Laurie B.
Yelp
What could go wrong with Wood Fired Pizza?? Almost everything. From the moment we thought to go and make a reservation the pretension was evident. There is a $50 per head charge if you don't get there for your reservation. Okay, people pull no shows and it does cause a minor disruption...but for real, $50 per head. Anyway, we chose to book last minute and were able to get a table at 6:30. We arrived early and checked in, asked if we could be seated early and we were told no. There were multiple tables available and a full staff on the floor. We went to the bar and were met with a very unhappy, abrasive bartender with whom our interaction started with her copping an attitude while asking if we were all together (twice). Why, yes, we are all pulling stools out next to each other and we all look alike. it seemed crucial she have that pressing question answered. She proceeded to throw bar menus on the bar in front of us and roll her eyes to a fellow coworker and comment, "it's August"..She was right. It is August and September comes next on the calendar, then everyone leaves! I really don't care if an employee has spent the whole summer behind the bar and is "sick" of tourists. Those tourists are part of her income, if not all. I do care that I, a tourist, work hard for my income and really am not deserving of any attitude from a miserable bartender. Perhaps she would be best served in an office job away from the public eye. Having a front of house position requires a certain personality, one that she did not possess. At some point during the bar debacle a man stopped at the bar, I imagine he was a manager and he seemed to be yucking it up with the angry woman bartender. As they say, top down. Misery loves company. I then asked again about being seated a few minutes early and was accommodated. We were being shepherded to an indoor table when we reserved an outdoor dining. While asking for an outdoor table we had to "wait a minute" only to be escorted to a tiny table better suited for a two or three guests, tops (we were 4). The only saving grace, the one and only bright spot, was our server Juliette. She was kind, welcoming and had a warm personality. We asked for a larger table and were moved to a picnic table more suitable to our group size. Juliette took our orders, was efficient and capable. Our food came out of the kitchen COLD...all of it. We left half a pie for the garbage, It was crispy on the edge and soggy in the center. Cornmeal seems to be a fancy element used on a number of dishes. The Arugula Salad with peaches is uninspired (half for the garbage). The Gorgonzola garlic bread was meh, the Calamari cold. The sauce on the pizza, the sauce with the Calamari and the sauce on the pizza is a thick flavorless Ragu. Ember is not a restaurant for Italians who know Pizza, or Calamari, or Gorgonzola garlic bread, or Arugula salad. Our thanks go out to Juliette for being a bright spot. It's interesting she would even work at a restaurant of this very low caliber. My children looked at reviews and asked why I hadn't (I always do). My answer, what could go wrong with Wood Fired Pizza?