Semolina Artisanal Pasta - Pasadena

My mom came last summer and she is super hard-core Italian. She had me pick up pasta on the way to get her from the airport so we could cook it that night fast forward to this evening when I pulled an extra package that I purchased out of the freezer from… at least six months ago. I cannot believe that it tasted as good as Italian restaurant pasta this long after being fresh. Totally astounded. I will be back soon!

I've only had their Salami and Artichoke sandwiches which are both excellent. The bad thing is they always sell out early in the day. Sometimes, I want them for dinner, but am usually out of luck.

What clean, pure, delicious fresh pasta! Do NOT pass this place up. Thank you for the temporary trip to Italy

Fresh or dry hand made pasta in many varieties. Provisions as well. Helpful, informative service.

I learned about this place after a recent LA Times article highlighted their house made Mortadella, pistachio cream, and I'm sure made mention of the amazing cheese too...and the fantastic bread, etc.Anyway, I was in the area late this afternoon and thought I'd give it a shot. The first thing that struck me when I walked in was how lovely the shop, and the products they carry, are. All different types of flour from Grist Toll an artisanal place in Pasadena that actually mills their own grain by grinding it with stone to make artisanal flour...wow. So, they carry that, and probably use it too. As well as Nielsen Massey yumminess, but mostly what I'm seeing, is Semolina pasta. As in, boxes of beautiful pasta all different shapes, sizes, all of them beautifully made. Looking at the pasta up close, I can see the tiny ridges and jagged little edges that will beautifully grab onto whatever luxurious sauce you decide to pair with that lovely pasta.But I digress, I am here for sandwiches. Mortadella sandwiches to be exact. He tells me, I only have enough here for two sandwiches. Perfect, I only need two sandwiches! So he begins making them. I could have watched, and wish I would have so I could ask a few questions. But, I was way too curious about the store and its products, so I continued to poke around. So I leave with my two sandwiches $15 each), which is more than a fair price for the mother lode. I get home and tear into mine right way. The two things that hit me right away are the bread and cheese. The baguette has a beautiful crunch on the exterior and the chewiness of the bread is just perfect, a little bit of a tussle. The other thing that is impossible to miss, is the white goop oozing out from all sizes. I'm not sure if it's Mozzarella, but it's definitely soft, creamy cheese of some sort. It's super mild, creamy, and has the texture of marshmallow fluff in the best possible way. Couple that with the sweet and slightly citrusy tang of the house made pistachio cream that generously lines both sides of the bread and last but not least, the Mortadella! The meat is as buttery, rich, and delicious as ever. I can't know or understand how or why people don't know about Mortadella, to me it's the holy grail of lunchmeat. In any case, this place definitely lives up to the hype. Everything about it was outstanding. I'll definitely be back, and I'll try some different things and I'll buy some pasta, and whatever else I can find.