I recently heard about Fabio’s Original Fresh Pasta and simply had to go visit. Good fresh pasta is not only luxurious; it’s the basis for many easy dinners at home. I called to ensure they were open on Saturdays and headed out with a few family members in tow.
The website has not been updated, so I was confused on where to go at first. A second phone call got us headed in the right direction to the clearly marked building at 2129 W. Alabama. They are not located at 212 Westheimer, the location of the Fabio’s restaurant that opened in 2001 and closed earlier this year.
Owner Fabio Milano has decided, for now at least, to get out of the restaurant business and focus entirely on the pasta his company turns out for clients such as the Mandolas and Carrabbas. They also supply pasta for first-class meals on Continental Airlines.
Milano has been selling fresh pasta to the public since 1979 when he worked for Marco’s Pasta Factory in the Village. Six years later he bought the place, renamed it Milano’s Pasta Factory and later sold it.
The current Fabio’s Original Fresh Pasta is in the process of moving equipment from Fabio’s restaurant, installing coolers and setting up a full kitchen in the back room. As of Wednesday, December 28, they will be able to sell prepared lasagna, homemade marinara, pesto, Alfredo and other sauces.
The pasta production, however, is already in full swing. In the preparation area, we saw rounds of fresh pasta being filled with a lobster mixture and turned into ravioli. A big bowl of immaculate semolina flour stood at the ready.
Of the fresh pasta offerings, what intrigued me most were the full-sized lasagna sheets. Instead of buying noodles from the grocery store and dealing with gaps or overlaps, I could have restaurant-style sheets for proper coverage of my filling.
On the day we visited, beautiful green jalapeño cilantro and lovely red tomato lasagna sheets were both available. Milano says he makes them every day. I bought a pack of huge green sheets to try out that night at home. We cut off merely a third the 11” x 21” sheets so they would fit in our lasagna pan, so there was plenty left over for future use. (Note: The sheet could even be used for ravioli with homemade filling.)
Milano sent us home with two samples of tiramisu imported from Italy. You can buy a piece for $6.50 or a big slab to feed dessert to a crowd. The price of a large piece depends on how much you need. Referring to the price per-piece, he said, “It’s not cheap, but because we import it from Italy, ingredients like the mascarpone are authentic.” I tried some, and I’m pretty sure it is the best tiramisu I’ve had. Hints of dark chocolate and definitive coffee flavors where there, but they never threatened to take over the delicate mascarpone cream. They were all players on the same team, and it was my mouth that was winning.
Other items available during our visit were fresh taglierini and linguine. Mezzaluna and ravioli could be had with a variety of fillings, including eggplant and spinach with cheese. Pricing for all of the fresh pastas is by-the-pound and is quite reasonable. According to the price list on the website (which Milano says is still correct), regular pasta is $3.75 per pound, flavored is $3.85 per pound, and frozen items (such as ravioli and tortellini) are $8.50 per pound.
After our visit to Fabio’s Original Fresh Pasta (and consulting my Flavor Guide for some ideas on how to compliment the pasta) dinner was the jalapeño cilantro lasagna with lamb, feta, parmesan, ricotta, onion, garlic and a blend of seasonings. The texture of the noodles was tender and far superior to typical, curly-edged, dry pasta. No boiling was required. Just make sure to use sufficient sauce.
FABIO’S ORIGINAL FRESH PASTA, 2129 W. Alabama just west of S. Shepherd, 713-528-4212. Hours are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday.