Pasta Sisters
Pasta Sisters is a bit of an institution in Los Angeles. There are two locations and a food truck. The Mid City location is the OG. It’s a tiny little restaurant with six bar stools and three tables that seat 2-3 people each.
Underwhelming décor
When you first walk into the Mid City location, you’ll be underwhelmed by the décor. It’s basically a deli with some tables. That said, if the food is good, you don’t always need a fancy atmosphere. This restaurant is somewhere in the middle. Quite honestly, the food, while good, doesn’t make up for the underwhelming décor. Of the two locations, if you do want a nicer atmosphere, go to the newer location in Culver City. It’s much larger and nicer.
Good (but not great) pasta
The pasta is good, but it’s overhyped. When ordering, you choose your base: spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, or gnocchi. These are all fresh. Alternatively, they offer dried penne if that is more your speed. While usually I’m a rigatoni guy, the spaghetti is the best option here. It’s tender yet chewy. It also picks up the perfect amount of sauce.
Saucy lady
You have a few options to choose from for your sauce.
Truffle and olive oil sauce. Note: this one’s not actually on the menu. If you are smart enough to order it, know that it is TO DIE FOR. This one is not overhyped. It’s super flavorful for all truffle lovers out there, and although it’s an oil-based sauce, it isn’t greasy.
Pesto. This one has excellent flavor. It’s super fresh with a creamy mouthfeel, but it’s on the dry side. I think they need to use more oil because the pasta absorbs the moisture too quickly. If you get takeout – just toss a little more olive oil in at home, and it’s perfection.
Bolognese. While this one looks good, it needs a lot of improvement, in my opinion. It tastes more like a tomato sauce with ground beef, rather than the very rich and delicate dish that is Bolognese. It’s good tomato sauce and good beef – they just haven’t captured that “je ne sais quoi” that makes Bolognese different from a standard meat sauce.
Pro tip: you can add a ball of burrata to any of the pasta dishes.
In summary, if you want takeout, Pasta Sisters is not a bad option. Is it my first choice? No. Would I put up a fight and go there if one of my friends was craving it? Also, no. It is what it is: average.
