Several weeks ago a friend recommended I try the entrées at Chef John Russo’s take-out Italian food shop, Go Pasta, at 30 Old Tower Hill Road, Wakefield. As soon as I walked through the door, I caught myself thinking, “Someone should turn this into an aromatherapy candle.”
Russo smiled when he told me that many of his customers say his store “smells like Nonni’s kitchen,” referencing Italy’s affectionate term for grandmother.
Although Go Pasta customers are a cross-section of our community, the take-out’s youngest fan is probably the “three year old who insists his mother stop here for the meatballs whenever they drive by,” Russo said.
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Nonni Knew Best
Go Pasta’s entrées, nearly three dozen offerings in all, are on par with the quality food served at “white tablecloth Italian restaurants,” Russo explained. “My customers tell me that even if they could make the food (we sell here), they couldn’t make it as good."
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That sentiment was reflected by Cornelia, a customer who pre-ordered several entrées this week to share with the company she was expecting. “It’s delicious food and easy,” she commented. (Go Pasta also provides catering services.)
When I asked Chef Russo if Go Pasta uses dehydrated herbs in its recipes, he gave me a good-natured scowl. “I demand the highest quality, especially the basil, flat parsley, and garlic,” he said. The produce that Russo uses in his recipes comes from Belmont Market’s wholesale department.
Go Pasta entrées are sold in convenient, ready-to-reheat, aluminum trays. A transparent plastic dome on each tray keeps the food fresh. Each tray is clearly labeled with the dish’s name, price, ingredients, and instructions for reheating which usually involves placing the tray, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for a half-hour or so - just enough time to enjoy a glass of wine.
Abbondanza
Each generous Go Pasta entrée contains literally two to three pounds of food. (Yes, I weighed several trays at home.) Chef Russo explained that each tray is designed for two servings. At a typical price of $10.95 to $11.95 per tray, that’s less than $6 per person for a gourmet Italian entrée.
Go Pasta also sells ready-to-enjoy garden salad and antipasto as well as fresh-baked ciabatta bread and Borelli's Bakery rolls.
Add it up and two adults can savor an authentic - Russo was born in Avellino, Italy - feast for about $20. That's significantly less than you would spend in a restaurant for (dare I say it?) mediocre fare. And at Go Pasta there’s no tip which leaves cash in your wallet for that bottle of wine.
Within the past several weeks I’ve enjoyed freshly-made Go Pasta spaghetti and linguine as well as the following entrées. I have a healthy appetite and I get three servings from each tray which makes each entrée an extra special value for me:
- Chicken Française - Breast fillets pan sautéed in an egg batter with shallots, white wine and lemon butter sauce with sliced lemons.
- Sole Française - available only on Fridays; all fish at Go Pasta is local.
- Meat Lasagna - Our own fresh made pasta, ricotta cheese, fresh eggs, mozzarella, grated cheese, parsley and seasoning with a lean ground beef meat sauce.
- Bowtie Broccoli and Chicken - Our own fresh made pasta with chicken, garlic, broccoli and pecorino romano cheese sautéed in olive oil to perfection.
More Choices...
Besides take-home entrées, which include daily specials, you can purchase containers of freshly-made pastas and pasta sauces as well as wedges of imported cheeses such as Pecorino Romano from Sardinia and Parmigiano Reggiano™. Go Pasta also sells a variety of dry-cured, artisan sausage from Licini Brothers Co., a New Jersey family business established in 1955.
GoPasta also makes gluten-free pasta in their kitchen. “We test new products all the time,” said Russo, “to satisfy people’s requests.”
Eat Well, Live Well
With St. Joseph’s Day approaching, I can’t think of a better way to get into Italian mode with friends and family than with delicious, prepared entrées from Go Pasta. The atmosphere in Chef Russo’s take-out shop dances with the aroma of “fresh” - fresh pasta, freshly grated cheese, fresh herbs, fresh bread - all at refreshingly affordable prices.
Go Pasta Gourmet Food To Go is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Go Pasta at 401-284-4311, visit them on the web at www.gopasta.net or take a virtual tour here.
