Pat's marinara might be the reason his fresh pasta sells out

By GAIL CIAMPA
Journal Food Editor

• See the menu.

JOHNSTON -- How popular are the homemade pastas at Pat's Italian Restaurant? In two visits, one for dinner on a Saturday night and one for lunch on a Wednesday, we couldn't order a dish to save our lives.

"They sold out last night," our waitress Lee told us at the lunch. "He'll make more tomorrow for the rest of the week."

The "he" is Pat Orlando, a former police officer from Messina, Sicily, who came to Rhode Island in 1971 after taking a crash culinary course in the Italian resort town of Cuomo. He imports semolina to make his fresh pastas: capellini, tagliatelle, pappardelle and ziti.

I have no doubt they are yummy. What fresh pasta isn't? But I have another theory.

It's the sauce that makes the macaroni, and Pat's makes one outstanding marinara. I was able to savor it on both my visits. It's better than mother used to make, and superior to most marinaras I've tried in other restaurants.

Its beauty is its simplicity. This is a quickly cooked marinara that captures the flavor of San Marzano tomatoes at their naked best. Garlic and onion flavors don't overwhelm it, but rather complement it. There's no chicken broth added to make it salty. A touch of sugar takes away any hint of acidity. A few pieces of fresh basil are added as a garnish. Again, this keeps the flavor simple.

I enjoyed this sauce not only on a side of penne (store-bought is also on the menu), but also on chicken parmigiana. When combined with the crispy crust on the chicken, the moist meat inside and a mild mix of cheese, the sauce shines brightly.

The marinara is the base for the pink sauce. Pink sauces can be overwhelming, with a sweetness that requires a slice of bread to keep the tastebuds in balance. But with the perfect marinara, you also get a most delicate and delightful sauce.

I learned that on my lunch visit, when I tried the homemade gnocchi, which are always available because they freeze easily. It was a perfect blend: The potato pasta was of a medium weight, not too light of taste, but not too heavy for lunch. It made for a delightful midday meal.

Short-lived retirement

Pat's Italian Restaurant opened in May, the latest of several restaurants owned by Orlando in his 32-year career. He sold his last spot, Pat Orlando's Restaurant & Lounge, on Putnam Pike in 2003. After three months of retirement, Orlando dove back into the business. But since he sold his name with his restaurant, his new spot became Pat's.

Beyond the dishes enriched by the marinara, we found a mixed bag of results at the restaurant in the small plaza along Hartford Avenue.

Of the two soups we tried on our dinner visit, the chicken with rice -- boasting chunky pieces of meat and a flavorful broth -- was far superior to the clam chowder, which had the unlikely addition of carrots, too few clams and a broth that was more watery than creamy.

A Caesar salad had a delightfully light dressing with a nice hint of lemon. A garden salad arrived fresh and nicely appointed, with fresh carrots and tomatoes, and a creamy house Italian dressing.

But we made the mistake of ordering several seafood dishes.

The Gameroni Scampi entree had four overcooked jumbo shrimp. The menu said they would be sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and finished with wine and butter sauce. The sauce, however, was extremely salty, with nary a taste of the garlic that was promised. It was unpleasant enough to ruin the bed of pasta below.

Likewise, the Frutti di Mare al Forno, a baked seafood platter, was dry and tasteless.

It was the entree of Veal Parmigiana that shone that night: a huge plate of tender veal with that great marinara sauce and a side of penne.

Faux fires, imported chocolate

On the lunch visit, I stuck with the gnocchi and chicken parmigiana, and enjoyed the service of an attentive server.

At our dinner visit, little attention had been afforded our table, giving us lots of time to enjoy the kitschy-cute faux fire in the faux fireplace.

The restaurant's wine list is heavily weighted with lower-priced Italian wines like Bella Sera and Ecco Domani, but there is at least one pricey Italian red, a Brunello di Montalcino, available by the bottle.

Most desserts come from importer Bindi, except when Orlando finds time to make his homemade tiramisu. We tried a chocolate cake enriched with chocolate chips on top of the chocolate frosting, which made it a tasty end to the meal.

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Details, Details

Pat's Italian Restaurant, 1200 Hartford Ave., Johnston, (401) 273-1444. Casual. Reservations accepted only for six or more. Lunch menu available for take-out. Wheelchair accessible. High chairs available. No smoking. Open for lunch Tue.-Sat. from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; for dinner Tue.-Sat. 4 to 9:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 8:30 p.m. V, MC, DIS. Fronted by a parking lot. Appetizers are $7.95 to $10.95. Entrees $13.95 to $18.95. Lunch pastas and specials $7.95 to $12.95, sandwiches $4.75 to $6.95. Desserts $4.95 to $5.95. Most wines available by the glass for $4.25 to $5; $13 to $80 a bottle.

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If you like Luigi's in Johnston or the Blue Grotto or Casa Christine's in Providence, you'll like Pat's Italian Restaurant.

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Bill of fare

The bill for two at Pat's Italian Restaurant might look something like this:

Bowl of chicken soup . . . . . . . $3

Caesar salad . . . . . . . . . . . $5.95

Gnocchi in pink sauce . . . . . . $14.95

Vitello Cotoletta Parmigiana . . $16.95

Chocolate cake . . . . . . . . . . $5.95

Glass of Corvo Bianco . . . . . . $5

Glass of Moretti Beer . . . . . . .$3.50

Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4.42

Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.50

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .$68.22

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Pat's Italian Restaurant