Your First Look At Downtown’s Branch of Hello Pasta
When I think about all of the food voids that we have in the Financial District, customizable pasta doesn’t immediately come to mind. Good Indian, Korean – hell, more food trucks on a regular basis – we’re missing them all. Now we have Hello Pasta and I am mostly thankful it’s not another generic deli. Two locations have already opened in midtown and the first impression seemed to underwhelm, but it didn’t classify as terrible. How would the new location on Maiden Lane (nr. Water) measure up? I headed over on opening day to stuff my face with pasta and find out.
I was there at about 1 p.m. and there was no line, but the customers seemed to come in waves. They also seemed to be doing a lot of delivery for the first day. It took 10 minutes or more to get my food, but that seemed to be more because it was the first day and not because they didn’t have a system going.
I placed my order for farfalle with chicken tuscan sauce ($7.55). Why did I go with this? Well, because some of the other combinations I was thinking of getting were given the thumbs down during the great pasta chain battle of 2010.
Overall this was a tasty lunch although I think we can all agree that more than $8 for pasta in the middle of the day is fairly ridiculous. The pasta itself was a little overcooked and kind of fell apart when I stabbed it with my fork. I did like the sauce, though, and was impressed that the chicken in it seemed to be the pulled variety and not those gross processed chunks you find at a lot of places.
I would bet a lot of lunch’ers will love this place, but I would have a really hard time paying this much for pasta no matter how much control I have over what goes into it. Did anyone else check this place out on its first day?
Hello Pasta, 125 Maiden Lane (nr. Water), (212) 557-2782
Posted by Andrea H at 9:29 am, January 5th, 2011 under Fast Food Chains, Hello Pasta.
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3 Comments
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I wouldn’t even call it “yuppie pasta.” I went on the first day and it was salty and mushy and overpriced. I guess yuppies like the overpriced aspect, but other than that I dunno…
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I had tried the Lexington Location last summer (where I live) and there was some good and some bad…but I happen to try again the new location on Maiden Lane (where I work) and I have to say it’s gotten much better! First of all, the pasta that I took with 2 of my colleagues were all perfectly cooked al dente…and the sauces had more taste and flavor. I also realize they lowered all their prices because there’s nothing priced above $7.50 now and it starts at $5 or something. Anyway, when I read the other comments I am surprised because I don’t think most people are able to cook a sausage and pea or carbonara sauce at home. But hey, not everyone is a cook. I recommend you to try those guys again. They seem to have improved.
I didn’t try this location yet but I did try one in Midtown on either 3rd or Lex around 42nd when it first opened and I was underwhelmed. It’s yuppie pasta. I could make the same at home for less. With that being said, it will probabaly do well down here in downtown.