Davide Ruffo
Google
San Domenico, nestled in a prime location with a sublime view over a charming harbor, holds much promise on paper but unfortunately falls short of expectations. Despite its declared ambitions, the culinary experience offered is at times disappointing. While the dishes are well-presented, they lack depth and innovation in flavor, appearing more showy than substantial.
The pricing is reasonable, and the wine list is certainly adequate, yet the wine service disappoints: many bottles are not stored at the correct temperature, leading to prolonged waits for customers—over 10 minutes in our case—to enjoy them properly. The truly disheartening aspect, however, lies in the interaction with the staff. Far from being overtly rude, the service is pretentiously refined, which undermines the entire experience. Despite the intention to provide a sophisticated service, the staff often lacks professionalism, with glaring errors. For instance, after about 10 minutes of waiting for sparkling water, a waitress impatiently remarked to a guest, "Well, just a moment, I'll bring it soon," betraying the pretentious atmosphere of the establishment.
San Domenico fails to create that warm and welcoming environment that should be the true luxury of a culinary experience at this level. In my opinion, without a radical change in approach and service, the restaurant risks remaining a merely decent venue, where there are more rules than services, lacking genuine hospitality. I strongly recommend the management read "Unreasonable Hospitality" to understand how hospitality can transform an ordinary experience into something truly special
