One of the key ingredients to great Italian food, besides the actual ingredients, is authenticity. All too many Italian restaurants have little to no connection to the country of Italy, which is a massive flaw when the food is so connected to the region. That’s not the case with Pasta Sisters, a true family affair born across the ocean.
“This story begins in Padova, a small town in Northern Italy, where chef Paola Da Re and her siblings used to spend their afternoons helping their mother Maria Giovanna in the kitchen,” they say on their website. “Cooking and baking was not only Maria Giovanna’s passion, but also her way to spend quality time with her kids by teaching them recipes, sharing the importance of tradition, and encouraging their creativity.”
Chef Paola and her three children, Francesco, Giorgia, and Francesca, relocated to the United States in 2010. She would eventually open her first Pasta Sisters location. Now there are two – Mid City and Culver City.
“Food was always powerful for us, it brought us together and shaped our memories,” they say. “Almost every recipe at Pasta Sisters has a family story behind it that is as important as the ingredients of the dish itself. Chef Paola spends countless hours searching for the best ingredients that both Italy and California have to offer, and her dishes are the result of a balance of family traditions, quality ingredients, and her personal touch.”
We sampled one of the simplest items on the menu, to really get a measure of their skills. We had spaghetti with the signature tomato and basil sauce.
Everything was right on the money. The pasta was cooked beautifully, not overcooked but not crunchy. It didn’t taste like dried out grocery store pasta–the texture was perfect.
Meanwhile, the sauce was exquisite. The tomato was brought to life by the herbs, as the vibrant combination danced around the mouth. Paired with the spaghetti and a generous shake of parmesan cheese, the results were divine.
The dish came with three strips of the freshest, tastiest, bounciest bread, which served as the ideal sponge to mop up the last bits of sauce.
“Our pasta is made in the house every morning. We start at 5 a.m. by mixing flour, eggs and extra virgin olive oil,” they say. “Our flour is different and you can feel it with the very first bite.”
You certainly can.
Pasta Sisters is located at 3280 Helms Ave, Culver City 90232. Call 424-603-4503 or visit pastasisters.com.