Very tasty food, warm service, and a nice space. Came with a friend for brunch who is a little snobby about Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food and this place got the seal of approval. We came specifically for the Turkish breakfast but also added a meze trio. The bread products - both the simit and the transit came out warm, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Scrambled eggs were tender, not overcooked. All the ingredients were fresh and tasty. read more

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Holy deliciousness. Incredible dinner experience at Esnaf tonight! We know we will be back--we will want to try new things, but it will be so hard because we loved everything we ordered tonight and would definitely order it all again. The branzino was excellent. We did the kebap trio -- the chicken was our favorite. For dessert we got the katmer (pistachio cream-filled filo pastry, served with pistachio gelato) -- this was a fantastic recommendation from our server. Service was top notch. There were three servers working inside and outside, quite a few tables including a big group, and they were so on top of it, warm, welcoming, attentive. Truly standout five star service from the moment we walked in--thank you, Esnaf staff! We loved our experience here. The restaurant is also beautiful! Get a table by the window if you can. Definitely a great date spot or place to linger over drinks with friends. We can't wait to be back. read more

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Amazing Turkish restaurant with such a warm and wonderful atmosphere! The music and ambiance were fantastic. We were greeted with a big smile at the door, which I think is so important. The service was excellent from start to finish. Our table was checked on frequently, and they constantly asked if we needed more bread or anything else. Empty plates were cleared promptly, and everything felt very attentive without being overwhelming. A special thanks to Kerem and Cansel for taking such great care of us! As for the food, I think we ordered way too many mezes, so we didn't have room for the main courses. We'll definitely try them next time. Everything we tasted was delicious and very well prepared. My personal favorite was the Girit Ezmesi. And the bread deserves a special mention. it's freshly baked and brought straight to the table. Absolutely wonderful. We will definitely be coming back. Highly recommended! read more

Esnaf - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

Amazing food, ambience, and service. Highlights for me were the Kofte (most tender I've ever had) and the fresh bread. Servers were also very attentive and the restaurant atmosphere is quite nice. The dessert we tried (Kunefe) was also just as good and seemed to be made fresh to order! read more

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Incredible meal! Food here is fresh, high quality and delicious. Ambiance is relaxed yet classy. Service is top notch too. The stand out dishes were the octopus and the garlic yoghurt dip. Everything was really good though. Will happily return to try the rest of the menu! We came here for late lunch on a Monday and it was fairly quiet / easy to get a table. read more

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Came on a Saturday evening and got one of the last tables. Even though it was just, the service was terrific. The food was even better. Each dish we ordered had great flavor and was cooked well I forgot to take a photo of the beef tenderloin, rice, and veggies but that was good too. Next time, I will come with a larger group so that I can sample more of the menu. read more

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Came to Esnaf to finally try their food after having been enticed by the scent of their foods while walking around after dinner one night. Honestly, so good! We shared three plates and I would agree, it's not going to stuff you full, but the quality is of the dishes were all very good! We began with the complimentary olive oil/balsamic dip with a bread that resembled pita (google says its probably called bazlama). The bread was heavenly! It was fluffy yet chewy and came out piping hot from the house oven. Wish we could get refills on this! The first of our ordered dishes were the stuffed cabbage rolls which were definitely a labor of love. They were chock full of flavorful beef and rice and served over a bed of garlic yogurt. It was hearty and comforting! The second dish was the Sucuklu pide which featured the turkish sausage, cheese, and an egg yolk to spread all over. It was like a breakfast pizza of sorts, delicious! Last but not least, we had the octopus. That was an absolute star! It was tender eand paired perfectly with the mashed potatoes with paprika butter. I would absolutely welcome a return trip to try more of the menu! read more

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Food is delicious and outside patio is ok for our fur baby. Lamb chops and octopus are all delicious!! read more

Esnaf - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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What a delightful local gem! The service was impeccable, the whole staff was so warm and extremely attentive to details. Even though we were seated outside, we never once had to ask for anything (i.e. water or clean plates) and they anticipated our needs without us having to utter a word (they brought us warm fresh bread 3x unprompted which I greatly appreciated!). The food was absolutely delicious. The standout for us was the prawn appetizer (Karides Guvec, 5/5) with cheese and calabrian chili, YUM what an incredible dish! Would come back just to eat this again. The beef dumplings (Crispy Manti 4/5) were also very good- I loved dipping the bread they provided into the creamy garlicky yogurt sauce that came with it. The kebap trio (4.5/5) was generously portioned: the chicken thigh was juicy and succulent, the beef was flavorfully marinaded and perfectly cooked. They even provided extra yogurt/spicy sauce which complemented the meat well. Overall this place exceeded our expectations and we can't wait to come back to try more of their menu! It's a very cute date night spot with service that rivals much more pricey/upscale restaurants. read more

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We celebrated my friend's birthday here. The three of us went all in on the starters and didn't have any room for entrees. Every starter we shared was fantastic! Especially loved the crispy manti, octopus (ahtapot) and the oven fired eggplant with yogurt (kopoglu). So full of flavor and texture! We also shared the katmer (pistachio cream filled filo pastry with pistachio gelato). The perfect sweet ending to the meal. The bar menu is beer and wine with a couple of cocktails. No mocktails. They did have some beer and wine selection from Turkey, which was cool. Service was prompt, although I was getting a kind of curt vibe. Not sure if she was ticked we didn't order alcohol and only starters to share? Anyway, I would definitely return to try more items. It was quite delicious. read more

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Very good food, beautiful space, good service. We had: 1. bread (served with oil and herbs before the food arrived, then served without oil during the meal). This was a good bread, round and splittable like a pita, served hot from the oven and sprinkled with some seeds (I think sesame, although I didn't pay close attention). 2. Meze Trio: patlican ezme (roasted eggplant, bell peppers), haydari (garlic yogurt dip with mint and dill), girit (ezine cheese with pistachios, oregano, olive oil). Loved the eggplant--tender and tasty! The yogurt dip was good, but I couldn't eat large amounts of it. The cheese was ok, a bit too heavy for us. 3. Ahtapot (grilled octopus on lime mashed potatoes and paprika butter). I didn't eat this, but the kids liked it. The octopus seemed very tender, and the potatoes were good. 4. Roka (arugula, diced cooked beets instead of tomatoes, honey mustard). Good, but the creamy dressing made it feel a little heavy after a while. 5. Mercimekli imambayildi (lentils-stuffed roasted eggplant). Imam bayildi translates as "the imam fainted" (because the dish is so delicious, maybe?). This was excellent. The eggplant had a wonderful smokey, roasted flavor. The lentils were good. There was a garlic yogurt moat around the eggplant. 6. Kunefe (shredded filo, melted cheese center, syrup, pistachios, scoop of Maras ice cream). Very good, maybe a bit too much for the three of us, maybe better if split four ways. Located on the corner of San Carlos and El Camino. Street and lot parking nearby. read more

We have been to Esnaf a few times now, and I have to say the food and staff are wonderful. It is refreshing to find an authentic Turkish restaurant with authentic Turkish food, it is easily the best Turkish food I have tasted in a very, very long time. Their staff are always polite, patient, very helpful and lovely . We had the Seabass, lamb chops, beef kebabs, chicken kebabs, the trio dips, the marinated prawns and their fabulous pistachio gelato desert. We finished off with Turkish coffees, all were superb. Love the decor and Turkish music playing in the background, just adds to the great experience. read more

A1 service and even better food! Staff is super duper friendly and accommodating. Our suggestions are the following, as we wanted to try so many items on the menu; haydari (great starter w bread), mantarli pide (saur good), gavurdagi (v refreshing), et sis (beef lover here). I like my cheese and mushrooms so the mantarli pide was the highlight for me. The mint tea is also my fav. Just the right amount of honey. Will need to come back for a Turkish coffee. read more

Came for an early dinner, not a lot of people at the restaurant, but by 6:00pm the place was packed which seems like a good sign! The food was excellent, friendly and fast service. Will definitely come back! read more

Amazing food and wonderful service. The köfte was outstanding. The mantı was unique and lahmacun was delicious, unlike anywhere else I have tried in the Bay Area. The service was just as great. Ayetullah Bey and our server who was the lady at the entrance were warm, friendly, and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. Highly recommended. Cay after dinner is a must. This is the best Turkish restaurant I have found so far in the SF Bay Area. read more

Esnaf - Mercimek Corbasi and Bread - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

Love this place! They are very friendly, good service and great food. Desserts are amazing! Can't wait to go back again.

Esnaf was quite an enjoyable experience for anyone looking for an affordable meal that uses fresh ingredients. The meat i had was tender and flavorful, and the portions were enough. The salad side was fresh and it goes very well with the pita they serve you on the side. In terms of the ambiance, the decor is relaxed, and welcoming with friendly servers. Esnaf should be a decent meal for any kind of casual experience. read more

Esnaf - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

The staff were friendly and offered helpful suggestions when we couldn't decide what to order. We weren't sure how to eat the Kopoglu appetizer, so we had it with the bread. Dishes arrived hot and the food was good, but I thought it was overpriced for what it is. Items ordered: Kopoglu: Oven-roasted eggplant and peppers on garlic yogurt, topped with tomato sauce V, GF Et Sis: Beef tenderloin skewers, buttered rice, coban salad GF Lahmacun: Thin and crispy flatbread topped with Angus ground beef, tomatoes, onions, and parsley served with sumac onions-tomato salad read more

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Terribly disappointing place. I can't understand the high reviews and crowd. The kofte was so dry and salty. The octopus lacked any flavor and what's up with serving it on top of mashed potatoes in a Turkish restaurant. The crispy manti was dry and meat lacked any flavor except salt. My husband's lamb chops were too salty and more mashed potatoes. Never coming back. read more

Food is tasty but on the pricier side. About $30 for main entrees, $20 for apps and the flatbread. The octopus tentacle is smaller than imagined and the yogurt app we got didn't come with bread so we used the complimentary appetizer bread with it. The complimentary bread came out fresh and is fluffy with a thin crust. 10/10 complimentary apps. Service is fast and attentive. Our water cups never went empty even though we sat outside where it was more inconvenient for servers to reach us. Ambiance inside the restaurant looks lovely but not really a place to chat loudly with friends because it looks like a date spot. Outside seating is good for yappers. Overall, good food and great service but it does hurt the wallet if you're trying to get the most for your dollar. read more

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Good food and location in San Carlos. Parking is behind the restaurant. The server was attentive and had good recommendations. Only wish the main dishes were a bit more seasoned - the kunafeh dessert was top notch though, went really well with the traditional icecream it came with! read more

Esnaf - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

The food and service here is excellent! My partner and I liked everything we had. I only felt that prices were rather steep. One appetizer, sharing an entree and 2 diet cokes came to $70-80 for lunch. I'd still like to return but as a once in a while treat. I saw a lot of pictures of their crispy manti appetizer so I ordered it and oh my god, so good!! I would come back just for this. Our main entree was delicious as well. Very tender meat, fresh veggies, and buttery rice. read more

Esnaf - Crispy Manti - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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We had a wonderful dinner at Ensar Turkish Restaurant in San Carlos, and it was an outstanding experience from beginning to end. The restaurant has a beautiful Mediterranean-style atmosphere, and with the warm evening weather, sitting outside made for a perfect, relaxing night. The service was exceptional. The staff was friendly, attentive, and constantly made sure our water glasses were full without being intrusive. Their hospitality really added to the overall experience. I ordered the Levrek (grilled sea bass), and it was cooked perfectly--fresh, flavorful, and grilled just right. The complimentary fresh bread served with olive oil was delicious and a great way to start the meal. Everything tasted fresh and authentic, and the menu offers a wonderful selection of Turkish dishes, salads, and other Mediterranean specialties. Between the excellent food, attentive service, and inviting atmosphere, Ensar delivered a memorable dining experience. If you're looking for authentic Turkish cuisine in the Bay Area, I highly recommend giving it a try. We'll definitely be back! read more

dinner for two on a saturday evening...small and cozy restaurant with tall ceilings...tables are packed tight...menu and water provided...thirsty and drinking...very quick to refill the water cups...ordering dinner for two and deciding on the kebap trio for 2 people $49 and share a sucuklu pide $17...complimentary puffy bread served with a good olive oil and vinegar dip...the turkish sausage pide coming out first...like a footfall shaped pizza...wonderful bready crusty...generous portion of sliced sausages with cheese...a runny yolk to break and enjoy with each slice...kebap served with a mound of rice and turkish coban salad...the beef is wonderfully tender...same for the chicken thigh meat...kofte was also moist inside and good...slightly over seasoned with salt, but still wonderful...great filling dinner for two people at a decent price for the portion...$87 total after tax and tip... read more

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Discovered this hidden gem today. Small but calm, beautiful setting and amazing food. Their bread was fresh and kept coming. Kopoglu went perfectly with the bread -- it is a cold, hearty dish with eggplant, capsicum and tzatziki, but it hit the right note after a long walk. The wines were so-so, between the Chianti and the segura viudas. The Tavuk sis was amazing and leaves you with a clean palate. We also tried the Karides Guvec, which was more well spiced and also tasted healthy. I would suggest this one for sharing as it is a heavier dish. The service was great, it was nice to sit outdoors on a warm Friday afternoon and the food felt fresh and healthy! read more

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We walked in on a Saturday for an early dinner without a reservation and were seated right away. The décor is very charming, and the ambiance is great. The service was friendly, though a bit slow. The food was solid. We tried the Kopoglu (eggplant), manti (beef dumplings), mantarli pide (mushroom flatbread), and levrek (sea bass). The manti was our favorite, tender and flavorful. The mushroom flatbread was good, but perhaps unnecessary given the free table bread with refills. The eggplant and sea bass were less impressive: the eggplant was mediocre, and the sea bass felt a bit heavy, with lemon-dill seasoning that didn't have enough brightness. Overall, the restaurant has a charming vibe and is great for a date night, but it's on the pricier side relative to the value. read more

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If you are looking for authentic, this is the place! The waiter never let our chai cups go low, we always had tea! I will definitely will be coming back as everything I ate reminded me of my Turkish-Azeri family! read more

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From the moment I walked into esnaf, I felt welcome and happy to be there. The warm, welcoming atmosphere, the rich aromas of freshly baked bread, and the vibrant décor set the stage for an unforgettable meal. The kebab was perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the mezeler (appetizer) platter offered a delightful variety of fresh, flavorful bites. I especially liked the Mercimekli imambayildi (over roasted eggplant stuffed with green lentils and garlic yogurt). The staff were friendly, attentive, and eager to share recommendations, making the experience even more special. We over-ordered, so didn't have room for any desserts. Looking forward to continuing to explore the menu. read more

Esnaf - Oven roasted eggplant with lentils - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Lovely ambience. Very cute restaurant. Portions are generous. I had the chicken kebab and the chicken was very juicy. It would have been nice for the chicken to come with a dipping sauce, but it does not. We had ordered the egg plant appetizer (which as tasty!) so the dish came with enough dipping sauce for the chicken. read more

The food was excellent. Having recently been to Turkey I can say that the food is very authentic. We had a few things: Meze trio Kopoglu Chicken thighs Crispy flatbread Branzino Sucuklu Pide Truly mantarli pide Everything was delicious, I really enjoyed the chicken thighs with the meze trio and any of the Turkish pizzas are solid. Service was excellent, all of the wait staff were very attentive always saying please and thank you. Very courteous, and willing to answer any questions. They have a nice outside seating section which is open and has a divider to hide some of the noise from the street. It also keeps the warmth in as well. Parking might be a bit challenging, especially on the street. We parked in the Caltrain parking and walked over (after hours). The inside of the restaurant is also very nice. read more

Esnaf - Branzino - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Esnaf is located on a fairly busy street with a variety of restaurants, bars and dessert shops. The restaurant is a bit small, seating a total of maybe 35-40 customers. Highly recommend making reservations ahead of time! What was ordered: + Hatay humus - the pickles cucumbers that were on top made the humus even more delicious! It also came with a warm flatbread that had sesame seeds on top. + Haydari - this reminded me of a tzatziki sauce due to its yogurt base. It was really refreshing and the party seemed to enjoy it a smidge more than we did the humus! This also came with the warm flatbread with sesame seeds on top. + Mantar guvec (oven baked mushrooms) - this was served in a hot dish and it did not disappoint! The mushrooms were cooked extremely well and had a lot of flavor. It was pretty good on its own without being just a side. + Karides guvec (oven baked prawns) - served in a similar fashion to the mushrooms! Instead of giant prawns, they were diced in smaller pieces, which I preferred. It had a great sauce with it as well. + Crispy manti (oven baked beef dumplings) - I wish we had more of these to go around because they were also delicious! I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a small bite with huge flavor! + Lahana sarmasi (stuffed cabbage with rice & ground beef) - this was also surprisingly delicious. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about stuffed cabbage but the flavor profile great and the cabbage didn't have any hints of sourness, as some do. + Ahtapot (grilled octopus) - highly recommend! The octopus was grilled well and was extremely tender, not chewy or rubbery at all. It came on a bed of what seemed like mashed potatoes, though I'm sure it wasn't exactly that. + Tavuk sis (chicken thigh skewers) - the skewers part threw me off a bit as these chicken thigh pieces didn't actually come on a skewer stick but were instead in skewer pieces placed nicely. The chicken thighs were extremely tender and the seasoning they used was great. + Kuzu pirzola (Australian lamb chops) - I'm one of those people who typically doesn't enjoy lamb chops, but I was surprised that this one didn't taste too gamey! I only had a small piece, but everyone else at the table thoroughly enjoyed this. + Levrek (oven baked sea bass) - this was served butterflied, which made it much easier to eat especially as a large group. The fish was tender but the flavors weren't as prominent as they were in the other dishes we had. Honestly, there was nothing we didn't like! Everything was prepared well and tasted amazing. The staff is also extremely friendly and were very attentive in refilling our waters and clearing our plates. HIGHLY recommend giving Esnaf a visit when you can! read more

Overall: D // 2 stars Upscale Turkish restaurant in San Carlos where I felt like the only thing that really kept pace with the upscale nature were the elevated price points. Many of the dishes on the menu doesn't speak to me in a way that differs from your local joint serves the same thing at half the price. The service was not better either as I was met a snide "I'm sorry for you" remark when discussing my cheese allergy; I do appreciate the birthday freebie, but that doesn't diminish the unnecessary commentary. Furthermore, when we arrived at our reservation time, there were no tables available for a solid several minutes, which kind of defeats the purpose of a reservation. This visit was several months back, yet the sting is still there. (Crispy Manti: A) - Well thought out appetizer with layers of flavors and textures. Sweetness from the tomato sauce, acidity from the yogurt, and saline from the dumplings; then, there's creaminess, there's crunchiness -- really good dish. (Ahtapot: C) - Elegantly plated, but slightly pricey being over $20 for a small tentacle. Paprika oil adds a lovely flavor to the octopus, but the heavy starch coming from the potatoes doesn't work well with octopus for me. (Lhamacun: C) - Flatbread is really well made, blending ground beef with tomatoes well into a tender and sumptuous item. Not a fan of the side "salad" which is just really large pieces of raw onion and tomato, which seems unpleasant for all -- this would be much better minced along side many more herbs. (Kebap Trio: F) - Some of the meat here is unfortunately borderline dry; luckily, the coban salad is full of moisture and helps masks some of that dryness away. Nevertheless, it's really sad to me that the most expensive item on the menu looks like it came off a buffet line. Food: E Presentation: E Price: -1 Atmosphere: E Service: -2 Menu: E Overall: 2 stars Insta/Yelp/Beli/TikTok: @amei_eats read more

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We had a Father's Day lunch and overall enjoyed the food experience . The place is cute and the service was good . As for the food : - they start w bringing you some hot fresh buns and olive oil /balsamic dip which is really nice 1) fried calamari was fresh and nice for a starter . 4/5 2) the hallimi pide was a bit disappointing - small , the cheese did not entirely melt in and the dough seem to not be cooked to crisp like I prefer . We've had better pide in other places . 3/5 3) manti - I was more thinking it will be a classic Turkish manti (small ravioli in yogurt sauce) this one was different - little beef balls in open dough . It was just ok . 3.5/5 4) lachmajun- pretty good ! Fresh and yummy. 4/5 All together it was more of a 3.5 stars establishment . read more

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A lot better than I imagined. My mother took me here over the weekend because she liked this spot a lot. I see why. The chicken was tender and very flavorful, but what surprised me more was the fish. It was served almost whole with what looked like cuscus, and it tasted amazing. They serve as many rounds of fluffy bread as you want, so we ordered the Köpoglu (eggplant and yogurt) to pair along with it. Very delicious. I highly recommend. Definitely a place meant for semi special occasions since it's a bit pricey. But boy was it good. read more

Esnaf - Tavuk sis - Turkish Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Super crowded and noisy. The hallmarks for a place I won't like. And... I loved this restaurant. Just a great vibe with friendly servers, a highly attentive owner, and great food. Everything was executed to perfection. The bread, the octopus, my wife's beef kabobs, a humble roast eggplant bathed in a delicious yogurt mix, and so much more. We will be back. read more

I would say it is hidden jam! Great mix of Europinized Turkish cuisine, felt like I was again in Izmir, Turkey. Wonderful servers, very responsive. A little pricy, but worth the experience. A little tide space with kids, but good vibe in general. read more

Have you ever had manti? My first experience with this wonderful dish was in the Istanbul airport lounge of Turkish Air. I went back for thirds!! This place has a nice variation on the dish that is just delicious. Give it a try!! read more

This is currently one of my very favorite restaurants, in beautiful downtown San Carlos. They're located smack dab in the middle of so many good restaurants. I've only been there on Saturdays for lunch and the food and service is spot on as they welcome everyone in immediately with sincere warmth and make you feel right at home. I started this porcine mushrooms Flatbread and its a good starter before the mixed fresh salad greens and the Lamb Chops, are stellar and exceptional. Writing this makes me want to be there now. I give this place 5 STARS! read more

Lunch: crispy manti + lahmacun + kebap trio for 2 with desserts...pistachio gelato, Turkish coffee mousse, Katmer, poppy seed Revani. Every bite is delicious! We will return to explore this intriguing menu. It is tantalizing...we will order pide next. Service is excellent - friendly and efficient, deserving 20% tip plus. read more

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This is an outstanding restaurant. The food is going to be very surprising, even if you're familiar with Turkish cuisine. The flavors are inspiring, the plating is attractive, the service is just the right amount of attention. It is a place that you can come casual, or you can come dressed to attract. We've been here three times now, and I have to say it is always truly excellent. This is one of those spots that you'll be telling others about. read more