Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Generous Portions and Classic Flavors Make Italian Eatery a Hit

YIWEN HUN FOR THE HOYA The gnocchi and Gorgonzola at the Italian restaurant Pasta Mia was perfectly cooked and served with a generous amount of the restaurant’s signature, strong, rich cheese sauce.
YIWEN HU FOR THE HOYA
The gnocchi and Gorgonzola at the Italian restaurant Pasta Mia was perfectly cooked and served with a generous amount of the restaurant’s signature, strong, rich cheese sauce.

★★★☆☆

$$$$

Pasta Mia, which has been on the corner of Columbia Road and 18th Street for more than a decade, holds a special place in the hearts of Italian cuisine lovers in Adams Morgan. This tiny restaurant owned by an Italian couple has a curiously mixed reputation: heavenly pasta and humongous portions, but allegedly horrible service and notoriously random closings. Nevertheless, on weekdays, a line starts to form 30 minutes before opening time, and on Saturdays, even arriving an hour early might not guarantee a seat in the first round.

Rumor had it that because of leasing problems, Pasta Mia was on the verge of permanently closing. As an avid pasta lover, I immediately rushed to test out all the good and bad hearsays before it was too late. Twice I visited, and twice I was rewarded with cordial service and amazing pasta dishes.

On the first visit, my friend and I arrived 10 minutes after the tag flipped to “OPEN” at 6:30 p.m., and we were lucky enough to get the last seating available. The waiting area soon filled up with people who, still shivering from the cold, craved some steaming pasta. Our pasta wasn’t served until almost 8 p.m., and as we headed out of the restaurant, the people who were seated after the first round were still waiting for their dinner. Indeed, the service at Pasta Mia was rather slow; after all, the husband is the only chef. However, just wait until the wife comes to take your order, don’t ask for a different pairing of sauce with the pasta and enjoy the warm complimentary bread with olive oil. Be patient, and you will be rewarded.

We started with the Caesar salad ($6), with a portion size large enough to serve a table of four. The bed of fresh greens came drizzled with a unique homemade dressing, one with a distinctive garlicky taste. It was, however, a bit too oily to my liking. Fortunately, the croutons saved the dish. Crispy and flavorful, these little breadcrumbs complemented the light flavor of the dressing itself.

Twenty minutes after our salad plates were cleared away, our entrees arrived. I ordered the seafood ravioli ($18) whose size was not nearly as daunting as that of the linguine and fusilli. Nevertheless, I underestimated these Italian dumplings; and was stuffed after eating only five of the seven raviolis. The round dumplings were filled with a blend of crab, shrimps, lobster and ricotta cheese. I slowly became addicted as the seafood melded with the richness of ricotta and melted on my tongue. Even more irresistible was its famous cream sauce, in which the ravioli was tossed. The sauce was rich and decadent, and its heavenly taste justified every calorie it undoubtedly contained.

The second time I visited Pasta Mia, I ordered its other popular specialty, the gnocchi & Gorgonzola ($18). Even without an appetizer, I only succeeded in finishing half of the portion. The little potato dumplings were cooked al dente, light but also a bit chewy. The gnocchi swam in an imported Gorgonzola sauce, which had the strong flavor of the classic blue cheese variety. As I had been unprepared for the heavy taste, it took me a few bites to get accustomed to the richness. Once I did though, I couldn’t help but succumb to its charm. However, I still preferred the seafood ravioli with Pasta Mia’s signature creamy sauce.

Given its humongous pasta portions, which could easily serve as two to three meals, Pasta Mia has very reasonable pricing. Just be prepared that the reheated dish may not taste quite as good as the night before. The creamy sauces melt into a puddle of oil that provokes a small twinge of guilt. So, a better strategy may be to come with an empty stomach and a determination to indulge all at once in this high-calorie feast.

Pasta Mia has signed another year of lease, but it will be closed in 2015. To my anxious fellow foodies, here are some final reminders before you go. Arrive early. Bring cash. Do not try to customize your dish. And enjoy.

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