The green, curiously pie-shaped building at 1515 Westlake Ave. N. is home to one of this city’s more unique dining experiences.
Pasta Freska is Mike Horri’s brainchild and passion. Unlike every other dinner establishment, Horri will not hand you a menu. This is where diners go to be surprised.
Chatting with his customers, Horri, 53, develops a sense of their likes and dislikes. Out of that exchange he creates a customized menu and keeps the courses flowing: antipasto, Greek salad, seafoods, meats and pasta dishes — five to six, or eight to nine dishes, depending on the size of the courses. Dinner for two usually comes in under $60, excluding wine. Of course, there is wine. More on that in a moment.
Horri’s singular approach has a back-story, as one might imagine.
The Iranian immigrant worked as a restaurant cook while attending Bellevue Community College in the late 1970s. A friend of one of the waitresses introduced him to a family who needed someone to cook for them in their home when they were too busy to do it themselves.
One thing led to another and Horri found himself cooking for several Eastside families, a job that allowed him to hone his custom-cooking, customer-pleasing skills.
After college Horri worked for another restaurant, but in the spirit of all true entrepreneurs, “I decided I could do better on my own,” he recalled.
As co-owner of Pasta Bella on upper Queen Anne from 1989-2000, Horri established a loyal following. He opened Pasta Freska in 1997, working both restaurants until he decided to concentrate on his Westlake property.
One night a couple who always ordered the same thing asked him: “Why don’t you surprise us?” And so the Pasta Freska approach was born. On New Year’s Eve, 1999, he served 94 dinners; 90 of those were surprise dinners off the menu.
Now, there is no menu.
“We ask them if there’s anything they can’t have,” Horri said. “That goes for gluten free, dairy free, vegan.”
He also matches wine to people: “I can judge people’s tastes in wine based on our conversation,” Horri smiled. “I don’t make many mistakes.”
“People, when they come to Pasta Freska, they come with high energy,” he said. “When they’ve had a bad day they know where they can come.”
Horri observed that, when you get right down to it, people seem relieved not to have to make a decision on what to eat.
“I take full responsibility for making sure you are happy when you leave,” he said. “It matters to me how you feel.
”Mike Horri’s Pollo Piccata
(serves 4)
Ingredients
Chicken Breast 1 lb
Flour ½ cup
Mushroom 2 ozs
Yellow Onion 2 ozs
Salt & Pepper to your taste
Fresh Linguini 20 ozs
Garlic Minced 1 oz
Fresh Basil & Oregano a pinch
White Wine 11 ozs
Heavy Cream 4 ozs
Butter 2 ozs
Salad Oil 6 ozs
Lemon Juice 1 oz
Parmesan Cheese 4 ozs
Directions
Portion the chicken into two-ounce sizes, pound the portions into butterfly shape, flour, and fry it lightly in hot salad oil, then put it on the side. Throw mushrooms, salt and pepper, oregano, basil and garlic in the remaining oil and sauté until lightly brown. Add the wine to the mix; let it cook for about 4 minutes. Add the cream, the chicken and lemon juice to the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cook fresh linguini in boiling water to your taste (recommended 5 minutes). Drain the pasta and toss the parmesan cheese with the pasta and pour the sauce over it. Let it sit for 3 minutes and add the butter to it and stir the pasta mix very well and toss it up nicely.