Pasta Pronto - DEL MAR

I had dinner at this 'fast food ' pasta shop; there are a few tables in the back. I ordered a tomato penne pasta with shrimp and it was the worst I have ever had. I have eaten countless pastas and this is just as bad as Sammy 's Wood fire Pizza 's pasta. Their pasta was plain, with very little seasonings. Their tomato sauce was very bland and tasteless. They used no vegetables in the pasta, just left some steamed broccoli on the side (sautéed in nothing). Their pasta was about 4 minutes over-cooked, as so was their shrimp. They give you a salad or soup with the meal; I had the soup, nothing special... I will never go back, no wonder it 's in a strip mall and wasn 't crowded on a Saturday night. Most of the people there looked as if they don’t know good food, if you know what I mean.

Serendipity on a return trip from San Diego, we live 6 hours north in Central California. Traffic was bad, car needed gas, our family was hungry, thought we were getting a quick boring bite. Walked in and WOW! Were we pleasantly surprised! We were greeted by this wonderfully displayed case with a grand assortment of dishes. A beautiful tall lady with reading glasses greeted us with a wonderful smile. She greeted us as if we were in a posh resort, she was obviously happy to be present, engaging and loved people. I wish I written her name down. Next came the service, excellent, patient and attentive but in a casual atmosphere. The menu had a very good selection different salads, and hearty Pasta dishes. Presentation was fantastic with generous portions. There were five of us and we all chose different dishes; all without question were excellent! The final piece of this serendipity, the price was very reasonable for all that we received. The only down side, we will have to travel six hours to visit again! When I do travel that way again, I will make it a point to visit and I will let my traveling friends know about your fine establishment. Thank you soooo much for your hospitality. PS. Traffic got worse in Los Angeles and it took 7.5 hours to get home, we all kept raving about the great food and the gracious lady . Blessings!

The food was excellent authentic Italian cuisine. In a small quaint and homey atmosphere. If you love mango's you will find the mango tart desert to be wonderful. It is a place I frequent every time I am in Del Mar.