Some may not judge a book by its cover but many judge their choice of dinner by the appearance of the restaurant. Well, maybe not many. Okay, maybe only me—but my exterior snobbery caused me to miss out on one of the best kept secrets in Simpsonville, SC. That is, until last night.

The Pasta House, located on 635 N.E. Main Street (directly across from the Simpsonville Post Office) sits between a dog grooming business and a laundromat so it remained in my peripheral vision for five years. Shame on me!

Friendly faces and a waft of Italian deliciousness greet you at the door. It’s not a fancy place, but it’s clean and very pleasant. The staff is top-notch—we never wanted for anything. I ordered the Shrimp Scampi, and at the risk of sounding like my Aunt Nell (who proclaimed this at every meal) — it WAS the best meal I could remember in a long time. The shrimp was cooked to perfection in garlic, butter, lemon, and a white wine sauce. The portions are large enough for two people (we split our meal and brought half home for lunch).

But the best part? It’s an incredible bargain! Every entree includes: soup or salad (Brian said the creamy chicken soup was amazing), garlic bread, drink, dessert, and coffee. All of this with my Shrimp Scampi was only 13.95! They have great kid’s deals during the week as well as lunch specials.

I can’t close without mentioning the delectable dessert that followed my meal — homemade NY style cheesecake. Enough said.

If you live anywhere in this vicinity, you’ll want to give The Pasta House a try.

It’s simply magnifico!