Located in a shopping area of various other stores and restaurants, The Pasta Market in San Jose doesn’t stand out much. In fact, I would argue that the name doesn’t do any favors to the location, which is actually a restaurant. When you hear “Pasta Market”, you think of a store where you can buy fresh pasta, but no, it’s an Italian restaurant with pretty good food!
The setup inside is nothing I have seen before. First, when you walk in, you are greeted at the counter where you can also see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. There are display cases showing some of the treats they have to offer. You feel like you are about to order at a deli, but instead, you place your order and find a seat in the dining area. Although it’s fairly nondescript, the dining area is quaint and cute, with a few paintings and artificial flowers lining the walls. Since you can seat yourself, you get to pick whatever seat is available, ensuring you have the seat you want (unless it’s taken, of course).
But let’s get to the star of the show, the food! First of all, I believe that a pasta meal should automatically come with bread and salad, or at the very least, a salad! It’s rare these days to find restaurants who will provide salad with the pasta dish, without any additional cost, but The Pasta Market does, and includes yummy bread! The salad was fresh and tasty, and it came before my entree, not with my entree, which is great so that your meal doesn’t get cold while eating your salad.
Now, although the pasta dish I had was delicious, the bread was the real winner! Oh my goodness, their breadsticks are to die for! I have no idea what the dip is that’s provided with the bread, but wow, I could eat it by itself! It appeared to be a whipped cheese spread, and along with the soft, warm, and delicious bread, the experience was so satisfying! I ordered the Linguine Leonardo, which featured tender chicken, mushrooms, spinach, and sundried tomatoes in a garlic and olive oil sauce. Yum, yum, and YUM! If you want a tasty meal for a good price in a non-pretentious environment, then The Pasta Market is for you!
