I Ate The Misfits Secret Pasta Every Week For A Month And Now I’m Snitching

Around the corner of the Punkee office, above The Redfern pub is Misfits: a dimly lit bar with a penchant for ‘70s iconography, pink neon lights, and live music for people who aren’t tired of acoustic hip hop covers. There’s craft beer, cocktails, and a diverse menu that includes classic burgers, share plates, and a selection of fresh pasta.

I was tipped off by a co-worker that an item on their pasta menu features an item simply titled Secret Pasta. There are no ingredients listed for this secret pasta, nor is there a price. Whispered secrets suggested that not only did the pasta change every week but to eat it was a life-changing experience.

I’ll admit, it’s not the sort of thing I would usually go for, especially when there is lamb ragu pappardelle literally right there. Who would gamble on dinner for an unspecified amount of money?

The answer is, of course, me; a travel writer who can expense the shit out of a month’s worth of weekly Secret Pasta in the interest of, I don’t know, the adventurous but ultimately risk averse dining public. 

Week 1 

My partner and I were seated in the dining section of Misfits. Careful to avoid spoilers I asked our server about the secret pasta, she confirmed that it does change every week and that was about all she could say about it.

Excited, albeit a little sceptical, I ordered the Secret Pasta and was met with a bowl of gnocchi with spinach, marinated eggplant, sun-dried tomato, finished with pine nuts and a basil infused olive oil.

I’m not going to lie, I was whelmed. Spinach, sun-dried tomato and marinated eggplant? I have that stuff at home. 

What I don’t have is that kicking basil olive oil which really seemed to tie all the elements together well. Especially the gnocchi, so pillowy and precise it could only be homemade. Each little dumpling was pan-fried delicately on either side adding delight to each bite.

As nice and fresh as it was, it still felt a little like something I could make at home but perhaps without the pine nuts (too expensive and not worth it!) and definitely without the same level of skill and precision. 

When I heard Secret Pasta I thought of those big scary wheels of cheese they toss your pasta in or some illegal truffle they have to smuggle in from the Pyrenees Mountains. I didn’t really picture veggie gnocchi. While delicious, I did have some major food regret when I tried my girlfriend’s lamb ragu pappardelle which is basically a hug in a bite.

And I was about to do it three more times.

Week 2

This time seated in the bar section, I ordered my Secret Pasta hoping the server didn’t realise/care that I was the same guy interrogating her about it exactly a week ago, wearing the same shirt no less.

This week, I was served parsley linguine with mushrooms, artichoke, pine nuts, parmesan, and a realisation that the Secret Pasta would likely be vegetarian every week.

Suitably cheesy and oily, this was an enjoyable bowl of pasta even if Misfits were going back to back with those damn pine nuts. The parsley linguine was cooked to perfection to a toothsome al dente that indicates a fresh preparation. 

The mushrooms were sautéed and seared to their true micro-organic potential, providing an intriguing contrast to the marinated artichoke. I’ll even admit, the pine nuts bought something to the party providing a nice textured crunch.

To put it simply, I wolfed it the fuck down. Once again I made the foolish mistake of trying my girlfriend’s dinner, this time the cheeseburger. Christ alive. As one of those people who got waaaay too invested in mid ‘10s burger culture I can confirm this is a tasty burger. 

But the burger would have to wait for me as I still had two more weeks in Secret Pasta Purgatory.

Week 3

Skipping an evening trip to the gym to visit Misfits again, I ordered our drinks and pasta (thanks again boss), sat in the bar area and wondered what the expression on my face must have looked like when I was served THE SAME PASTA.

There it all was again: parsley linguine, mushrooms, artichoke, pine nuts, parmesan. At least the server was different this time so I didn’t look like a complete psycho for coming back for secret pasta again and blasting her because she promised me it changed every week. 

I opted for a smaller entrée size which is a great option for people wanting to try a few things or a loser who is writing an article and who is almost getting sick of pasta.

The pasta was still delicious. To know my full thoughts just reread some of the above paragraphs but add a bit of extra salt due to my feeling of being misled, my familiar envy of my girlfriend’s ragu, and the physical extra salt that was added to the pasta on this occasion. A real improvement if I’m honest. I won’t whinge too much, I ate the whole thing.

Week 4

Guys it was the same pasta again.

When I asked the server what the secret pasta was she sort of laughed and said she’d find out for me. She never came back. It’s alright, I already knew what it was. 

It was still salty, toothsome, hot, fresh, delicious – all the good things. It wasn’t until halfway through I realised the pine nuts were missing which just backed up what I believed at the beginning of this whole quasi-journalistic journey: they are expensive and stupid.

Thankfully this time my girlfriend was kinder on me and ordered the cheeseburger with lettuce instead of a bun. How could I ever be jealous of that? For once I preferred my pasta. After all, three times a charm!

If you are in Redfern on an evening and are looking for a cosy, relaxed, and candlelit dinner/drinks you should check out Misfits. Those who order the Secret Pasta need not fear a ridiculously high price, outrageous ingredients, or really anything too exciting. Instead expect housemade pasta with exceptional vegetarian ingredients which may or may not be the same one as last week.