cento pasta bar | west adams

fork + knife rating: 4

neighborhood: west adams
cuisine: modern italian
highlights: bar seats // open kitchen // pasta, pasta, pasta
menu must-haves: spicy pomodoro, banana pudding tiramisu


Three words: run, don’t walk.

Coming from one of the planet’s most die-hard pasta lovers, Cento Pasta Bar in West Adams is everything I dreamed it would be and more. I had heard very good things and couldn’t wait to try it (although, I ended up having to wait quite a while as we had to move our reservation four times for various reasons). BUT this place was certainly worth the wait. I’m happy to confirm Cento lived up to all of the hype and hubbub. And while I’m not sure how to pronounce it correctly (is it a soft “c” or a “ch”?), I AM sure that I will be back soon.

Let’s start with the ambiance, which is A+. “Pasta Bar” isn’t a fun, metaphorical name — while there’s a nice outdoor patio area, if you sit inside you’re sitting around a large, wrap-around white bar. And as a girl who always prefers a bar seat, I love this concept. Enclosed in the bar is the entire kitchen staff at their various stations, ferociously cooking and plating every dish as you get a front row seat to the action. The environment is bright and lively and exciting. The service is wonderful. And whoever made the playlist did a great job selecting solid bops. “This place is great”, I think.

And then the food starts coming out, and it’s abundantly clear that I’ll need to find a better word than “great”.

I’ll take you through what we ordered. Try not to drool all over your device.

charred octopus with romesco at cento

charred spanish octopus

romesco // potato // celery

It’s hard to find perfectly-cooked octopus — one that’s charred and crispy on the outside without getting tough. In a flavorful romesco sauce that you’ll want to keep dipping into, this one delivers.

spicy pomodoro pasta with ricotta at cento

spicy pomodoro

calabrian chili // truffle // ricotta // basil

The spicy pomodoro seems to be the universal favorite of Cento’s pastas, and I definitely see why. That homemade pasta shape is unbeatable, it’s just spicy enough, and the basil-ricotta combination freshens it up. Even for someone who doesn’t love truffle, this was an A+ pasta.

sweet corn agnolotti pasta with creme fraiche at cento

sweet corn agnolotti

charred corn // creme fraiche // old bay

This sweet corn agnolotti wins for most interesting dish, and the flavors worked so mouthwateringly well that together that I’m pretty sure it wins my favorite of the night.

beet spaghetti pasta with whipped ricotta at cento

beet spaghetti

beet // brown butter // poppy // whipped ricotta // chive

Another signature dish of theirs, the beet spaghetti is one of the prettiest pastas on the menu. But this one’s definitely a bit more of an acquired taste.

broccoli bucatini pasta with burrata and bread crumbs at cento

nonna’s broccoli bucatini

garlic // pecorino // burrata // bread crumbs

A fresh, veggie-forward pasta that feels super light even amongst all that cheese. The flavor won’t knock your socks off but it’s still good enough to leave no noodle behind.

And the grand finale: Banana Pudding Tiramisu. No words necessary.

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