Justa Pasta

Since I have been linked to a blog that people might actually read (fashionable intent), I have vowed to make more regular postings. And since that last one about Mio Sushi was technically a month old before I actually got around to posting it, I am going to write about a little dinner spot I just adore (and visited on this very eve): Justa Pasta on NW 19th at Pettygrove. Yes, next to the Parr Lumber.

My companions, the non-posting Gnarles, and (newest pseudonym friend), Gun LOL, Mafia Princess of the Interwebs, and I set out for Justa Pasta at around 7:30 this evening. In SF, this is recognized as Prime Dinner Hour, and there is not a chance in hell that you are going to be eating or sitting in a dining establishment within the hour. But one thing I love about Portlandia is that everyone eats like my mom here, that is to say, before 7pm. I suspect the plethora of Happy Hours have a role in it, but anyone who has another theory is welcome to post a comment (yeah, like I'll be getting one anytime soon). But Justa Pasta always has a table, even during Prime Dinner Hour. Even though most places in Portland are like this, I still think it's worth noting: This is a good place to go if you need a quick dinner.

I digress. So Justa Pasta is the kind of place that Gnarles praises because you order and pay at the counter. Hence, no slow, inefficient service, no check-waiting showdown, and no waiting to leave because you need change or your card back. Fabulous! And, unlike many of the counter-order venues, Justa Pasta manages to still have candle-lit ambiance, a good wine list (with lots by the glass), and homemade desserts (more on that later).

They make all their pastas on site, and you can buy some to take home and cook, or you can order some to eat there. Usually, I order the small portion of something and find it to be plenty of food, especially if I start with a salad. The Caesar is garlicky and creamy, but good in that Caesar salad way. The spinach salad topped with feta cheese and pine nuts is tangy, but garlicky, too, and also very good. The mixed greens has the same dressing, I think because it is sour and garlicky and yummy - I just wish they would maybe offer a salad with a garlic-free dressing since I don't always like to have that taste stuck on my tongue like Saran Wrap. And I could definitely do without waking up so thirsty I could die in the middle of the night.

The Raviolis are always good, and the fillings change frequently (although cheese seems to be standard). The Bucatini noodle is one of my faves, and Justa Pasta is one of the only restaurants that makes it. If you've never had Bucatini before, it is kinda like a long macaroni, or like spaghetti made extra thick, with a hole through it. It is a great texture: chewy, but not in a penne way, and soft but not mushy. And you can't beat the name. It's so fun to say, it's become another nickname for my dog, in variant forms like Buca and Bucati (not that my dog needs more nicknames).

Tonight, I had a delicious Chicken Milanese special which was a pounded, breadcrumbed, fried chicken breast atop a pile of angel hair dressed with lemon butter, capers, green olives and artichoke hearts. It was devine! Salty, tart, creamy, buttery and protein-packed (a chicken breast, albeit a fried one). I really liked it, and Gnarles did, too; he finished the rest of mine in an eating trance. That's what happens to him when he likes something: he zones out and eats it, forgetting it's someone else's dinner. That's why I don't hand my plate over until I'm sure I'm done. I've seen the power of the trance in action. Once, he drank an entire hot chocolate we were supposed to be sharing in a sipping trance.

Digression, again. Apologies. Gnarles likes the Lasagna, and it is usually a standout. For some reason, the one he got tonight (spicy sausage with goat cheese and greens) just sounded a lot better than it tasted. Gun LOL, Mafia Princess of the Interwebs, ordered the same dish, and hers was much spicier than Gnarles', a sign that something was definitely amiss with the dish tonight. It was her first time at Justa, and I do hope the experience wasn't tainted by the spicy Lasagna. But I imagine the dessert might've won her over a bit. In spite of tonight's review, do order the Lasagna if it sounds good because it is usually delicious, and a generous size.

Dessert at Justa Pasta is surprisingly great. They make their desserts. From scratch. On site. You find a place where you pay at the counter that also makes their own desserts! The German Chocolate cake is the absolute champion of it's kind anywhere in Portland. The balance of coconut frosting to chocolate cake is on point, the cake itself is moist and buttery, and they don't keep in a refrigerator, so it doesn't have that cold, over-sweet quality that GCC has most of the time. Tonight, however, I broke with tradition and ordered Pumpkin Cheesecake, which, I was informed, is made from fresh pumpkins. And it was deliciously creamy, and spicy and fall-ish. So good, I wish I had ordered two of them, but sharing is caring and also, sharing dessert is not only caring, it's calorie-conscious!

So, give Justa Pasta a try. It's tasty and fresh and you pay at the counter. When you're done, you can go. And if you want to linger, grab a slice of GCC for me, or Pumpkin Cheesecake will do nicely, and enjoy the low lighting and the friendly, not annoying service. You know you want to!