Delightful and delectable dining experience here last month.
Delightful because of stellar service. Again and again no one does it better than the wait staff at Ariana.
Delectable because the chefs consistently deliver beautifully presented and delicious dishes from a creative and diverse seasonally changing menu that is equally as interesting for omnivores, vegetarians or vegans.
Experience because the menu allows small plate grazing or enjoying entrees both, depending on your preferences. And it is always a happy surprise when the bill arrives for the good value given top quality. That doesn't mean inexpensive. But you get what you pay for all around.
Great wine list too, plus reasonable corkage policy, and full bar to boot.
Drawback is this: it can feel " sardine can" tight seating inside when tables are full.
But for the too tight tables, this would be five stars.
Pride of ownership and excellence in execution shows at this family owned restaurant. The bottom line is "go"!
That's the summary. Details follow.
CREATIVE & CHANGING MENU: There are other restaurants in Bend that produce good food but whose menus seldom change. A couple in downtown Bend come to mind in particular. But Ariana's chefs, a husband and wife team and grads of the local culinary school, have a talent for keeping some standard favorites on the menu but freshening it up seasonally. There are new and interesting things to try all the time. Which provides a reason to go again and again.
DIVERSE FOOD TO APPEAL TO DINERS OF ALL STRIPES: Ariana's menu has a variety of items, from small plates to pasta courses to entrees, and many things to fit all eaters. On our recent visit, three of us who are small plate fans and lean towards vegetarian fare as well as the one who prefers meat based entrees were all equally delighted with our options.
GREAT VALUE: The best way to illustrate this is to list what we enjoyed among four diners; just over $120 (before tip), and that included the $15 corkage for the bottle one of our table mates brought in.
Housemade burrata with grilled peaches ($11)
Sicilian calamari in tomato sauce with capers, currants and fregola ($11)
Shrimp and Grits of rock shrimp and polenta ($13)
Arugula and fresh corn salad ($7)
Roasted Beet salad ($9)
Housemade pasta with fresh corn sauce ($17)
Pork loin picatta with haricot vert, arugula salad and fingerling potatoes ($24)
Salted butterscotch budino & chocolate cheesecake ($7 each)
TOP NOTCH SERVICE: Simply perfect every time. The wait staff knows the menu, can make recommendations and always strikes the perfect balance of friendly, familiar and professional. The server at our last dinner, Jason, particularly shone for pacing the meal and making us feel welcome. Even to the catch on a small "ooops..." As he delivered the starters to our table, he said to my husband, "I'm sorry, your salad will be delayed. It is my error, not the kitchen's. I didn't place the order correctly." That's a hallmark of top notch service, how things like that are addressed. Perfect. Evidence of the strong sense of team between back and front of house, kitchen and wait staff, the owners have built here. Which of course, benefits we who dine there.
GOOD WINE LIST: Thoughtfully crafted list by the glass and bottle. Corkage fee ($15) is waived for on bottle iif you also buy one of theirs Nice.
WARM AMBIANCE: In a building that looks like an old Craftsman house but was actually newly built to be a restaurant (then Cup of Magic) around 1998. Charming.
DRAWBACK: Inside space is typically sardine can tight for seating given the number of tables and that can make it both uncomfortable for diners and noisy too when full. But it is what it is.
It is tough to convince restaurant owners to remove a table to allow "breathing room" as they see tables equaling revenue. Buthere is an Italian saying about this that roughly goes, "The fewer your tables the bigger your restaurant." Zagat recently highlighted a key diner complaint of being squeezed into seating places as a reason why they avoid this place or that one.. But so it goes.
THIS N THAT
1) Outside seating on front porch and back patio in summer months, as now.
2) Some tables here are undesirable, as in a two top by the back door. Advice to counter this is make reservations for earlier hours when table choices are better and refuse this back door two top if offered to you.
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3) Previous review highlighted accessibility problems. Whether from that review or just because, the bike that blocked the van accessible parking has been moved and path of travel down the restaurant's main aisle seemed better too. Good for them.
4) Parking in this Galveston neighborhood has always been difficult, but now with 10 Barrel Brewery just down the street is a bear. Forewarning may make it less frustrating. read more