Personable yet hip, it’s no wonder all the kids in school not only want to be friends with Stellina, but also are willing to wait for her attention.
A time or two during our visit to Stellina Pasta Cafe, I mused if we had surpassed the occupancy rate of the small eatery.
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When we arrived shortly before 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday, the hostess said there was a 45-minute wait for a party of two. There was a seat at the bar and an open table by the window, so we staked out our space — and, as other patrons continued to file in, felt lucky to have arrived when we did.
We later learned that particular night was considered a slow one at Stellina. No one seemed surprised or unhappy about the wait.
Come to think of it, the staff, too, seemed unfazed by the seemingly unending stream of people. Warm and witty, the bartender reminded me of a friend from college. But maybe that’s her magic: She reminds all of us of an old friend.
Our attentive waitress was happy to play 20 Questions, and the one time she didn’t know the answer, she found it out instantly. Our water glasses never drained past half, and all of our wait staff was attentive, without constantly catching us with our mouths full.
According to their website, in 2005 Stellina Pasta started selling fresh pasta wholesale to area restaurants. Two years later, they opened the café in a long-vacant building on Watson, between Chippewa and Hampton. While the space had been expanded the space since then, the restaurant has kept its intimate feel, reminiscent of one big dinner party.
Mixed media decorate the exposed brick walls and give it an authentic look — smart without trying too hard to be so. The paintings are by owner/executive chef Jamey Tochtrop and the photographs and metal work, by friends of his, according to our server.
At our bar table, we were immediately greeted by the bartender, who shared the featured-cocktails menu with us. We settled on “Afternoon” — Maker’s Mark, Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer, bitters, and ginger syrup (above left), and “Winter Solstice Punch”– Prosecco, wheat vodka, pomegranate juice, and pear nectar (above right). “Afternoon” was, as you might expect, a smack-in-the-mouth of ginger, which my companion heartily enjoyed. My Punch was pleasantly tart and not overly sweet.
The bartender, once again with impeccable timing, introduced us to the menu, with which she was impressively familiar. The antipasto platter, she said, was a lot for two people and would definitely require a box; we opted for the smaller hummus and olive plate (below left, $8.50).
The hummus had a nice, thick texture and a surprisingly mild flavor, without any bold notes of tahini or lemon, and was garnished with cloves of roasted garlic. The four or five varieties of olives were nicely dressed with roasted red bell peppers and artichoke hearts. The ample plate of pita was in good proportion.
Once seated, we continued through the first course menu with the toasted ravioli and the beet terrine (above right, $7). Both were presented beautifully. (No fluke, as it turns out. All of our evening’s dishes were a fine-dining spectacle.)
The terrine of Red Aces beets, Granny Smith apples and walnuts had a nice texture but were not as intense as its color, even with the accompaniments of extra-virgin olive oil “powder,” mascarpone, and golden-beet-saffron puree. A nice crust on the truffle-cauliflower-stuffed ravioli was its best feature, and the house-made marinara with meaty chunks of tomato stole the show.
The two-part menu, considered together, provides a wealth of options for diners; separately, the lineup is a mixture of favorites and seasonal elements. The left side lists Stellina’s much-loved salads and sandwiches; the right side of the menu changes daily.
Stellina cut its teeth on pasta, and most of the entrees were just that. Impressively, three of the four offerings were vegetarian — and two were whole wheat.
Even with all the reports about how we should all eat more whole-wheat pasta, most restaurants have resisted the trend, perhaps because it’s not easy to tame whole wheat’s bite. That is, unless you make it yourself.
With a delicate texture, Stellina’s whole-wheat walnut fettuccini (below left, $16) is unlike any you’ll find in a box. Considered alone, it is hearty and without the fiber-tablet feel. The baby spinach and cipollini onions added a welcome tang and crunch.
Meat-eaters fear not: The massive grilled veal chop, ordered medium-rare, was cooked to perfection and topped with truffle-herb butter. The saffron risotto was pleasantly salty, and the haricots vert were tender-crisp. A special, it was perhaps the best dish of the night.
We also tried the one pasta featuring meat: semolina tagliatelle with turkey meatballs (avove right, $18). This time, the house marinara (with red peppers and roasted garlic) took a backseat to the meatballs, which were rich, tender, and a symphonic melody of seasoning.
For dessert, we shared the chocolate mousse cake with salted caramel ice cream. (Other options included carrot cake and two versions of crème brulee.) We paired the chocolate with Ferreira 10-year Tawny Port.
Again, the presentation was no disappointment. The circle of thin chocolate cake was topped with a dome of mousse and coated with what appeared to be ganache. On the side was a glass with the salted caramel ice cream topped with about two inches of cream. The cake was a little dry, and the mousse did little to liven it up. Once we dug through the topping in the glass, we enjoyed the ice cream the most.
Stellina still sells pasta for you to prepare at home, according to their website. They also offer catering and carry-out.
But, if you’re in the mood for a casual dinner with an old friend — or to simply feel like you’re among old friends — Stellina is the place. Just be prepared to relax at the bar first.
Stellina Pasta Cafe
3342 Watson
Clifton Heights
314-256-1600
Lunch and dinner, Tues-Sat
Photos by Kevin A. Roberts
