As far as fast food goes, Paisano?s Pasta is the Italian Panda Express.

The sounds of sausages sizzling met our ears as we walked into Paisano’s. The man behind the counter welcomed us with a big smile and invited us to try all the pastas, from bowtie to angel hair.

Though the location in front of the Wal-Mart on Palm and Herdon poses a possibility to throw off many from ever tasting Paisano’s Pasta, the food outshines the location.

Inside, the restaurant incorporates New York-style fast food Italian. This place suits pretty much any group, from people in a hurry and on the road to a family looking for somewhere to eat and chat. The menu prices are cheap, ranging from $4-$9.

The cleanliness of the restaurant immediately caught my attention. The tables, chairs, and even floor proved exceptionally clean.

The mobility of tables makes the thought of bringing a large group to lunch or dinner very inviting. There is also a large television that plays a video tour guide of several of the biggest and most famous Italian cities. Exposure to the cultures of Venice, Rome and Florence are what to expect while eating.

Behind the counter were all my favorite pastas including rigatoni and fettuccine and some unfamiliar ones like rotille. Also, sauces like pesto, meat marinara and cheese were kept warm behind the lit counter, alongside other topping ready to be included in the dish.

Paisano’s also has a menu of classic favorites like fettuccine alfredo or spaghetti and meatballs.

As Raine Hayes, ’12, and I scoured the menu for something interesting to eat, I came across a bowl filled with spinach-flavored linguine mixed with broccoli, mushrooms, olives and topped off with a pesto sauce complimented by a creamy alfredo. This dish cost $6.99.

The pasta tasted, at some points, too much like broccoli, but the perfectly cooked pasta made up for any rogue veggie flavors. While the food felt a little spongy and the veggies too crunchy, the plate definitely encouraged me to return to Paisano’s.

Raine decided to build her own pasta and chose a classic cheese sauce on top of a basic favorite: pasta shells (in Italian, conchiglie). This cost roughly $5.

Besides the great flavors of the pasta dishes, the servings were also satisfactory because of their sheer size. Paisano’s topped the plates off with more than needed and the food on our plates warmed us right up. Everything looked and tasted splendid. We almost could not finish the fresh, buttered bread that came as our side!

The food tastes like comfort food, especially to any sucker for Italian. The restaurant also offers a free gelato (Italian ice cream) to finish off every meal!

Paisano’s brings out its food out in a simple and educating way. I would recommend this place to all interested and even those a little hesitant about fast-food Italian. For those in a hurry who want something good and quick to eat, Paisano’s tops the rest.

Paisano’s is open Sun.-Thurs. 10:30am-9pm and Fri.-Sat. 10:30am-10pm. For more information, call (559) 261-1800. For more restaurant reviews, visit Danielle Ricchiuti’s Nov. 25 article, Cabo Wabo customers hang loose.