Dan P.
Yelp
Intimate, quaint, and serving excellent food but needs some fine-tuning to become great
This is a small, intimate restaurant, and reservations are necessary. The concierge at Carlo IV arranged our reservations, and we were placed upstairs in what could be described as a cross between an intimate piano lounge and a grandmother's dining room. The dining area was filled with paintings, model ducks, pictures, novelties, and other kitsch. But the design features worked creating a unique, homey yet upscale environment. The top floor had a small piano with a pianist that played American classics from jazz to show tunes.
Food:
Duck Breast with Apricots - final preparation flambé table-side. Fantastic duck. The flavors and tenderness rival duck we had in Beijing. And the sauce in which the duck was served was incredible.
Grilled Deer Saddle - Simply perfect deer. Reminded me of the best deer that I had in the past, in Vienna last year. But this deer may have been even better. Served with dumplings. The deer medallions were not hot, the gravy was just warm, and the dumplings were cold. I asked the waiter about the intended temperature of the dumplings, and he said they should be hot. So I asked for mine to be reheated. He had them reheated promptly. I speculate that plating was not done in the proper order. My deer and dumplings were probably plated first not taking into account the time needed for table-side preparation of the duck. Amateur mistake for fine dining.
Price: Total 1398 Kc before tip for the two entrees and one beer.
Service: Our waiter was very impatient with us when we arrived. He tried to rush us to order. We refused to be rushed and took our time. Overall our waiter was not friendly nor likeable.
Overall cleanliness: very good
Bathroom cleanliness: very good
Wifi: no WiFi, and our waiter was unapologetic about the lack of WiFi. Fortunately we were able to access a nearby network with a very weak signal.