It’s not unusual to find fresh pasta in Greenville restaurants, but it is unusual to find it christened with names like White Lightening and The Gitty Up. Such monikers illustrate the cowboy theme that Chef Jason Saunders has adopted for Spaghetti Westurn, the neighborhood restaurant he opened last August.
“We take traditional Italian dishes, put our own twist on them, and package them in a playful and fun way,” says the Asheville-born chef of his “casual honky tonk,” whose name is a reference to the Western films made in Italy in the 1960s and ’70s.
Those same classic movies run silently on flat screens over the bar, while Conway Twiddy and Waylon Jennings croon in the background.
Saunders is no tenderfoot in the kitchen. His culinary résumé includes several years working with Jacob Sessoms at Table in Asheville, as well as helping Michael Kramer open Jianna—the job that brought him to Greenville five years ago. “From Jacob, I learned food and tying in the history and the cultures of food. Kramer taught me a whole new set of skills—the business side of running a restaurant.”
At Spaghetti Westurn, pasta is made from scratch (except the gluten-free version).
Ditto for the sauces, many of which are prepared à la minute. “We make it right then and there in the pan,” Saunders says.
The chef hopes that during the time you’re in his restaurant you’re focused on what—and who—is in front of you. At its heart, Spaghetti Westurn is all about family and familiar comfort food.
Spaghetti Westurn, 2728 Wade Hampton Blvd. (864) 242-8277, spaghettiwesturngvl.com. Open Tues–Sat, 4–9pm.
Recommended dishes at Spaghetti Westurn
Mosey on over and try these chef-endorsed dishes:
Do You Even Gnocchi?
“You might want a spoon with our ricotta gnocchi—one of our most popular dishes—because it’s a brothy one.
The gnocchi is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, with nice smoked brisket, tomatoes, zucchini, and a wonderful sauce that makes people tip the bowl up [to drink it].”
Fogata Ricotta
Incorporating a mix of flavors and textures—fluffy whipped ricotta, honey, pickled grapes, grilled bread, balsamic vinegar—fogata or “campfire” ricotta is intended to engage all the senses. “I love that it’s very comfortable and communal,” says the chef. “You don’t even need a fork; you just get in there with the bread and hopefully it engages conversation.”
Pesce Devil
“My favorite pastas are very saucy, to give you something to dip your bread in.
This one comes with shrimp and chunks of salmon, garlic, and squid-ink lumache. It’s in a chile broth so it’s got a little kick, and it’s hearty without being full of cream and butter.
I enjoy the contrast of red and black on the plate.”
Prairie Dog
“I love the color and the crunch from the breadcrumbs, and the radiatore pasta really collects that sauce. ‘Kilt’ greens [a mix of Tuscan kale, ruby red chard, and spinach, depending on what’s available] are flash-fired in a hot pan. I prefer kale because it holds up in the dish and just kind of wilts into it.”
Photography by Paul Mehaffey
