Italian food served with a Southwestern kick

Do not be fooled by the name — there is a lot more than pasta at Hasta la Pasta Italian Grill.

"We're heavy into grilled items," co-owner Alan Smith said. "It's more than just a pasta place."

The Italian restaurant is known for the Southwestern influence in its signature dishes. Its namesake entre ($14) comes with grilled chicken, beef or sauted shrimp tossed with roasted red, yellow and poblano peppers and jalapeo fettuccine in a cilantro cream sauce.

The Katy restaurant, one of six owned by Jeff and Susan Smith and Jeff's brother, Alan, has been a Katy staple for 11 years. Hasta la Pasta offers quality family dining and something for adults as well. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and offers dine-in, carry-out and catering.

"On the second and fourth weekends of every month we have live jazz in this room, which we call the cellar," Jeff said.

The cellar is a side banquet room where adults without children are served, and many civic organizations like to hold their meetings. The restaurant was recently remodeled, giving it a contemporary Italian feel. The menu, which is about to be revamped in November with new dishes, features everything from traditional spaghetti and meatballs ($7) to pizza ($11), seafood ($17) and ultimately the Filet Da Vinci ($27), a masterpiece tenderloin cut served on sauteed spinach and generously covered with mushrooms, peppercorns and a brown sherry wine sauce.

"That [steak] I'd put up against any steak around," Jeff Smith said.

Other house specialties include the Cannelloni Pepe ($12), the chicken or shrimp Penne Pesto ($14 or $16) or a chicken, shrimp or veal Picatta ($14-$17). Naturally, a fine Italian meal should be accompanied by good wine, of which there is a wide selection. Those with a taste for the Southwest may want a margarita or a drink from the full bar. The restaurant's house wine placed second this year in the wine competition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Hasta la Pasta won the Grand Champion in 2010 and 2011 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's Best Bites competition and took Reserve Grand Champion in this year's Best Bites competition.

Appetizer options include the spinach artichoke dip, bruschetta, calamari and the tortellini fritti. There are a number of dessert options and the pumpkin cheesecake is being featured in October and November.

Jeff said the restaurant tries to strike a balance between fine dining and affordability. The Smiths are also supportive of their communities. Each year the six restaurants give out gift certificates to teachers and students.

"We do about $90,000 worth retail per restaurant per school district," he said.

Owner recommendations

Hasta la Pasta—Grilled chicken, beef or sauted shrimp tossed with roasted red, yellow and poblano peppers and jalapeo fettuccine in cilantro cream sauce. ($14–$16)

Cannelloni Pepe—Ancho chile marinated chicken with ricotta cheese, rolled into pasta and topped with poblano cream, bacon, cilantro and diced tomatoes. ($12)

Penne Pesto chicken or shrimp—Fresh basil walnut pesto with cheese, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and extra virgin olive oil, tossed with chicken or shrimp over penne pasta. ($14–$16)

Salmon Sicily—Grilled salmon, tomatoes and capers in a lemon dill sauce over angel hair pasta. ($18)

Filet Da Vinci beef or pork—Tenderloin cut, served on sauted spinach with mushrooms and peppercorns in brown sherry wine sauce. ($27 beef, $16 pork)

Additional locations

• Hasta la Pasta Atascosita. 7681 FM 1960 E. Humble, 281-446-6414
• Hasta la Pasta Champions, 6915 Cypresswood Drive, Ste. A, Spring, 832-717-7676
• Catering: 281-398-8300, www.hastalapasta.com

Hasta la Pasta Italian Grill, 1450 W. Grand Parkway S., Katy, 281-392-0045, www.hastalapasta.com

Hours:

• Sun.–Thu., 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Fri.–Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.