Author: Jacob Goldstein
When it comes to cuisine, there is fine line between excitingly exotic and just plain strange. Old Town Pasadena’s Thaitalian, a Thai-Italian fusion restaurant, occupies the gray area between these two extremes. Located at 49 East Colorado Boulevard, it is the enigmatic place that everyone wonders about but never actually visits. Thai-Italian fusion? It could be absolutely delicious—or it could be an absolute failure. Better to let someone else eat there first and then report back.
Well, here is your report: Thaitalian is quite good, if somewhat inconsistent. For the most part, Thai-Italian fusion cuisine actually works. It is an unusual combination of flavors, but one that ultimately rewards the diner.
Thaitalian’s success lies in its use of fusion cuisine as more than a gimmick to gain attention. The restaurant takes their cuisine seriously, even going as far as to employ two executive chefs—one Italian and one Thai. The extensive menu boasts fusion appetizers, soups, salads, pastas and entrees, as well as traditional Italian pastas.
Unfortunately, all these fusion delights do not come cheap. Appetizers and salads cost around $10, pastas and pizzas are in the $10-13 range and entrees hover around $20. If you are a budget-minded college student, you will find yourself forgoing an appetizer and choosing your entrée carefully in order to minimize the bill.
Thankfully, the fusion aspect does not extend to the restaurant’s interior. Instead, the interior is modern and sophisticated, with muted colors, geometric wall décor and two long rows of banquet tables. The 21-and-over crowd should note that an attractive and well-stocked bar dominates the rear of the restaurant. Soft jazz plays in the background and friendly, efficient servers complete the picture, creating an atmosphere that is casual yet polished.
The attractive surroundings, however, can distract for only so long; inevitably, your mind is drawn back to the food. Can the kitchen really pull off a Thai-Italian fusion? While my meal yielded mixed results, there is no denying that the food at Thaitalian can be spectacular. In particular, the Green Curry Linguine represented the best of Italian and Thai cuisine. Moderately priced at $9.95, it combined perfectly al dente linguini with sautéed squash, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms and bell peppers. These disparate elements were held together by a delicious and creamy green curry sauce, flavored with basil, coconut milk and Thai spices.
Another solid entrée was the Thai Pesto Spaghetti ($9.95), a spicy, garlicky sauté of spaghetti and Asian vegetables. Though less impressive than the Green Curry Linguine, the dish also boasted fresh vegetables, and its pesto sauce—a powerful blend of basil and Thai spice—was both tasty and unique.
Unfortunately, not every dish at Thaitalian is a fusion breakthrough. Though I had high hopes for the Pad Thai Pizza—a personal pizza topped with chicken, mozzarella cheese, bean sprouts, broccoli, green onions, carrots and peanut sauce ($12.95)—it lacked cohesion, tasting disappointingly like pad thai thrown on top of an overly doughy pizza crust. It certainly confused my brain—my eyes were seeing pizza, but my mouth was tasting pad thai. While the pizza was not bad, it seemed like fusion for the sake of fusion; I could not think of a reason to blend the flavors of pizza and pad thai, other than to shock the diner.
Unfortunately, our dining experience was hurt by two service gaffes. After clearing our plates, the busser refilled our water glasses with warm water. Minutes later, our check arrived with two after-dinner mints, leaving our three-person party feeling a bit short-changed. Though minor, these errors were less forgivable given Thaitalian’s upscale ambitions.
Despite these criticisms, I would still recommend Thaitalian. While our meal had its inconsistencies, no dish was terrible and the unique nature of the cuisine made it easier to overlook the price and service issues. Moreover, you have got to love a restaurant that takes “fusion cuisine” down from its lofty perch and makes it available to the masses. Next time you are in Old Town, don’t just stare at Thaitalian’s menu—tap into your inner culinary adventurer and give the restaurant a try. Just make sure your parents are there to foot the bill.
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