Lynne G.
Yelp
We didn't have reservations, but the hostess most graciously tried to accommodate us on a very busy Saturday with seats at the small bar which we waited 30+ minutes to receive. The experience which followed was a master class in restaurant management and an absolute culinary delight! The strip-district location blends lots of natural light with an Italian countryside atmosphere that when combined with the open kitchen results in a casual, yet upscale space that's perfect for date night, business dinner, or just an everyday dinner out. The small bar is loaded with unusual Italian aperitifs, and had the bartender been less busy I would have asked for a recommendation. In the interest of preserving her very efficient routine, I stuck with my usual Aperol Spritz and my husband had a beer. The appetizers sounded fantastic, but we skipped right to the main entrees. The cacio e pepe with shrimp was perfection, and my husband's veal bolognese had the delicate-yet-rich mouth feel one should expect from a veal dish.
Where this experience stood out was the "show" we were able to watch in the kitchen. The expediter was clearly a star, choreographing every staff member's action to ensure that meals were perfectly timed and accurately prepared. We watched him both give orders, and perform cooking tasks to achieve timely results.
This part of what makes a dining experience consistently perfect is typically hidden in a closed kitchen, but it was amazing to watch such a perfectly executed effort. We were so impressed, that we mentioned to the bartender how well-coordinated the kitchen's effort appeared, and she revealed the head chef was actually the expediter. And now we know why our experience was perfect, and why other tables we observed seemed to experience the same. Fantastic food and spectacular service from the front-end to the kitchen -- this is what it's all about!