Pasta Nova Italiano — Restaurant in Woodinville

I hate to leave a bad review for this place- pre COVID, it was my absolute favorite Italian restaurant. From hand made pasta and high quality ingredients to accommodating staff, it was a hidden gem I loved sharing with others. I was so excited to finally come back. Unfortunately, tonight I was completely let down.

To start, our server seemed extremely uncomfortable and neglected to grab us some cutlery with which to eat our food- not when we sat down, and not after the appetizer was dropped. I ended up running inside to grab a couple of cutlery sets from a table, as there was no one at the stand. He was honestly neglectful throughout the entire experience, did not seem to be very familiar with the wine or food menus, and appeared to be wearing the same pair of latex gloves the entire time we were in the restaurant, which made me uncomfortable regarding sanitation. At the end of our meal, he asked us if we would like dessert, but there had been no desserts listed on the menu- perhaps there was a dessert menu we also never received?

The food was also disappointing. The caprese, while including decent quality mozzarella and tomatoes, was drizzled with balsamic glaze (not balsamic reduction) and what I believe was a canola/olive oil blend, as it essentially tasted not at all of olive oil- for such a small portion at 15 bucks you could at least top it with actual olive oil and balsamic.

The carbonara was salty, watery, and was made with pre-sliced meat that tasted more like bacon than the promised prosciutto/pancetta. It was served over store-bought linguine and included no vegetables of any kind. It wasn't inedible, but at 35 a plate your customers deserve better.

The chicken marsala was appropriately seasoned, and the fresh sauteed vegetables were nice. But the chicken was a a bit mushy and it had the same store bought linguine. There were no capers, And one lonely canned artichoke heart. Honestly, I would not have been surprised to be served this meal on an airplane. I would have paid 12-16 dollars for it- definitely not 45.

I brought some of these concerns to our server, specifically the cutlery and the carbonara, and all he really had to say was a little laugh and an "okay". The tab came out to $120 for one app, two entrees and two glasses of wine.

I've worked in the culinary industry for almost a decade now, and I don't like to tear others in the industry down. But between the service and the ingredient quality, I'm afraid I won't ever be returning to what used to be my favorite place to eat in Woodinville. Frankly, I was embarrassed to have taken...

FOUND IT! The best Italian food for 30 miles around Woodinville!

Let me start from the beginning, when we arrived, early on a Wednesday when it was quiet and before they got too busy.

We were greeted by the host who kindly sat us by the window so we could admire the art and brilliant decor. Chill music played softly in the background giving a nice atmosphere in which to relax after a hard day’s work.

Our server promptly greeted us and asked if we had any questions. For some reason I didn’t even want to read the menu, nor did my partner, so I said, “Could you bring us wine, appetizers, and entres that would be the best introduction to your restaurant?”

The reply was a big, gracious smile. “Yes! Right away!” Was his reply.

He brought out a lovely Italian red wine blend. Then came some of the best bread ever, and Italian meatballs in a bed of red sauce that was divine. I mean exceptional.

I opened the Bellagio, Circo, from NY and the Maccioni family. I have a decent sense of good Italian food, and Pasta Nova is a gem. A diamond of the finest order.

But it gets better. Our entre was a grilled prawns linguine in a white sauce. Oh my! That plate tasted better and better with each bite.

But it gets better. We were served amazing coffee - check my reviews - I’m a coffee snob. This coffee, taken black, was sooo good. It’s why we love coffee!

But, the tiramisu. Folks, I’m a skinny guy who eats salads at home. I don’t have a big appetite, and yet I devoured that tiramisu and could’ve eaten more. I love tiramisu. It’s the perfect dessert. And Pasta Nova’s tiramisu is the best in Puget Sound.

So do yourself a favor and head over to Woodinville and Pasta Nova. There’s easy parking, wheelchair access, and a kid friendly environment for all friends and family. Enjoy fine dining at the reasonable price. You’ll go back,...

TLDR: fancy! Main entree may not be filling enough--get an appetizer.

Great romantic night in Italy feel! Check out those granite slab tables. The candle holders are nice too! Also check out that water pitcher when they water you! Fancy schmancy stuff is going on here! Poor lighting conditions for food Paparazzi though--it's VERY dimly lit.

Excellent customer consideration regarding the outside temperatures since they have a curtain around the front door to shield you from drafts. You can dine in peace without feeling like Marylyn Monroe.

Menu is small and there seems to be more wine options than food items on the menu. But everything

Service: wait to be seated, order at the table: food, water, and check brought to you.

Complimentary warm bread and oil. Delicious! Too bad they don't give you more.

Chicken Tuscan: oh man that tang! Very good but might be too sour for some. The chicken is a whole breast fillet that you cut yourself. There is only one hunk of artichoke heart and one grape tomato on top of a few leaves of spinach. A slightly smaller proportion than what I'm used to but hey, that leaves you room for an appetizer or dessert.

Rigatoni Amatriciana: personally I'm a big fan of rigatoni so I like this dish. Comes with sliced Italian sausage and chicken. Italian sausage is slightly spicy but nothing I couldn't handle--I'm extremely sensitive to spice...