Pacini's

Pacini's123 Freeport blvd. N.E.

While I've been out lately to eat, I've not gone anywhere interesting recently.  My sister had a craving for some good pasta and had heard about a place with a bread bar -it being one of our family's weaknesses, off we went.   
We arrived on a slightly chilly evening, but were greeted warmly by not one but three servers.   The first impression I had was it wasn't your usual airport hotel restaurant - which it happens to be - but it's a lot larger.   The second thing I noted, was for its remote location, it had a good buzz and a decent clientele for a Sunday evening as well.   Granted, it was a long weekend, but even so, it was a good sign.   The aroma of the restaurant also suggested that we were in for a good meal.

Oddly enough, the lounge area is in the middle of the restaurant, dividing up two 'restaurant' sections, but where we sat, felt a bit like the lounge itself, with long and low couches and height-appropriate tables.   The decor is modern but comfortable, so a bit unlike most of the rustic Italian eateries around town as well.   Our waiter brought us both sparkling and still waters, both being 'in-house' specialties, where they filter their own.   I have to admit I used to not like sparkling water very much, but over the years I've grown fond of it - but this just didn't have enough fizz in it, and was very near the still water anyways. 
  
As we perused the fairly extensive menu, we were informed of the 5 kinds of bread and multiple spreads for the bread bar in the back of the restaurant, along with the method to grill bread - namely, butter first, then onto the grill.   We made our selections and dove into the breads.    The focaccia with garlic butter was my favourite, though the pesto and the tomato basil weren't bad.   The breads at first felt a bit dry, but after the magic of the grill with butter, the bread became soft, warm, and crispy, and an excellent appetizer for the meal ahead.

Our dishes consisted of the Lasagna Fiorentina, the Lasagna Oceana, Pappardelle with Braised Meat Sauce, and a Pasta Mixta Generoso (Tortellini with a Rosata sauce, Spaghetti bolognese, and Fettucine Alfredo).   Overall the pastas were decent, though I found them slightly more cooked than I'd prefer.   The flavours were decent, but with the amount of bread I was having, I should have ordered something from the Grill instead of a pasta.  

We finished off the meal with a few desserts, including the Chocolicious, a chocolate cake that was serverd with a small jar of field berries and creme fraiche, a Panna Cotta, and a Raspberry Sorbet.  The desserts were excellent, and we finished them off pretty quickly.   

Overall, I'm decently impressed with the restaurant as a whole - and I'm going to have to go back to try a few other things on the menu.   

Taste:  7.0 - As mentioned, I prefer slightly more al dente pasta, and the sauces themselves felt a bit generic, without much pizzazz.   Great bread bar though.

Presentation:  7.5 - Large wooden spoons were in each bowl of pasta, and I'm really not sure what you're supposed to do with them unless you're spanking kids.   

Ambiance:   8.0 - decently modern, nothing tacky or out of the ordinary

Service:   8.0 - Our waiter didn't have any inkling of how to pronounce anything Italian, and for an Italian restaurant, a bit odd.  Otherwise, friendly and fast.

Prices:   $15-22 per entree