Kristina M.
Yelp
To preface: the only reason this isn't a one-star review is because the staff are all lovely people. Literally the valets, the hosts, our wonderful server, Jessica, and the other various waiters consistently clearing our table as we ate - all of them were extremely friendly, polite, and attentive. We were running late when I called to ask how long reservations are held, and Isabella was very kind in letting me know that they do hold for 20 minutes but that the restaurant was not quite busy yet and to not worry.
That being said, our main entrees were depressingly underwhelming for a restaurant that currently has a 4+ star rating. My parents and I were excited to try a new Italian place so close to home but were sorely disappointed. Though I am extra grateful Jessica went to the trouble of letting us know that what would essentially be considered a chicken fettucine alfredo was entirely possible even though it wasn't on the menu - unfortunately, it was too salty for my mother's taste. My father enjoyed his spaghetti frutti di mare for the most part, but unfortunately there were a couple spoiled mussels in his batch that simply should not have been in there for a restaurant that seems to pride itself on being on the higher-end side. I ordered something off of their current special menu - can't for the life of me remember exactly how it was spelled, but something along the lines of "linguini de michelangello"? In any case it had shrimp, mushrooms, asparagus, and sun-dried tomatoes, and it was truly so shockingly bland, I was racking my brain for what seasonings I would add when I got home just to try and salvage my leftovers. We're not the type of people to demand food be returned to the kitchen and a whole new order be placed (very much a "make your bed and lie in it" type family), but given that we had such high hopes, it really is so unfortunate to be so devastatingly disappointed.
Some other quick notes:
- bread and butter: average, typical, nothing special, and honestly in hindsight a little surprised they don't do olive oil with parmesan instead
- calamari: decent! outside of it being served with ketchup and not marinara which was a minor disappointment in the face of many.
- garden salad (?): the dressing certainly helped, but I did have to explain to my mom that Caesar salad was an extra cost.
- water: given that the extra cost for an "upgraded" salad was clearly stated, I was surprised to find the bottled spring water also cost extra ($8/bottle) despite being offered so readily alongside sparkling water.
- (dessert) tiramisu: a cup full of more marscapone than ladyfingers - truly, it was a struggle to taste the espresso-soaked ladyfingers in all that fluff.
- (dessert) Italian gelato trio: delicious! a blessing to end this meal with such a great treat. The flavors available for the day were chocolate, hazelnut, and vanilla (I'm not sure what other flavors are in the rotation).
For those who are concerned with environment/ambiance: we were seated in the interior next to the window facing the valet stand. Seating is pretty close to other tables, but the acoustics are such that it's hard to clearly hear outside of your own table, especially with the bar area hosting what looked like a party but could have just been an especially boisterous crowd. (When we left, we saw a woman on the ground - seemed drunk and lost her footing. Her friend was thankfully there to help her inside the car). Parking lot feels small, but for some reason they have a valet service (complimentary, so just bring tip).
It would be nice to give this place another chance, but the fear of being disappointed again combined with the knowledge that there are plenty of other Italian restaurants in the area that have not disappointed (just drive an extra 10-15 minutes) make that chance very, very unlikely.
BUT AGAIN, DISCLAIMER: THESE STARS ARE IN NO WAY A REFLECTION OF THE STAFF. IF I COULD, I WOULD GIVE THEM 5-STARS.
Jessica literally helped an elderly woman at the table next to us with her napkin. She wrapped the napkin around the guest's neck with safety pins, AND she helped another woman at that same table remove the many crumbs the guest left on the tablecloth. She was very attentive to not just us, but to everyone in her section - even when it started becoming busier. Best wishes and all the gratitude to her!