Heidi C.
Yelp
My husband and I had been looking forward to trying The Kitchen Table Reno, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. Honestly, we would have been better off skipping dinner and just enjoying the delicious bread from the local bakery, a glass of wine, and the raviolo uovo--which was the only standout dish of the evening.
From there, it was all downhill. The handmade pasta (advertised as made fresh daily) and the scallop risotto were major letdowns. The fettuccine carbonara was gloppy, with overly thick noodles that had an unpleasant, chewy texture--more like egg noodles than fresh pasta. The risotto was worse: dense, sticky, and molded into a cereal bowl shape like it had been sitting too long. It came with only three small scallops on top, and the risotto was incredibly bland. I understand that many restaurants par-cook risotto, but this was poorly executed, zero flavor. My husband sent it back, and we were surprised that nothing was offered in return--no replacement dish, no apology, not even a gesture to make it right.
Service was polite and attentive, but we couldn't ignore the number of times we heard staff say, "We have a new chef," as an explanation. Meanwhile, a neighboring table found a piece of wire in their food, and another sent their meals back as well. If you're hiring a chef for an Italian restaurant, perhaps make sure they're well-versed in pasta and risotto?
We spent over $200 for two people and left feeling disappointed. We expected much more from such a well-regarded spot.