The At New School Of Cooking - Pasadena

A great addition to the food scene in Pasadena. Come learn how to cook. Also enjoy some meals prepared at the restaurant.

9/9/14 diner experience @7PM Restaurant quasi empty. Sparsely any customer for good reasons: Table service: deplorable. Waiter spilled sauce on guest's coat while serving and didn't even notify guest (we noticed our soiled coat only after leaving restaurant). 1 waiter didn't know who ordered what even though there were only 4 of us, didn't even bother to ask, just served wrong plate and let us switched plates by ourselves. When asked whether she got me Medium as ordered, she replied that if I ordered Medium then my plate is Medium !!! Presentation of the main dish: below average. Not appealing. Low esthetic level. Quality: beef not tender, borderline leather. Non stylish Fusion cuisine with no apparent character. Accompanying sauce too salty, masking everything. Price: too expensive for quality of food. Had to ask for bread which by the way, is the best of the whole meal.

Definitely a unique experience. It's great that the school offers a class where the students make a 3 5 course meal and you actually get to enjoy it! It's always a hit or miss though, since it is in fact a class. Some days you really get your money's worth and other days you can tell the student is still very much in his/her learning stages. Last time I ordered the cod which is extremely salty. Get the filet mingon as your main entree. The appetizers and dessert are subject to change depending on season. You definitely get your money's worth though for the experience in itself. Where else can you pay $25 and get 3 courses? FYI make your reservations way in advance.

I visited the restaurant for lunch on a Monday and ordered the French dip sandwich, which was advertised on the menu as being made with gruyere cheese. However, it arrived with cheddar instead, which is simply unacceptable as it changes the entire essence of the dish. I also had a salad with grilled shrimp, which was decent, but unfortunately, the shrimp were only partially cooked and had raw centers. The portion sizes were modest, and the wait time for our food was longer than expected. Overall, the meal felt quite pricey given the quality and experience. On a positive note, the staff was very pleasant and accommodating. One of the chefs even came over during our meal to check on us, which I appreciated. The restaurant itself is lovely, featuring a bright, airy atmosphere with wonderful high ceilings. However, based on this visit, the quality of the food did not justify the cost. It's not surprising that the place was nearly empty during my visit.

I’ve gone here for lunch multiple times, and I really enjoy it. The interior is spacious and renovated, but it has a cozy feel rather than being overly modern. The sandwiches and pastas are all excellent. Their fixed menu is a fantastic value, offering a salad, a slightly smaller entrée, and a pastry for just $10. I highly recommend this spot for lunch!