Pasta Basta / The name of renowned Italian chef Donato Loperfido’s casual new eatery in Restaurant Row is an exceedingly simple and straightforward rhyme: Pasta Basta. It’s a fitting title for a counter-service operation that is equally simple and straightforward in its offerings. The concept might be described as express Italian, but this is no Sbarro: The trattoria-worthy food is made to order, and there’s no skimping on quality–pastas, mozzarella cheese and sausages are all made in house, and they are all featured alongside organic greens and quality cheeses.

Loperfido seems to have done his homework on Restaurant Row, which can often be a fatal doldrum for restaurants. Pasta Basta does brisk business for the lunch crowds that come pouring out of neighboring office towers around noon, and while ordering at the counter may seem unglamorous, it’s a smart way for the restaurant to maximize its lunch service. You can sit at a table in the sunny, yolky half-yellow, half-orange-painted dining room or at a long wooden counter for a view of the pizza chef crumbling homemade sausage and gorgonzola cheese on salsiccia pizzas ($9) and sliding them into the brick oven. The counter line moves fairly quickly, but at peak hours it extends halfway to the door. To avoid a wait, either go early (they open at 11am), call in your order or avoid lunchtime altogether. (The restaurant is open until 10pm.) I’d like to return for a matinee at the theaters and a late afternoon meal. The overall operation runs smoothly, but simple additions–napkin dispensers on the tables and a self-serve water cooler–could make it seamless.

If you’re short on time and need a quick bite to take back to your desk, pick the peerless panzanella rustica, a chunky assemblage of cucumber, tomatoes, house-made mozzarella, black olives and amazing garlic croutons that retain their crunch in a peppery balsamic vinaigrette ($5). Caprese salad features the same light, fresh mozzarella, but the addition of balsamic vinegar would have made it a standout. The nicoise, elevated from the ordinary by fresh grilled ‘ahi and hearts of palm in a red wine mustard vinaigrette, makes for a very pleasant lunch. At $6, the portion and the price are perfect.

From the oven come handmade pizzas including spicy shrimp, margherita, napoletana and grilled chicken-portobello versions ($7-14). Among the pannini, appealing fillings seemed to trump each other as I read down the page. Top picks include chicken breast with arugula walnut pesto, tomato and grilled Maui onions ($10); smoked ham with truffled pecorino cheese, arugula, and sauteed mushrooms ($10); and grilled ‘ahi with avocado, Maui onions, tomato and olive caper tapenade ($12).

I suspect diners will have a hard time choosing among the many beckoning dishes, and that indecision only escalates because there are 23 pasta dishes available. Of these, 13 feature fresh pasta made in house. I sampled the fresh papardelle with asparagus, smoked salmon, olive oil and lemon tossed with goat cheese ($14). The wide ribbons were al dente and were not overpowered by the toppings; the smoked salmon was a touch salty, but the creaminess of the goat cheese tempered the imbalance. Two fresh linguine options include a fresh Manila clam sauce (red or white) and mixed seafood in tomato sauce ($15 each).

If you like fresh pasta but want a simpler dish, there’s fresh spinach fettucine with Bolognese sauce ($9), linguine with basil pesto ($7) or cappellini with sauteed mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and garlic ($9). Those looking for richer dishes might gravitate toward fettucine with chicken, mushrooms and capers in a white wine cream sauce ($11) or toward bucatini quattro formaggi ($11), made with four cheeses and a cream sauce. Two hearty, filled pastas round out the fresh pasta options: lasagna, made the traditional way with both Bolognese and bechamel sauces, and cannelloni della nonna, filled with veal, pork and beef with tomato and bechamel sauces ($12). I have to admit I’m extremely apprehensive about ordering gnocchi anywhere; far too many clunky, gluey renditions have made an unwanted appearance on my plate. But a gnocchi lover convinced me to give it a try here, and I’m thrilled that I did. You can get them with sauteed mushrooms and gorgonzola cream sauce, which needed a touch of salt, or with Tuscan meat ragout and white truffle essence. The gnocchi are among the best I’ve ever had anywhere. I was amazed at their supreme lightness and delicacy. My awe only grew as I realized I was eating them with a plastic fork from a Styrofoam container at the peak of the lunch rush. What a feat the kitchen had accomplished.

Pasta Basta by Donato’s
Restaurant Row (523-9999)
Hours: Mon-Thu 11pm-10pm; Fri 11am-12am; Sat 5pm-12am
Recommended: Nicoise, Panzanella Rustica, Gnocchi Gorgonzola, fresh pastas
Payment: MC, V

Honolulu Weekly restaurant reviewers dine anonymously, editorial integrity being our first priority. Reviewers may visit the establishment more than once, and any interviews with restaurant staff are conducted after the visits. We do not run photos of the reviewers, and the Weekly pays the tab. The reviews are not influenced by the purchase of advertising or other incentives.