Pasta Vino – Italy Frame of Mind!!

Ok, I know you're all sick of hearing about Italy, but since I'm missing it so much, I thought I'd make up for it by dining in several of the local Italian restaurants in Johns Creek. This week, I tried . This restaurant is located at 11130 State Bridge Road, Johns Creek.

The menu at Pasta Vino is large with a selection of entrees to please everyone. The owner, Vincent Perez, sat down to tell me his background in the food service business. He said he enjoys cooking and had 12 years of experience in the business. Vincent told me he worked in Little Italy in New York, which immediately made my ears perk up, since that is home for me. We talked about some of our favorite stomping grounds in the old neighborhood, which was fun, and then he proceeded to talk about Pasta Vino.

Vincent is very proud to say that they use the freshest ingredients, some of which are imported from, you know, my favorite place, and some are made daily, on the premises. The Gnocchi and Lasagna noodles are made from scratch. I did not sample them but did notice Gnocchi with Eggplant on their menu. I though about it and, instead, chose Eggplant Parmigiana, always a front-runner for me on any menu. It was thin and not heavily breaded, which made it quite tasty. I love the taste of eggplant and especially like it prepared with thin, egg-soaked pieces that are not breaded. If asked, "what would you have for your last meal," my answer would be Eggplant Parmigiana.

Suffice it to say, I have tried it in every restaurant. My husband, who came to experience my food review, ordered Rigatoni with Sausage served in red sauce, which he liked very much. The signature menu items Vincent told us about include the Gnocchi with Eggplant, Rigatoni and Eggplant Parmigiana. I will add that the portions are quite generous.

The Cannoli's and Italian Cheescake, which we also sampled, are homemade. Yummy on the Cannoli! There are several other desserts which, I will tell you, we did not sample. The meal was filling and enough for us to take home and eat the next day.

Pasta Vino has undergone a total renovation. The new surroundings include a new and stately bar, stocked with a fine wine selection and mixins' for great martinis. Make a note-  Wednesday is $5 Martini night!

One suggestion I did make to Vincent was to make it look a little more like an Italian restaurant. There is nothing to indicate that we were dining in one and I did feel the ambiance needed a little more "baglione italiano" (Italian flare). It's a work in progress, he said.

There is more than ample parking and the restaurant welcomes families to come and enjoy. Try it, you'll like it!

Bon Appetitto!