal as he did a wonderful job of expaining it to them prior.

Sadly, an area of their kitchen was out of commission so I was unable to try the side of mushrooms which I had so looked forward to, however, it is just an excuse to go back.

I did had a chance to connect with the AGM, Dina, and she and her team, were giving what I observed to be stellar service (to myself and everyone) while I was there.

If you’re looking for a nice place to dine in Pasadena for br/lunch/dinner - Please - give it a try.

Thee ONLY “less than stellar” feedback I would give is… TURN UP THE MUSIC! Lol

It was soooooo low - the vibe of the whole place may have been a little different. Other than that - I’ll be BACK!

Thank you so much! Thank you - Thank you...

Pasta heaven!!! Handmade pasta flown in overnight from Italy is amazing. Uovo in English means egg, and it's one of the key differentiators of this restaurant's pasta. To get the most bang for your buck, I recommend doing the tasting...which is what we did - Cheese & Truffle.

We loved sitting at the high top bar area as we got to watch all the action in the kitchen. Sure, the al fresco dining offered better lighting to photograph the food...but the view couldn't be beat (and they plate your pasta right in front of you). Sitting there also means that a server is always available.

Yellowtail Crudo - Nice sweet crunch from the red chili balanced against the peppery and bitter micro-arugala. The blood orange and lemon give the dish a bright citrus note and the olive oil carries the flavor on the raw sliced Japanese yellowtail.

Tagliatelle in Truffle Sauce - creamy with a slight earthy musk thanks to the truffle. This is a must-try and my second favorite pasta on the Cheese & Truffle tasting menu.

Pomodoro - in English means tomato. This classic dish has the love and heart of Nonna (grandmother) with a touch of saltiness from the parmigiano reggiano. The pomodoro Is the perfect palate cleanser between two creamy dishes.

Cacio e Pepe - my favorite dish! A creamy and sharp sauce with some peppery heat. The tonnarelli pasta is the right vehicle to deliver the hearty sauce. Plus, enjoy the preparation has the chef twirls and pulls the hot pasta in the pecorino romano DOP block.

With two heavier cream sauces, we elected to add the broccolini side to our meal. Not only did the broccolini bring in the garden freshness, it added a nice crunch.

We ended the meal with the Tiramisu and the Panna Cotta con Saba. The tiramisù was yummy and had a nice espresso kick at the bottom on the glass. The panna cotta was ah-maze-ing! The panna cotta was perfectly set and smooth (no lumps and not firm), velvety texture. The saba added a lovely thick, reduced berry sauce that reminded me of an aged balsamic reduction.

All in all, I would come back for the Cacio e Pepe, the Panna Cotta con Saba, seats at the high top bar, and the friendly service.

Oh, and note that there was an automatic 16% service charge...

This was my first time trying pastas without the toppings as I normally would opt for, and I'm glad I did it.

The servers are very attentive, and the environment is really nice. It's gorgeous and natural-feeling with all the wood accents, and the open kitchen concept fits.

They say on the menu that their pasta is from Italy, and I buy it. It was some of the most perfectly al dente pasta I've ever had. Smooth, bouncy, with a good bite.

We got the tasting menu for two that included the yellowtail crudo, truffle pasta, pomodoro, cacio e pepe, and tiramsu. We also ordered a side of mushrooms. I believe you end up saving around 10 dollars compared to if you ordered all the items on your own? You end up getting served your own smaller individual portion rather than one portion to split between the two people, which was a nice touch.

On to the food: The yellowtail crudo was tasted fresh, and the flavors were pretty standard to what I expected. The tagliatelle in truffle sauce was incredibly umami and delightful. The pomodoro felt a bit heavier on the cheese and less on the tomato (which I felt should have been the star ingredient to shine through). The cacio e pepe was incredibly salty and wasn't super edible to us. We ended up eating about half of the pasta and taking it home so I could recook it with some veggies and water. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly and went well with all the pastas. The tiramisu was perfect---rich marscapone, velvety hazelnut, butter espresso.

The only thing is that for the price, it feels like you're paying a lot for just pasta noodles, tomato sauce and cheese. I'm accustomed to paying less at local restaurants for pasta with sausage, shrimp, meatballs etc. Granted, it is technically multiple courses and there is an artistry to what they do that might justify the prices. I think some of the flavors could use some adjustment, and this is probably a once in a longer while restaurant for me. I think I would come back anytime for the truffle pasta and tiramisu though. That was...