Pasta Boss — Restaurant in Salem

As an avid lover of pasta, I decided we would get out and try this place as it was new, AND pasta. Sadly, it just didn't pan out like expected.

I placed an order for 5, 2 kids and 3 adults. 4 of us got alfredo, and one spaghetti with meat sauce.

Noodles: The noodles were very dense/chewy both with the spaghetti and the Penne, the texture was just off, and to make matters worse my wife had a huge hard clump of burned together spaghetti in hers, and I actually hurt a molar on a unusually hard or uncooked piece of penne.

Sauce: The Alfredo was anything but, it tasted like a combination of warm milk and dry Italian seasoning, and seasoning aside it had zero flavor. Alfredo is made from butter, parmigiano reggiano, and salty pasta water, and nothing else, this didn't taste like it had a drop of parmigiano in it, and was extremely bland. The spaghetti meat sauce was sweet, like unusually sweet, my kid did not eat it and she LOVES spaghetti and meat sauce.

We did not receive any garlic bread despite it being listed in the menu on the order with each meal, what I thought was the bread turned out to be a bag of additional sauces for our food but had broke open and made a mess of the bag, (so a bunch of soaked napkins) not that we we're interested in the sauce at that point.

Overall I think pasta boss has a cool idea for a restaurant, but needs to go back to the drawing board for their sauces and pastas. This being my first time ordering I am just hoping it was bad luck, I as too tired to drive back down there and ask for a refund or my garlic bread, so I chalk this one...

PASTA BOSS!!!!!

People have commented it's the Italian version of Chipotle or Mod Pizza. Hmmmmm, maybe in slight concept. I've eaten at both and they seem to under deliver and over promise. I would contend that Pasta Boss is an early startup prototype in the making. Like the very first McDonald's before franchising.

Every pasta is made in house and every sauce is made from scratch. It's Mod Pizza without the attitude, it's Chipotle with more generosity and the best part is real Italian pasta made from scratch that doesn't break the bank.

THIS IS NOT A CHAIN!!! This is a brand new startup where the people have a ton of passion. Even the owner's mom works there and she is a professional Baker making my favorite pineapple cake which I will be trying on Friday and then again on Sunday. LOL.

Bottom line is PASTA BOSS under promises and OVER DELIVERS! They beat every single expectation I had for a loaded loaded loaded freshly made angel hair pasta with homemade sauces for only $14.50. I ordered the Boss which is extra large. I will order the $11.25 version next time. What a great addition to Salem and Keizer.

EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO EAT HERE! Food is fantastic! Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Parking is so convenient. Makes for a very stress-free dining experience.

Located in a small strip mall of the parking lot of Fred Meyers North. 2927 Broadway St NE #180 Salem, OR 97303

11:00 to 9:00 7 days a week Open until 10pm on...

I took my whole family here tonight. We all loved it and 100% will be back. I love that they make the noodles fresh where you can watch. The owner (I assume) called my wife over with my one year old to watch and he really got a kick out of it. The service was excellent! One of the employees even came over to ask how we were doing and my wife and daughter mentioned they wished they had gotten more parmesan so she ran back and brought them some. I had returned to the table at that point so she asked me and I mentioned I would have liked more parmesan and mushrooms. She ran and got that, as well! The variety of toppings and sauces, etc., was also really excellent. I threw caution to the wind and got hot honey on mine and it was surprisingly good. The portions were huge, too. I'm a pretty big guy and The Boss size was way more than I could eat in one sitting (it made for a great night time snack).

My one complaint is that some of the meats had been in the warmer too long. They weren't awful but they weren't as good as they could have been (I think I'll avoid the shrimp going forward).

I have two suggestions. One, have signage with everything you can order at the register along with their prices. We had meant to get garlic bread but forgot by the time we were paying. Two, have bottles of the hot sauces, spices, and whatever else would be feasible out where the customer can grab it and add it to their pasta without waiting for...