Arts and Entertainment

Justa Pasta Co. provides disappointing dining experience

Sarah Oliveras
June 5, 2013

Parking lot seating, cold bread and dark atmosphere earn two thumbs down in my opinion. Friendly staff ,“homemade” ice cream served in drinking glasses and quick food preparation were the highlights of this disastrous dining experience at Justa Pasta Co.

Located on a run down street and next to Jiffy Lube, Justa Pasta Co. ‘s outward appearance was not pleasing to the eye. The outside seating consisted of plastic chairs and tables set up in the parking lot. was The inside was dark and empty with only about seven people inside, including staff members. The order counter was hidden behind a shelf with dozens of wine bottles resting on it. As I was waiting in line,I kept telling myself “Don’t step back or you’ll knock over all the wine.” I thought it was a little strange that they had an order counter instead of waitress. Daily specials were sloppily written on a tall chalkboard to the right of the ordering counter.They were nearly impossible to read, so we had to read the typed original menu.

While ordering, I discovered one of the only highlights of my experience — the staff. All of the staff members that I talked with at the restaurant were extremely polite and helpful. They had welcoming smiles and were eager to help you if needed. However, I was slightly let down when they didn’t thank us for dining with them when we left.

The menu offered many options of meals, including vegetarian , but excluding vegan and vegetarian. The restaurant also offered non pasta dishes such as snack platters and cheeses. Noodles were available for purchase as well. I ordered the three-cheese alfredo, a vanilla italian soda and their “homemade” ice cream for dessert. My total came to $15. The prices were quite high considering the poor quality of the food.

The food preparation process was another highlight of eating the the pasteria. Our meals were prepared within the first ten minutes. While we were waiting for our food to arrive, we were given complimentary bread and an oil dip. The bread was good ,however it was cold. The meal arrived quickly. As I took a sip of my vanilla italian soda, I notice it was not bubbly at all. The creamy flavor was still there, but it tasted like the beverage had already been prepared and had been sitting out for sometime. The noodles looked neatly prepared and delicious. I was disappointed when I took a bit. The noodles were stiff and drenched in the alfredo sauce. It tasted like there was something crunchy in the center of the noodle, when it was supposed to be stuffed with three different types of cheeses. The main course was extremely unsatisfying. The claimed “homemade” ice cream was clearly scooped straight out of a carton. My dessert was creamy and sweet, but it was served out of a drinking glass.

Overall, I would not recommend Justa Pasta Co. I would rate it 2 stars. The food was cold, tasteless and old. It was located in a run down part of town and the “outdoor seating” was located in the parking lot. The restaurant itself is dark, gloomy and unwelcoming. Justa Pasta Co. is an overall disappointing restaurant.

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About the Contributor

Sarah Oliveras, Reporter

Going from a guitar playing, Taylor Swift loving girl, to one day representing and fighting for America’s freedom, Sarah Oliveras, freshman, loves new adventures and giving back. She is inspired by those around her and one day hopes to inspire others as well.

“I think when people are inspired by another, they feel better about themselves and what they do,”Oliveras said. “All I really want to do is help people.”

Oliveras has moved all over the country and even lived in Puerto Rico for two years. From Seattle to Virginia, then to Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and finally Oregon, Oliveras has experienced many different cultures and different ways of life.

“You can walk down the streets of Puerto Rico and hold baby animals,” Oliveras said. “I even learned how to climb bamboo before learning to climb a tree.”

Even though she has traveled all around the world with her family — Heather, her mother, an emergency room nurse, her 12-year old younger brother, Jon, and Robert, her father, who is in the Army as a colonel — Oliveras has always wanted to travel to Japan.

“I want to travel to Japan because I have never been exposed to Asian culture,” Oliveras said. In 20 years Oliveras sees herself in, “some foreign country.” “ I want to travel the world,” she said.

Along with new adventures, Oliveras also likes to try new things. In her free time, she likes to swim and go running. When she hurt her knee three years ago, inspired by her love for Taylor Swift, she decided to pick up her guitar to pass the time. Since then she has enjoyed playing cords and creating her own music. Her favorite thing about playing the guitar is the creativity it brings when writing original songs and music.

One of her favorite quotes is from Picasso, “Everything you imagine is real.” It inspires her to show her creativity, and “think outside the box.”

Oliveras‘s true role model in her life is her father, with whom she is very close. With his work in the army, and his various missions to Iraq helping people all around the world, he inspires Oliveras to give back and appreciate what is given to her. With her dad as her primary inspiration, Oliveras enjoys helping people and various charities. She hopes to inform and inspire people about the dangers of teen suicide and inspire them toward a positive body image. She hopes to do this by letting people know that they are not alone and there are always people to help. Also inspired by her dad, she wishes to attend an Air Force college after high school, and later enter active service.

“I want to join the Air Force because I want to be able to have a say about what goes on in the world,” Oliveras said.

Not only does she look up to her parents but also famous figures such as Helen Keller and Swift.

“I look up to them because they do not complain about the tough situations that they face, they just get through it, ” Oliveras said.

From the diversity of the places she has lived, people she has met along the way, and most importantly with her dad’s influence, these past experiences have shaped Oliveras into the adventure-seeking, caring person, who is always trying to lend a helping hand.