NoVa Supper Club: Hanks Pasta Bar

Last week I had an opportunity to meet for dinner with some of my fellow Yelpers. I was ecstatic that Alexandria my hood was chosen and I wouldn't have to battle traffic to make it out. Also, I'd been dying to try Hank's Pasta Bar ever since it opened and this was the perfect excuse to dine out.

I love the Industrial feel

Cute Decor for the win

I arrived a few minutes late but I was still able to find free, yes free street parking. I will say if you decide to visit after reading this post go a few minutes early to find free parking, lol. The restaurant is on the corner lot and a bit small. However, upon entering, you can tell that it's filled with so much personality. This Italian restaurant bypasses the traditional uppity vibe and has a trendy down to earth vibe.

Luckily the good peeps from Yelp as well as fellow Yelpers already had a table reserved. We had an awesome waiter that was very familiar with the menu and offered several recommendations when asked. The complimentary seasoned oyster crackers were sooo good; kinda reminded me of the Goldfish they give at their "sister restaurant" Hank's Oyster Bar. We started off with a few appetizers which consisted of Grilled Baby Octopus, Burrata, and Mussels.  This was my first time having grilled baby octopus and although it was seasoned well I wasn't a fan of the texture. But I'm really happy that I tried it.

For my entree, I thought I'd get the Carbonara that I saw in the pics I'd stalked earlier, however it was no longer on the menu. I asked the waiter for his opinion and I went with the Beef Bolognese Lasagna which was such a great choice. There was also a lot of it on the plate. I made sure to eat only half so I could have leftovers for work smart girl as well as make room for dessert. For the dessert I went with the Key Lime Pie because I'd had it at their other restaurant and it tasted just as I remembered. If I wan't trying to get fine for the Summer I definitely would have got another slice!!!

If you're in Alexandria, definitely give Hank's Oyster Bar a try and let me know what you think.