Just came back from a pop-up in Portland and I'm still annoyed

This place charged $28 for a single plate of pasta that was clearly undercooked and they didn't even ask how we wanted it done. Has anyone else run into fine dining spots that think al dente just means crunchy?

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.olivia1mo agoTop Commenter

$28 for undercooked pasta? That sounds more like user error than the restaurant's fault honestly. I had a similar thing happen at this place called Casa Bella in Seattle last month where they charged $32 for what I thought was raw spaghetti. Turns out I just don't get what al dente actually means in fine dining. The chef came out and explained it's supposed to have a bite to it, not be mushy like my mom used to make. I spent like ten minutes arguing with my friend about it but then I tried another forkful and realized it was actually pretty good once I stopped chewing it like it was supposed to be soft. You probably walked in expecting Olive Garden texture and got mad when it wasn't. Maybe give it another shot with an open mind next time.

brooket431mo ago

Brought my dad to a fancy pasta spot once and he asked for ketchup, at least you didn't do that @eva_moore.

eva_moore1mo ago

Nope, my friend Mandy once paid $34 for al dente pasta at a place in Portland and loved it. @scott.olivia

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