Months before the demolition of Ward Warehouse, a foodie friend was on his way to meet me when he was stopped by another friend who asked where he was heading.

“Oh, just for lunch,” he replied, hoping she wouldn’t press further.

A foodie herself, she perked up and asked, “Which one?!” anticipating learning about some cool, probably new and exciting place she could add to her own notebook.

“Uh,” he stammered, “Old Spaghetti Factory,” while noting the puzzled frown on her face.

In Foodie World your cool factor is measured in part by the number of cool, buzz-worthy restaurants you can name-drop and get into before anyone else has heard of them. The Old Spaghetti Factory is not one of those, having been around since 1969 with a clean-cut, all-American version of Italian food that offers little of the novelty or exceptionalism that foodies crave.

Upon seeing the woman’s stricken face, my friend cheerfully threw me under the bus saying, “I’m meeting Nadine!”

To this she replied, “Really? I guess it’s nostalgic.”

Nostalgic is right. It was among the first restaurants I could afford while in college. There was a time when The Old Spaghetti Factory and Chuck’s Steak House were favorite destinations among my friends for celebrating a birthday or other special occasion.

There was some fear that the Spaghetti Factory would not return, but go the route of Ryan’s Grill and Kincaid’s. Well, people have a second chance to show their appreciation for the Spaghetti Factory now that it’s reopened at Aloha Tower Marketplace.

Upon entry, you’re greeted by half of the stained-glass window that allowed light into the restaurant from its ewa side. The restaurant’s footprint is smaller, but it can accommodate more people inside and outside on the patio.

Sadly, the trolley that was to have been placed at the new site has been shipped back to headquarters on the mainland. There were too many permitting issues involved with keeping it. So in place of the authentic trolley, there’s a wood-constructed trolley room, still attractive to people who want to feel they have some of the best seats in the house.

While the former site was looking as worn and tattered as befitting its turn-of-the-20th-century theme, there’s a poshness here to new velvety upholstery and an updated spare look.

I DON’T think anyone would consider the Spaghetti Factory to be home to great cuisine; it’s a little too one-dimensional. But a lot of people like their food simple, it’s kid- and family-friendly, and during graduation season, will likely be packed with celebrants. Adding to the festivities may be a balloon shaper who will hang out as long as people are tipping for those balloon hats, dolls, swords and floral bouquets.

All the pasta classics are back — the marinara ($11.99), rich meat sauce ($14.50) white clam sauce ($13.75) and mushroom sauce ($13.75) — served over durum semolina spaghetti. Try all four via the Pot Pourri sampler ($14.99).

I love variety when dining, but this is the only place where I order the same thing every time: the Manager’s Special spaghetti with a choice of two of the classic sauces, in my case mushroom on one half, mizithra cheese on the other.

Not that it’s a great mushroom sauce by any means — no intense reduction with herbs or anything like that — just marinara tossed with sliced broiler mushrooms, but the cheese, the cheese! At one time the Greek cheese made from sheep’s milk, with Protected Designation of Origin status, was the most exotic item on any local menu, and along with browned butter gives the spaghetti noodles a dash of extreme salty-milky complexity and all the texture it needs.

PASTAS AND entrees still come as a complete meal with sourdough bread, choice of soup or salad, and ice cream dessert.

Keepsake glasses have also returned, yours to keep with purchase of an Italian cream soda ($4.99), although it’s hard to miss the frequent sight of cotton candy-garnished limeade ($3.99).

What’s new is the return of steak to the menu through a combination of tenderloin and mizithra-topped spaghetti ($22.99). The dish features three medallions of beef tenderloin (roughly 7 ounces) seasoned with lemon juice and oregano, also accompanied by broccoli.

And unique to Hawaii is spaghetti topped with clam sauce and diced Spam. Imagine the flavors of a creamy chowder dotted with chunks of Spam for an approximation of what to expect.

To start, there are appetizers of shrimp scampi ($9.99); garlic fries ($6.99); and a shrimp, spinach and artichoke dip ($9.50) served with toast points. The tiny bay shrimp are negligible so don’t add much to the dish. Those who love cheese and carbs will swoon over toasted ravioli filled with pillowy ricotta, mozzarella, Asiago and Parmesan. These are served with marinara and a sprinkling of mizithra.

Salads here are an afterthought. The house salad, lettuce and a few slivers of carrots, provides good reason to try the creamy pesto dressing. And the bacon in a BLT Salad ($14.75) is as hard to find as the shrimp in the dip mentioned earlier.

BUT THOSE who crave variety and volume at a reasonable price will find it with Factory Platters, combinations such as The Big Kahuna ($19.99) — lasagna, breast of chicken marsala and fettuccine Alfredo — or the Meat Lovers Treat ($18.99) comprising Sicilian meatballs, Italian sausage and spaghetti layered with the house classic meat sauce.

And global influence also shows up with spicy Spaghetti Vesuvius ($15.99), with its blend of chicken, sausage, diced meatballs, green peppers, onions, Tabasco and sambal chili paste.

The menu offers much more to explore beyond the classic pastas, such as jumbo crab ravioli ($18.25), chicken piccata ($16.99), and chicken Parmigiana ($16.99), but I have a feeling that after this brief period of exploration, I’ll be back to ordering my Manager’s Special favorites soon.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.