There always seems to be a crowd when I walk by the Old Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square. Throngs of diners are usually waiting their turn to eat in what has to be one of Salt Lake City's busiest restaurants and maybe one of the area's biggest, with a seating capacity of 300.
While I have shrugged off its success as formula fare, inexpensive and quickly served non-descript food in an antique cluttered interior, I was intrigued when my 11-year-old said she wanted to go there for a birthday dinner. Usually she exhibits her father's champagne tastes and goes for more expensive cuisine in restaurants that serve her favorite, New York steak and shrimp. Even after I explained to her that this was not an upscale pasta place like Fresco Italian Cafe or Baci Trattoria, she still wanted to give it a try. And I began to feel remiss in not having reviewed what might be one of the area's more popular restaurants.It doesn't take long to understand the ingredients that contribute to the Old Spaghetti Factory's success. The interior is spread out, with many items of nostalgia and smaller dining areas inside, including ornate chandeliers, polished hardwood furnishings, something called "bedbooths" where diners sit in a brass bed frames, Tiffany light shades, and, in the center, an old trolley car. The clutter prevents a cavernous feeling.
The service is prompt, almost breathy, as the personnel hustle to and fro amid the closely arranged tables. We never needed to remind them to fill a water glass or replace an order of sourdough bread (which was very good incidentally, though the plain and garlic butters were whipped to an airy and almost tasteless froth). On the other hand, they have little time to answer questions about the bill of fare, which is rather straightforward and, except for one dish of tortellini and fettucine, all spaghetti.
We were told that the somewhat bland sausage with one of our orders is made locally by "Mama's somebody or other" and the rather sweet, almost nutty flavor, of the Alfredo sauce reportedly came from "the Romano cheese" (though it technically should be Parmesan).
But we could not fault our waiter. He handled our order, as well as those nearby, quickly. Considering that our bill for the four of us was a little more than $20, each of the entrees average around $5, his 15 percent tip was more than well-deserved.
Most of the dishes we sampled suffered from a controlled normality. A recommended salad dressing, creamy pesto, was creamy, but the garlic and basil flavors were muted. It was white with specks of basil. It should at least have been green. Nor were our palates challenged by the white clam sauce, with barely a hint of clams or white wine.
Two of the other sauces were more distinctive and flavorful. Both the mushroom and fresh tomato sauce had texture and taste, as did the browned butter and mizithra cheese sauce. In each of the four dishes we sampled, the pasta was prepared al dente, and the servings were more than ample.
The dozen or so entrees come with a dinner salad, warm loaves of sourdough bread, a beverage and Spumoni ice cream. The ice cream, mostly chocolate with some berry and vanilla strands, lacked any of the customary nuts or bits of dried fruit that typify more traditional Spumoni. But it did reflect the safe and ordinary nature of most of the dishes featured at the Old Spaghetti Factory, perhaps the very reason for its longevity and success.
Rating: **1/2
The Old Spaghetti Factory, 189 Trolley Square, 602 E. 500 South, 521-0424. Also located in Family Center, Midvalley, 5718 S. 1900 West, 966-2765. Open for lunch, Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dinner served seven days a week, from 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 4 p.m. on Sunday. Later hours on Friday and Saturday. Major credit cards and check with guarantee card accepted. No reservations accepted.
-NOTE: I recently received a short letter and menu from Pierre Country Bakery announcing an upcoming fall menu as well as the locations for their authentic French bread. During several conversations with fellow bread lovers I discovered to my dismay that they still had not discovered Pierre's sensational French bread. It is now being served in several local restaurants as well as in nine larger grocery stores. For late summer picnics or just a trip to buy this wonderful bread, visit the bakery and deli at 3239 E. 3300 South. Be sure to ask to see the imported ovens.