24-year-old LRCC student opens Pasta Patio restaurant on Rte. 3 in Belmont

BELMONT — "It's my first restaurant. I've always wanted to open a restaurant, and, with a lot of assistance from my family, I've been able to do that,'' says Shaun Broers, 24, who last week opened the Pasta Patio at the site of the former Garden Oasis on Rte. 3.

Broers says that he's always loved Italian food, which he says is probably America's favorite food, and is proud of the extensive menu that his family-friendly restaurant is offering for its customers.

''We have eight different kinds of scampi and all of the traditional Italian dishes, stuffed pastas, Alfredos, piccatas as well as specials like a porter house cut veal chops and seafood fra diablo,'' says Broers, who says that the restaurant has had a steady stream of customers since it opened on January 16.

''Everyone loves Italian and this fills a need in the area. We're very pleased with the reception we've had so far and want to keep people coming back,'' he says.

Broers, who is a business major at Lakes Region Community College, grew up in Ashland and is a graduate of Plymouth High School. He and his wife, Courtney, live in Meredith and have a three-year-old daughter Leyna.

''I had an uncle who owned restaurants and that's always been one of my passions,'' says Broers, who has spent the last four months working to get the restaurant up and running.

''We had to do a lot of remodeling. The restaurant originally was set up almost cafeteria style and we had to change that and give it a more casual, relaxing atmosphere so that it would be a good dining experience. I think we've done that and made it a place where people feel comfortable and have a sense of privacy and intimacy while dining. We put in a middle wall to separate the lounge area from the rest of the restaurant and create some smaller spaces for our customers,'' says Broers.

He says that the restaurant offers soup and salad and specials at lunch and free salad and bread at every table along with its nightly specials.

Broers said he worked with the kitchen staff to create a menu filled with Italian favorites but which also includes American influenced dishes such as baked haddock, tenderloin tips and rib eye steak and filet mignon.

One of the family-friendly features of the restaurant, along with its well-rounded kids' menu, is an ice cream bar in the back corner which provides a free sundae for children who are dining with their families.

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and has a full wine list with over 20 varieties. Entrees range from $8 to $20 and take-out orders are available by calling 528-4443.

Broers says that when warm weather arrives one of the big attractions will be Pasta Patio's 48 seat patio where outdoor dining will be offered.

PHOTO CAPTION

Amelia Donovan of the Pasta Patio offers up a bottle of wine to accompany the Seafood Fra Diablo entree. The restaurant opened last week on Rte. 3 in Belmont. (Roger Amsden/for The Laconia Daily Sun)