Although Italians originally invented pasta as a fastener to keep Sicily from floating away, they abandoned it for less-delicious moorings after locals on both sides kept snacking their way toward separation. Tether your taste buds to today's Groupon: for $10, you get $21 worth of authentic Italian cuisine from Pallino Pastaria Company. This deal is good at any of Pallino's six locations.

Pallino serves up a menu of fresh, made-to-order Italian specialties in a casual setting inspired by family gatherings and leisurely bocce games. Antipasti such as roasted garlic and cheese flatbread ($5.95) prep palates for main dishes and help patrons evade amorous vampire kisses. Featuring braised beef and pork with Chianti-spiked tomato sauce and a whisper of cream, mama's meat sauce with rigatoni ($8.95) banishes any doubt about how mama used to get her little noodles to sleep through the night. Pizzas round out the menu with combinations including prosciutto and roasted fig ($6.95/$12.49) and Italian sausage and mushroom ($6.95/$12.49), and paninis ($4.75 for a half; $6.95 for a whole) come with a choice of warm chips or carrot sticks, which are less warm, but make up for it with their svelte figures and pretty faces. Decadent gelato is maneuvered into an array of desserts—it's squeezed between two cookies in gelato sliders ($5.95), topped with espresso and whipped cream in an affogato ($3.50), and bobbing in a soda float, flavored with a choice of syrup ($4.95). Most importantly, the friendly staff and quick service will allow you to make the most of a hearty dinner enjoyed in the clean dining room or as a speedy carryout order.

Reviews

Pallino Pastaria Company was featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Yelpers give the University Village Mall location a three-star average and the Columbia Center Tower location a 3.5-star average. Seven Citysearchers give the Issaquah location a four-star average:

• I'm always let down by food court lunch, but this pizza was actually fresh and hot and good crispy crust. Not your average food court type pizza. – Charla M., Yelp