Union

37 East Union St. Pasadena, CA

The kind of restaurant that could only exist in California, where the produce is better than most people’s relationships and the cooks treat a carrot like a religion.

The pasta, especially the Torchetti in pork ragu, walks the fine line between trendy and classically comforting. It’s the kind of dish that satisfies you beyond the limits of a big bowl of red sauce.

The flavors are bold, earthy, comfortingly rustic. There’s smoke, salt, and the deep satisfaction of something made by hand and served without fanfare. We went with another couple and left stuffed and more importantly, satisfied.