October 26, 2007
by Alita Bowder for The Columbian

The menu at The Great Impasta La Trattoria and Pasta Market is extensive, and includes the angel hair pasta with chicken and mushrooms shown here. (N. SCOTT TRIMBLE/The Columbian)

Where we ate this week: The Great Impasta La Trattoria

Why: If you want a pasta fix fast, The Great Impasta La Trattoria and Pasta Market, which opened last month, is the place for you. You can eat in, take it home, and even cook it yourself. This is not an upscale Italian eatery, so you won't find white tablecloths and haute cuisine on your table.

You should know: Choices fill one side of a legal-sized paper and spill over to the next, which can be overwhelming for a place where you stand in line and order at the register.

Service: We picked up our own silverware, took a number to the table and soon a few slices of baguette were sitting in front of us. More bread was brought when we asked for it, and our food was quickly delivered to the table.

The food: The Caesar salad was simple, with a couple of large croutons, lettuce, dressing and fresh Parmesan cheese. The dressing had a mayonnaise taste and was rather bland, but I loved the large crunchy croutons.

The tomato basil soup was creamy and the right temperature for eating. While the soups aren't made on the premises, owner Jody McCord, a Vancouver resident, said he does spruce them up and plans on making them himself once he gets more help.

The angel hair pasta with grilled chicken and mushrooms in a marsala cream sauce arrived near al dente. While the chicken was plentiful, the mushrooms were more sparse (but enough to satisfy me). The sauce was a bit nondescript, but adding salt helped. The serving size was appropriate for lunch.

The meat lasagna, however, was quite large and my dining companion was unable to finish it. The sauce was a tad too tomatoey for his taste. The dish had just the right amount of cheese - it didn't dominate, nor was it skimpy. The lasagna noodles were firm but not tough.

Quick take: Olive Garden-quality food in a more casual and family-friendly atmosphere. Sauces and meatballs are made in-house, as are the Caesar and balsamic vinaigrette dressings. The fresh pasta is from Pasta Works in Portland. Good selection of Italian and Northwest wines, with beer on tap and bottled Italian beers.

Cost: Mix-and-match pasta lunch entrees are $7.99, ravioli entrees $8.50. Pasta and lasagna choices for lunch range from $7.99 to $10.99. Sandwiches run $7.99. Kids menu items are $5.75. Soups and salads run $3.49 to $5.99, with combinations from $6.99 to $9.99. Three different desserts are offered for $4.50 each. Wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee and tea available. They also have fresh pasta to go, dinner packages and take-out catering. Dinner options are larger and cost a bit more.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Where: 910 N.E. Tenney Road, Suite 131, Vancouver.

Contact: 360-571-5300.