We had a fantastic experience at Il Grappolo Blu! They of course have great food, drink, ambiance, and decor, but the highlight is their wonderful staff. Valerio (server) and Mae (host) were the cherry on top of the wonderful sundae that is IGB. They made us feel as if we were guests invited into their home. That's what a dining experience should be!
Food: We had the Capricciosa pizza (Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushroom, olive, artichoke), the Crocchette di baccalà (Baccala Croquettes), the Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan), and the Linguine alle vongole (Linguine with Clams). Everything was on time, and on target. Flavorful, perfectly seasoned, fresh ingredients, and lovely presentation without being overly complicated. Simple and delicious like home made comfort food!
Drink: We had a glass of wine each from their huge list, as well as a house Limoncello at the end which was absolutely perfect!
Ambiance / Decor: It's a beautiful and proper restaurant inside and out, but it's not intimidating or stiff or stuffy by any means. The chairs and candle-lit tables were very cozy, and the line of bottles and casks around the perimeter of the dining room was a nice touch. IGB is fit for a night out with your partner, or with a big group of friends. This was evidenced by the final two parties in the restaurant being myself and my partner, as well as a group of 10 singing and commiserating on the other side of the dining room (which probably seats a maximum of 40 people). We ended up joining in with the sing-along and Valerio and Mae were having a laugh as well!
Staff: I can't say enough good things about the staff, especially given the circumstances. We came in just 5 minutes before they were scheduled to close (yikes!), and Mae was very happy to have us and treated us like it was middle of the day. After Mae sat us, Valerio's service was impeccable. He was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and graceful. Again, they made us feel like we were guests in their home. We got to chatting with both of them at different points in the meal, and they were so genuine and warm. They made our experience at IGB a lovely time indeed.
Highly recommended! read more