Wow, where to begin? Well let's start with the fact that I have worked in the restaurant business for nearly 10 years. Due to this experience, I am generally very understanding of the occasional mistake happening and something not coming out right maybe because they're busy or because some extenuating circumstance has taken place. But there were 3 tables in the restaurant at the time. This was not that.
Firstly, it's just a bad business model to have people order their food up front like it's fast food, then sit down to wait for their food, and then go back up front to pay at the end. Immediately makes it feel cheap and un-inviting and removes all the atmosphere and fun from the restaurant experience. But okay, so my girlfriend and I order our pasta and a glass of wine and sit down. The food is very quick. As soon as it was sat on the table, I was immediately confused. Firstly, the bread was not at all toasted and the olive oil was literally a full 3 ounce ramiken (insane for 2 slices of bread) and it had a big ball of garlic in it. My entree: I got the chicken tortellini, and I immediately noticed almost no color on the chicken whatsoever. Okay, not great but whatever, we'll see how it tastes. Then I pick up the bread, and not only is it not toasted, but it is stone COLD. Like just came out of the refrigerator cold. I have literally NEVER been served cold bread in ANY restaurant before, let alone an Italian restaurant. Genuinely the most confusing thing I've ever been served at a restaurant. I cannot get my head around the decision to serve cold sliced bread out of the fridge. So okay, I dip it in the oil. To even reach the garlic and lack of herbs in the bottom of this 3 ounce ramiken of oil, I had to soak the entire bite of bread in it. Way too much oil put in a really deep ramiken for literally 2 slices of cold bread. Either you never touch the garlic and lack of herbs or you just barely touch the top of the oil and they throw out 2.8 ounces of oil for every table. I can't wrap my head around it.
So okay, bad start, but as I said before, I'm generally understanding so I just give up on the bread and move to my entree hoping for better things. Unfortunately, I was very much disappointed. I took my first bite and immediately reached for the salt, pepper, and Parmesan. I almost never touch the seasonings on the table at restaurants because I generally would expect them to serve properly seasoned food, considering I am paying $20+ per person for it. But okay, we season the food and move on. Second bite: oh god what is that horrid floury flavor? Where have I tasted that before? Oh yes that's right! "Honey, remember that time we bought dried tortellini at Walmart and it was horrible and tasted off and we vowed to never buy it again?" I say to my girlfriend. Yes, that's exactly what it is. Store-bought dried tortellini. Look, I don't expect them to hand-make tortellinis for $15 per plate. Of course not. But the DRIED ones? They're awful and the cheese tastes like flour and is incredibly dry. They sell refrigerated tortellini at the store that is basically as good as home-made and there is absolutely no reason to not use those and use dried ones instead. The chicken, as I said before, had no browning on it at all and therefore it had almost no flavor at all. I question whether they even salted and peppered it. Some frozen peas and a sub-par under-seasoned Alfredo sauce. And lastly, RAW onion in my tortellini. Raw. Crunchy and pungent.
For all of these reasons, primarily involving the quality of the food and my being upset at paying $40 for this meal I could've made better for 1/3 of the price, and not to mention the complete lack of atmosphere and Chuck-E-Cheese ordering system, we got up, paid, and left. I did not finish my food or box-up my leftovers, which I always do. I was not rude to any staff because I know it is not the fault of the wait staff or cashier, of course, but the Owner should be absolutely ashamed.
This was not an extenuating circumstance mistake to be forgiven and to try again another day. This is a failure of management. And it is especially upsetting considering this restaurant is associated with a long-standing and well-respected restaurant in town, Stefano's. We get toasted bread and reasonable amounts of oil there. I have never received raw onion in my pasta there. My pasta has never been dry and tasted like flour there. Considering the association, I expected much more. But beyond even that, considering this is a restaurant that has been in business for a reasonable amount of time, I expected more. My meal was not worth $45. I will not be back. I'll stay home and make my own pasta next time. read more