Jerry K.
Yelp
Honestly, we were pretty disappointed after dining here in mid-June. Most know that reservations for Sorella can be a bit difficult to obtain, but it seems that's mainly because the establishment preserves tables for larger groups at the expense of smaller parties. We wished to dine on a Tuesday night, and as late as Monday evening there was no problem securing a table for 3+, but a two-top wasn't available. It wasn't until Tuesday midday that it became possible to obtain a reservation for two. This seems silly for anything after 7PM, since most large midweek parties are likely to be work gatherings which would occur between 5-7PM. My point here is proven by the fact that as we dined, the restaurant was desolate after 8PM. How many parties of two ate elsewhere that night, having been unable to secure a reservation in advance?
Next, was the overall presentation of the venue. Walking in the front door, we were greeted by flatware, napkins and cleaning rags lining the bench meant for patrons waiting to be seated. This was accompanied by a vacuum next to the host stand, which itself was littered with half-empty beverages being consumed by staff members. Not a great look.
When ordering wine, we discovered that most pricing was triple retail. In no way do I mind paying this surcharge when the wine is properly stored and presented by trained staff, but neither is the case at Sorella. The menu fails to fully identify many of the Italian imports, simply identifying, for example, a Montepulciano. Is this a Vino Nobile or just a Rosso? There is a substantial difference in character and price between the two, and our server didn't know. I advised her that a vintage would reveal the answer, but she couldn't find the wine on the racks against the wall that house the restaurant's wine at ambient temperatures. Again, lacking the polish commensurate with the prevailing prices.
Our server was polite and attentive, which was a plus. Unfortunately, she was sent home about the same time the staff began stacking chairs on adjacent tables as we continued to dine. It was well before 9PM when this activity began. While I certainly understand the need to maximize the efficiency of the waitstaff, this was quite off-putting.
There were bright spots... the two antipasto courses we selected were well executed, in particular the arancini. The carrot contorni was interesting and very enjoyable. Unfortunately, both of our pasta dishes fell short of expectations. My wife's mafalde limone suffered from a broken sauce and an excess of cheese, resulting in a greasy, lumpy presentation. The bolognese on my pappardelle was quite good, but the puddle of sauce beurre blanc at the bottom of my dish (not necessary!) created a gloppy mess. It's something of a cardinal sin for an Italian restaurant to produce pasta dishes this poorly.
Overall, I think there's a lot more that needs to be done here to justify the evening's $190 tab...