So what's not to love about the pasta buffet at Augustino's in the Radisson Riverwalk Hotel Augusta? Not much.

Augustino's offers an extensive menu of Italian dishes, but the buffet is definitely the draw for the hordes who flock there for lunch.

The buffet ($8.25) generally includes three types of pasta, shredded mozzarella cheese, red-and-white sauces and toppings that vary daily but generally include tomatoes, raw vegetables, garlic, meatballs, chicken and seafood.

On our recent visit, choices included sausage, clams, black olives and artichokes. As diners look on, chefs toss together the toppings and sauce of each diner's choice, swish them in a bit of oil over a stove, mix them with pasta, heat them again (occasionally tossing the entire dish dramatically into the air) then hand the finished product to the diner. The performance, with the chefs all done up in white hats and aprons, is almost as much fun as the meal.

A salad bar is included in the buffet, though it seems something of an afterthought. The salad bar is crammed into a tiny nook with only enough space for a bowl of greens (which were fresh and inviting), potato salad, fruit cocktail, a couple of raw vegetables, two dressing choices and a pot of soup. The bar's broccoli florets during our visit weren't ripe, and the seafood chowder was much too salty. Ah, but our pasta awaited!

Our creation consisted of clams, tomatoes, cucumbers and artichokes in a red sauce with spinach-dyed spaghetti. The chef was a little too generous with the sauce, which was a bit on the sweet side, but otherwise the dish was delightful. The accompanying loaf of bread was fresh from the oven and practically melted in our mouths. Bread is served with butter whipped with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.

We also selected an entree from the menu. Trout Provencal ($8.95) was cooked in a white wine sauce and topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and garlic. It was served with angel hair pasta, lemon and capers. The fish didn't seem sauteed, as the menu promised, and it was practically swimming in the sauce. But we've had other entrees at Augustino's that were to die for, so this dish wasn't representative of the general quality.

We chose Augustino's Signature Cannoli ($3.95) and Tia Maria Cheesecake ($3.75) for dessert. The cannoli's crust was hard and heavy, not flaky, but otherwise the sweets were sensational and beautifully presented.

Our server was subtly attentive, clearing dishes and refilling drinks promptly, despite a very busy lunch hour. In fact, the few flaws that marked our meal may have resulted from the heavy crowd. We've been to Augustino's enough to know that the crowds are there for a reason.

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DINING OUT

The Eatery: Augustino's, 2 10th St. (map)

Hours: 6:30-10:30 a.m. breakfast, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch and 5:30-10:30 p.m. dinner Monday-Saturday; 6:30 a.m. to noon breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch and 5:30-10:30 p.m. dinner on Sundays

Phone: 706-823-6521

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