Giselle M.
Yelp
Imagine being so excited to dine here for the first time especially after reading about the restaurant's almost 50-year history in Sonoma, only to be completely deflated upon arrival by their unwelcoming host (possibly also the manager) whose first words to us was, "We need your table by 6pm for another reservation." I had made an early 4:30pm reservation via OpenTable, and called the restaurant to let them know that our ETA was about 4:40pm that day. Barely anyone was even in the restaurant yet (as you can see in my photo of the empty patio dining area) so it's not like they were overwhelmed and busy. Regardless, my husband and I have never been treated so poorly by a restaurant host. How about a lesson in "Restaurant Hospitality 101?" Even a teenager working at fast food chain knows to greet their customers with a nice welcome! I just laughed it off and said, "We'll be quick." We literally were finished with our dinner by 5:45pm. We also overheard the same man yelling (and cussing) at one of the servers in the walkway between the entrance and the back patio. A couple of the other guests at another table looked at each other the same way my hubby and I did (in shock). Quite unprofessional.
On to the positive notes: Luis, our server, was great! He was friendly, attentive and efficient, and made sure we were having a good experience.
We already knew what we were going to order before we arrived too:
* Spaghettini Al Pomodoro e Basilico (made with imported pasta and chunks of pear tomato, fresh basil & garlic)
* Linguini Al Pesto (house-made spinach pasta with a light, yet flavorful pesto sauce)
The house Ciabatta was nice and warm, and we really enjoyed having it with their own brand of olive oil and barrel-aged balsamic vinegar.
My husband is full Italian and an excellent chef himself so we naturally have high expectations when it comes to dining out at an Italian restaurant. Although the food here was good, and the outdoor patio beautiful, the host/manager unfortunately left a lasting negative impression.