I’m from Newport RI and have only been to Newport location of Pasta Beach until tonight. I find the atmosphere in Newport to be more inviting as far as one of my preferred experiences, however it’s usually just my boyfriend and I and we tend to frequent places that are more “romantic” in nature, an atmosphere that is intimate and cozy. The Providence location does have an inviting, warm and welcoming vibe lending itself itself well but due to the high ceilings and overall nature of the interior, I feel it's best for a night out with friends or family gatherings for special celebrations. We were seated at a high top and we did enjoy our time there.

First ordered was a specialty grilled peach lemonade drink, made with Ketel One Citron, St Germaine, grilled peach purée and lemonade. It was very good in taste but very light on the alcohol. I understand a light pour accompanying the $13 price tag being in the city of Providence but I would much prefer to pay higher prices (ie: $15 drinks in Newport) if it meant tasting more like I've ordered an actual cocktail. It was light, tasty & a refreshing summer evening drink that I would have otherwise continued to order more of but I stopped at one because I wanted an alcohol drink not a glass of lemonade.

Next up was the Caprese salad which we requested be made with buffalo mozzarella. The waitress confirmed it can be done for an up charge and they will use the buff mozz that is normally made in a pizza. It was very good in taste however I didn’t like that the tomatoes were cut into chunks for the salad. I expected slices since this is more traditional, however it's my fault since their menu clearly stated chunks which I obviously glazed over. Truth be told I would never order this again based on my experience and go with a Burrata salad next time.

We also ordered the Buschetta al Pomodoro. The bread was very good, served warm and with just enough texture to make it a welcomed chewy but yet light bread. The flavors were great. My only complaint is that the chunks of tomato were too overpowering, both in size and quantity. I wanted bruschetta with tomatoes, not a plate of tomatoes with 2 pcs of bread. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have ordered two dishes in a row that both contained chunks of tomato. It was too much but remember, I failed to catch the caprese was made with chunks. The redeeming factor of it all is that the flavor for both dishes were there. Maybe consider a smaller cut on the tomato chunks for the bruschetta specifically. I feel that would make for a better overall experience while eating this dish, especially since I like to pick up my bruschetta to eat it. Large chunks of anything falling off the bread on to the table and into your lap, or my boyfriend's in my case, just isn’t fun.

Lastly, the dish of the night that was magnificent! We ordered the Bucatini Cacio de Pepe - made with pecorino Romano, parmagiana reggiano, cream and black pepper. My god was that phenomenal. We split the meal and we both ordered a protein side. My boyfriend went with grilled shrimp and he loved the flavor. I had grilled salmon and it was quite literally the best salmon I’ve had any where. Crispy and seasoned wonderfully! Definitely a grand slam on this entree option for us. Pasta Beach definitely has talented chefs who create pure explosions of flavor with their dishes. I highly recommend either place. However, Newport is much more romantic in nature for a date night.