Fasta Pasta Review

Is it fasta or pasta?

Your reviewer was recently invited to eat at Fasta Pasta by some friends for a quick meal before hitting the town to pickle ourselves in fine broth. I was told the restaurant was great for "what it is."

Ah ha, I thought. What a lame attempt to describe a fine restaurant in Cairns! I must embark on a journey to discover what kind of restaurant, exactly, Fasta Pasta is.

Fasta Pasta is both restaurant and take-away shop. It's a strange concoction, but perhaps that's part of the appeal. I'll start with the food - it's good. All the pasta is fresh, which dramatically cuts down cooking time and also produces richer flavours and textures. The meals are simple, but satisfying and very tasty. They exceed their $10 to $12 price bracket considerably.

So far, we're experiencing the restaurant side of Fasta Pasta.

But the television tuned to "A Current Affair" in the corner of the room, the waitresses who appeared as though they'd rather have been somewhere else, and the loud racket created by other diners (which is completely out of their hands I might add. The wooden floors and solid walls create a chamber that becomes loud as people delve into their conversations) detracted from the classiness of the restaurant.

Now don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It certainly works for a lot of people because Fasta Pasta is extremely popular. But it's causing me a conundrum because I don't know how to class it. If it's great for "what it is" then what is it?

All the favourite pasta dishes are on offer: napolitana, puttanesca, carbonara, lasagne and spaghetti bolognese. The servings are quite large, and a main was all I required. Vegetarian pasta is also on the menu to cater to the growing crowd of cow avoiders, and other dishes include steaks, chicken and a selection of fresh salads.

Fasta Pasta says they are not in the fast food business. But by crickey, the food I ordered came quickly. I hadn't even downed my first beer by the time the food was plonked in front of me by a sour-faced waitress. I can forgive the waitress though, because the Ravioli Fiorentina she delivered was copious and delicious. The meat-filled pillows of pasta tossed with bacon, spinach, white wine, tomato and cream was a real treat.

So when it comes down to the verdict, your scribe must admit a firm decision has not been reached on the fast food/fine dining debate. The best I can come up with is that Fasta Pasta is an innovative concept that blurs the line. The good food, inexpensive prices, and family atmosphere are sure to make Fasta Pasta a big player in the restaurant/fast food market in Cairns. And it deserves it.

- Diner Diller

Fasta Pasta	Cairns CBD
Pasta that's fasta than the rest. For a quick, quality meal, Fasta Pasta is excellent value for money, and ideal for family dining. Laid back and informal, with a licensed bar.
cuisines: Italian features: A la carte, EFTPOS, Licensed review: Is it fasta or pasta? (21/3/2003) contact: (07) 40410388 | 68 Shields Street (Cnr Sheridan St)
Mini Reviews
Sean Mackedie	13th Feb 2008
My fiancé and I eat here all the time, it's our restaurant of choice in Cairns. Beautifully made pasta dishes that don't burn a hole in your pocket, with friendly staff and the quickest service I've ever experienced in a restaurant, I would recommend Fasta Pasta to anyone for any occasion from a quiet romantic meal with your loved one, to a fun night out with a bunch of your mates.
DAVID MCKEOWN	21st Sep 2006
On a recent trip over to Australia, myself and a group of friends went to FASTA PASTA and the food was excellent and not only that but there was 15 of us and they served all the food within 15 minutes it was excellent service and I would recommend anyone to try this restauarnt ,with it's cheap prices and good tastey food, you cannot go wrong. david mckeown ,England
Trisha Yearwood	30th Aug 2005
The food was great!
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