I just ate at Buca di Beppo for the first time after never eating pasta growing up. Here's what I thought.

If Hollywood is to be believed, Italian-American restaurants are where life happens.

As a kid watching these movies, I could almost smell the red sauce through the screen. I'd had spaghetti once at my neighbor's house, and it was everything my Chinese immigrant mom never let me eat: meaty, carby, and greasy. We never ate at restaurants, and dinner at home was usually rice, veggies, and maybe some pork bits tossed in there for flavor.

My mom, who grew up in a labor camp during a famine, then had a particular attitude towards food: you have it, so stop complaining. One day, she finally yielded to my relentless begging for spaghetti, dumped a can of tomato chunks onto some boiled noodles, and that was that. (Love you, Mom!)

I first learned about Buca di Beppo at the ripe old age of 24. My friends, who were shocked, tried to explain it to me: Italian-ish food, big portions, chain restaurant. From this description, I failed to see how it was different from Olive Garden. Oh, how wrong I was .

Less than a year later, I found myself on a pilgrimage to the meatball mecca itself with retail's visual features fellow Priscilla Zhu. Here's how our journey went.

We rode the subway to the Buca di Beppo in Times Square, New York. There are 76 US locations in this chain.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

On the outside, the place looked like it had seen better days. Only some of the signs letters remained lit.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was in the same building as a Planet Hollywood. Buca di Beppo and Planet Hollywood are owned by the same parent company.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Upstairs, we entered a dimly lit dark wood dining area that was decked out in Valentines Day decor.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Even though wed arrived around 1 p.m., only two other tables were occupied.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But the jigsaw-like mosaic of black-and-white photos on the wall, the classic red checkered tablecloths, and the oldies playing over the loudspeaker stirred something in me.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Sure, its kitschy. But a place can be both kitschy and genuinely charming.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

We ordered an insane amount of food, but we started with the customizable Buca Trio appetizer platter. We chose calamari, spicy shrimp, and mozz sticks.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Everything was fried to perfection and dusted with parsley.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The calamari were tender, crispy, and well-seasoned.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The spicy shrimp were fresh and garlicky, and they had just the right amount of kick to them.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The mozzarella sticks were actually triangles, but their shape did not detract from their taste.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Beneath a buttery layer of delicate breading was the kind of melted cheese that made us go "ooh!"

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Dense, gooey, and elastic, the mozzarella stretched for miles.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Our waiter ferried over plates of soup and salad, chicken parmesan, and lasagna.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

We started with the soup, which looked rich and creamy.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was, but unfortunately all the flavors in the soup were overpowered by salt.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Our green salad also contained red tomatoes, purple onions, and black olives.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was nothing to write home about, but it about met my expectations for a salad served at an Italian joint.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I dug into the thick tangle of fettuccine alfredo.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The pasta was dense and thick, and the cream was rich.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I found the alfredo a bit plain, but once I reached the other side of the plate, I understood why.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The crispy chicken parmesan was juicy and bursting with flavor. Its topping of cheese and rich tomato sauce seeped gladly into its crust.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Delicious though it was, it was so rich that alternating bites of chicken and pasta seemed the thing to do.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Next, I turned my attention to the cube of lasagna in meat sauce.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The lasagna was less impressive than the chicken parm. What was that mysterious block of white on top? Perhaps once it was cheese.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Unfortunately, the lasagna had spent a little too much time in Chef Mike. It was dry, hard, and unappetizing aside from the meat sauce.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I am referencing this infamous Gordon Ramsay moment.

Our spaghetti, which wed ordered later, arrived midway through the meal. I wanted that "Lady and the Tramp" moment.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was topped with red sauce and the biggest, juiciest meatball I had ever seen.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But I shouldnt have judged this spaghetti by its gorgeous looks.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Although it gave me the pasta pull Id been dreaming of all my life, it tasted kind of like nothing.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It would have been better with the sauce that topped the chicken parm or the lasagna.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But in the end, we were pretty satisfied with our meal. Red checkered tablecloths just make pasta taste better.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Even though we were stuffed, we still had one thing left to do: dessert.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Wed ordered a family portion of tiramisu. The kitchen had made it fresh for us.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was a dense brick of cold, buttery mascarpone and thin layers of espresso-soaked cake.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But although it was heavy weight-wise, it was light in flavor. The cheese tasted more like cream, and the espresso cake layers were rather thin.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Still, for two red-sauce rookies, Buca di Beppo had been a solid first step. And itll definitely be worth a return trip, especially if appetizers are on the table.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Most importantly, what was imperfect at Buca has inspired me to expand my journey to local restaurants in search of that perfect plate of spaghetti.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I just ate at Buca di Beppo for the first time after never eating pasta growing up. Here's what I thought.

We rode the subway to the Buca di Beppo in Times Square, New York. There are 76 US locations in this chain.

On the outside, the place looked like it had seen better days. Only some of the signs letters remained lit.

It was in the same building as a Planet Hollywood. Buca di Beppo and Planet Hollywood are owned by the same parent company.

Upstairs, we entered a dimly lit dark wood dining area that was decked out in Valentines Day decor.

Even though wed arrived around 1 p.m., only two other tables were occupied.

But the jigsaw-like mosaic of black-and-white photos on the wall, the classic red checkered tablecloths, and the oldies playing over the loudspeaker stirred something in me.

Sure, its kitschy. But a place can be both kitschy and genuinely charming.

We ordered an insane amount of food, but we started with the customizable Buca Trio appetizer platter. We chose calamari, spicy shrimp, and mozz sticks.

Everything was fried to perfection and dusted with parsley.

The calamari were tender, crispy, and well-seasoned.

The spicy shrimp were fresh and garlicky, and they had just the right amount of kick to them.

The mozzarella sticks were actually triangles, but their shape did not detract from their taste.

Beneath a buttery layer of delicate breading was the kind of melted cheese that made us go "ooh!"

Dense, gooey, and elastic, the mozzarella stretched for miles.

Our waiter ferried over plates of soup and salad, chicken parmesan, and lasagna.

We started with the soup, which looked rich and creamy.

It was, but unfortunately all the flavors in the soup were overpowered by salt.

Our green salad also contained red tomatoes, purple onions, and black olives.

It was nothing to write home about, but it about met my expectations for a salad served at an Italian joint.

I dug into the thick tangle of fettuccine alfredo.

The pasta was dense and thick, and the cream was rich.

I found the alfredo a bit plain, but once I reached the other side of the plate, I understood why.

The crispy chicken parmesan was juicy and bursting with flavor. Its topping of cheese and rich tomato sauce seeped gladly into its crust.

Delicious though it was, it was so rich that alternating bites of chicken and pasta seemed the thing to do.

Next, I turned my attention to the cube of lasagna in meat sauce.

The lasagna was less impressive than the chicken parm. What was that mysterious block of white on top? Perhaps once it was cheese.

Unfortunately, the lasagna had spent a little too much time in Chef Mike. It was dry, hard, and unappetizing aside from the meat sauce.

Our spaghetti, which wed ordered later, arrived midway through the meal. I wanted that "Lady and the Tramp" moment.

It was topped with red sauce and the biggest, juiciest meatball I had ever seen.

But I shouldnt have judged this spaghetti by its gorgeous looks.

Although it gave me the pasta pull Id been dreaming of all my life, it tasted kind of like nothing.

It would have been better with the sauce that topped the chicken parm or the lasagna.

But in the end, we were pretty satisfied with our meal. Red checkered tablecloths just make pasta taste better.

Even though we were stuffed, we still had one thing left to do: dessert.

Wed ordered a family portion of tiramisu. The kitchen had made it fresh for us.

It was a dense brick of cold, buttery mascarpone and thin layers of espresso-soaked cake.

But although it was heavy weight-wise, it was light in flavor. The cheese tasted more like cream, and the espresso cake layers were rather thin.

Still, for two red-sauce rookies, Buca di Beppo had been a solid first step. And itll definitely be worth a return trip, especially if appetizers are on the table.

Most importantly, what was imperfect at Buca has inspired me to expand my journey to local restaurants in search of that perfect plate of spaghetti.

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