Lauren B.
Yelp
I can only say great things about Circa 1918! Had a wonderful experience for dinner on a Wednesday evening. I made a reservation in advance for four of us at 6:30pm. We arrived a couple minutes past and I was seated right away despite the rest of my party not being present as they were parking the cars. Pro tip: arrive a bit early so that you have plenty of time to park as street parking can be a bit limited.
I was surprised that the restaurant was a little bigger than I thought it would be, but still small, and it was completely packed - I think we were sat at the last open table. I am confident that had we not had a reservation, we likely would have either had to find a seat at the bar or go elsewhere. I am glad that was not the case.
Kip, our server, greeted me promptly although very up close and personal (the restaurant is a bit narrow and on the smaller side). I was immediately offered still or sparkling water while I waited for the rest of my guests to arrive.
Upon the arrival of the rest of my party, Kip asked us if we would like anything else to drink besides water. I ordered the Pinkkaso. I have to say, I love Campari, Aperol, unsweet tea, all things bitter - but this drink was not my cup of tea. It quite honestly just wasn't well balanced. The ingredients didn't really feel congealed like they should have been, it was too much going on in the wrong way. The rest of my party ordered wine and they seemed to enjoy it.
Kip informed us of the specials for the evening, a soup, starter, and an entree that I recall. We opted for a few starters while foregoing the one on special. We enjoyed the Bao Buns, Octopus, Grilled Asiago Bread, and Fried Oysters. Although my favorite was the Bao Buns and the Octopus was a close second. The Fried Oysters had an interesting, slightly overpowering tartness and the Grilled Asiago Bread was just okay - nothing special in my opinion.
Our main course was the best part of the meal. My husband and I opted to share the entree special, which was a delicious Pork Tenderloin cooked medium (chef's recommendation) over a bed of polenta puree with veggies including cauliflower and some others. It was delicious and they even took the liberty of splitting the dish for us on two separate plates! My brother had the Baked Halibut from the menu and my sister in law had the steak. I tried both and they were also so delicious!
Overall we had a great experience and I am glad I was able to try so many of their different offerings. I look forward to returning to enjoy my favorites and try other options that I have not yet. Cheers to Circa 1918! Highly recommend.