Best pasta in Houston?

[WhoseHouse]

My friend is riding in the MS150 this weekend and wants to load up on carbs Friday night. What's the best place to go for some good pasta? (preferably inside or close to the loop)

 

[foxyhorn]

It's hard to beat the Carraba's on Kirby

 

[Meursault]

In reply to:

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[Basketball Jones]

Carrabba's???? Not that it's bad, but it's sort of like recommending Macaroni Grill -- decent, consisntent, better than most italian chain food, but still chain italian food.
How about La Griglia?

 

[MirrOlure]

I've done 2 MS 150's and 2 Houston Marathons --- the dude isn't looking for a fine dining experience....just a good place to sit down and have some quality pasta.

Take him to the Lasagna House on Westheimer & Eldridge.

 

[riloh05]

Auntie Pasta in bellaire.

 

[foxyhorn]

The Carrabba's on Kirby and Voss are not chain locations. They are still owned and run by the Carraba family.

 

[Bevo71]

I heard Maggiano's on Post Oak is excellent.

 

[stockjock]

D'Amico in the Village.

 

[bularry]

the Maggiano's on Post Oak would fit this bill.

and while Carraba's may be a chain, it is infinitely better than the **** they serve at freakin' Macaroni Grill. holy crap

 

[Phil Conners]

I don't care if Carraba's is a chain, they make good food.

 

[Basketball Jones]

Hey, my point is why go to any of the chains when there are plenty of non-chain, better options available?
And, for the record, Iagree that Carrabba's is better than Macaroni Grill. At least it was --haven't stepped in either in over 2 years

 

[TXHookem]

[Italian snob rant]

Best pasta in Houston = Carabbas', Maggiano's or La Griglia? Goodness... just another reminder that while Houston has great restaurants, it doesn't have a ton of great Italian restaurants.

If I were going to get some Italian food, as an Italian, here is where I would go (all Italian owned and run save for Da Marco which pretty much qualifies):

Perbacco - downtown, on the corner of the Pennzoil Bldg - Vittorio, from Ischia, can make you a great dish of pasta off the menu or something from the main menu.

Petronella's - on Prarie street - also Italian owned and run.

La Trattoria - on Westheimer, just east of Voss. The owner, Carlo, is a bit surly and the service is somewhat slow but the pasta is excellent. If he wants to load up on carbs, ask for a nice portion of gnocchi.

Simposio - Just moved to a new location on Westheimer, west of Dunvale.

Arco D'Oro - Good Italian with a focus on cuisine from Sardegna. Nice scenery and a great patio. In the center across Westheimer from the Galleria.

Da Marco - someone else mentioned it further up.

I don't care if the Carabba's on Kirby is not part of the chain, Carabba's is typical Italian-American, not Italian. At that point, you may as well go to Macaroni Grill or, shoot, while you're at it, Olive Garden. What you won't find is the best pasta in Houston.

[/Italian snob rant]

 

[goofyboy]

Fred's Italian Corner is really good. It is in a strip center at the corner of Holcombe and Greenbriar. Been going there for years.

 

[scottsins]

if any of you pay atention, i am a food snob that is pretty much an ******* when it comes to people's restaurant suggestions.

carrabba's is badass.

everything is made there fresh. you ask for some more alfredo for your pasta when it comes to the table? that will take a little bit, because they do not have any fully cooked alfredo sauce on the line. they have to cook it for you.

I could go on about this ****, but the typical "it's a chain!!!!" gets tired, when I have worked at the place and seen how good of a job they do on a consistent basis.

* there are like one or two noodles that they do not make from scratch there. in fairness though, a lot of the "high end" Italian places do not make any of their pasta from scratch, so whatever.

 

[TXHookem]

...having been born and raised in Italy, Carabba's would be waaay down my list of places to recommend for pasta. Take it for what it's worth. The Mandolas may have cooked authentic Italian when they got here in the 1800s but they're cooking full-on Italian-American today.

 

[YChang]

off tangent from op, but TXHookem thought you might enjoy this read about Italian cuisine and the "crisis" they face back there.

Is Cuisine Still Italian if the Chef isn't?

From that article...I have to say spaghetti carbonara is my favorite pasta dish. I work downtown, does Perbacco Cucina serve this dish?

 

[TXHookem]

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[Texas007]

Antica Osteria at the corner of Greenbriar and Bissonnett. THe sphaghetti Carbonara is without equal.

 

[KTphoto]

If you are just looking to carbo load and not wanting to spend a lot of money Spaghetti Western on Shepard is good

 

[HornGrandioso]

I second Petronella's. Great date place. Always has good specials. The veal meatballs will blow your mind.

 

[WhoseHouse]

I tried to look up Petronella's on b4-u-eat.com and it said "closed". Anybody know if this is true or not?

 

[bularry]

Carrabba's is good food.

"pasta" may not be great, but it is certainly far better dining experience than the restaurants you compare it to.

and I've eaten at several of the restaurants you list.

what about Crappito's? I think it is Italian owned and run and it is pretty good.

 

[HornGrandioso]

Open

I Googled and kept changing the spelling around til I found the right place.

 

[WhoseHouse]

Thanks HG, care to join us?

 

[HornGrandioso]

Normally, I would in a second, but I will be rocking that night with the band.

 

[utexas_61]

olive garden

 

[UT wildcatter]

The Carraba's on Kirby is originator of all the chain Carraba's