My First Adventure At The All- New 'Pasta Buckets' In St Cloud

COMFORT FOOD COMES TO ST CLOUD

I thought I would try out our new St. Cloud restaurant Pasta Buckets on their first day being open, Monday, September 9th, 2024. I interviewed Brandon Gunderson, owner of Pasta Buckets and Urban Spoon Catering (which, by the way, you can book your groups now at 320.342.2016).

Brandon has been in the restaurant business for 32 years and has a love for homemade comfort food. His idea for Pasta Buckets came from being a busy Dad with three teenagers, and knowing how busy life can get with life, sports, and all the activities that come with having kids. "We created Pasta Buckets for simple, fast and oh so delicious food for you to order ahead and pick up, order inside and take out, or order for delivery. I am extremely excited to bring a little taste of Italy to your kitchen table."

Photo by Kelly Cordes, TSM St. Cloud

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MY EXPERIENCE ON OPENING DAY

I thought I would share my experience with you from beginning to end on opening day.

I placed my order at around 2 pm on their website: pastabucketsmn.com.
The ordering process was pretty smooth considering it was the first day of ordering. Everything was laid out perfectly; I just wasn't sure about a couple of the options, but there was a phone number to call if I needed any help. (BTW...I didn't need to call).
There were lots of options to choose from! Different sauces, bread, and various salads with a big variety of dressings and toppings to choose from.
They had a big variety of soda beverages and water.
I can't forget the amazing desserts. I had already tried their homemade chocolate chip cookies and delicious moist brownies before they opened and I was so impressed. The cookie recipe is his daughters, and if you like melt-in-your-mouth sweet yet salty chocolate chip cookies, you're going to love them!
The brownies are incredibly moist; they almost have a cream cheesy texture; soft, chocolaty and so yummy. They also offer homemade Gelato in a variety of flavors which I have not tried yet.

Photo by Kelly Cordes, TSM St. Cloud

ORDERING

The website is organized neatly and makes it clear what foods are included with your choice. It starts with Family Deals, then gives you Ala Carte offerings, followed by a great variety of protein offerings like meatballs, roasted chicken, hot and mild sausage, veggies, and finally dessert options.

Once you complete your purchase, you get a receipt that tells you the order number and what time it will be ready for pick up, or when it will be delivered.

My order was ready in 15 minutes, which was perfect timing for my drive over.

LOCATION

The location was easy to get into, as there was ample parking space. As soon as I walked through the big red door, I was at the counter and someone was there waiting for my arrival. They double-checked my order, separated the cold and hot items, and put them in separate bags. Past Buckets is located in the old Famous Dave's location behind Crossroads Mall.

Photo by Kelly Cordes, TSM St. Cloud

FLAVOR

By the time I got the food home, it was STILL HOT! Very impressive. I ordered a single serving of spaghetti with a meatball, an order of cookies, a garden salad with French dressing, and garlic bread.

The spaghetti was cooked to perfection. The sauce was so flavorful. It wasn't over-seasoned, and if you are someone that likes things extra salty, you could add it. I thought it was perfect the way it was. All of the food tasted just like home-made.

The bread was exactly the right size. I like to dip my bread in my spaghetti and it was perfect for dipping. The salad was fresh, cool and crisp! That's something you don't see every day. The cherry tomatoes were fresh and they gave me ample dressing for my salad. Finally I just had to get some cookies. There were 6 cookies in my serving, and just as good as the first time I ordered.