We were customers of the prior restaurant years ago and just never got around to going (especially in the beginning this restaurant didn't offer ala carte like they do now). My boyfriend wanted to try this place for a while now, so we finally made a reservation here (late dinner).
Was pleasantly surprised the decor is gorgeous. The hostesses were very friendly and welcoming and asked if we preferred one of two available tables -- which I appreciated the choice.
Server was friendly to greet us, even though it was a busy night, but just not forthcoming with explaining the menu, the price fixe, etc. If I didn't ask, I wasn't told. And when we went out this night, we were in the mood to talk to each other, not to expend energy to think to try to pull info from the server about eating here. No specials were explained. Not told what the market fish was. Maybe I would've been interested in ordering that.
Food...calamari was excellent. We are normally a "fried calamari" lover, and took a leap to order this non-fried calamari app dish --and it was great...it actually tasted better the more I ate it. Tagitelle bolognese is what I remember to be "old school".... Not red but brown 'not too wet' meat sauce ....and it was delicious...again... the more I ate it, the better it tasted. And the strip steak was definitely cooked perfect temp. I normally like my steaks with no marinade and no seasoning (other than S and P) but this strip had 'just enough' seasoning without me not being able to still recognize it's a great cut of beef and taste that it is beef. (Sometimes places cover the meat with so much stuff you don't even know it's beef lol--but this strip was great).
My boyfriend ordered a martini which he said was good. The price was $12 plus a $4 extra charge. Okayyyyy...he gets top shelf so maybe that's why? The martini btw was one of those small glasses not those larger martini glasses. I had ordered a beer... which we were shocked (seeing this atmosphere) didn't come with a glass. For some reason I just didn't feel like asking for a glass, sort of expecting the server was eventually bringing one, which never happened, so I drank the beer out of the bottle as we talked with each other (the whole point of going out to dinner).
We were served one piece of bread each and because I'm not a bread person, my boyfriend ate both and wanted a third (that calamari sauce was amazing and he couldn't finish it as there was no more bread to eat with it). Again, we just didn't feel like asking for a third slice as we were talking to each other.
This was our first visit here, and for some reason I wasn't in the mood to ask questions, nor did the server ask if it was our first visit or say how the menu works, but admittedly I was surprised when the bill came and we were charged Ala carte prices even though we ordered that "app/pasta/entree $79" price fixe thing and chose to share all three. So the bill was $37 higher because we chose to share the trio. Had we not chose to share, the exact same trio would've been $79 price. Wow.
Honestly my boyfriend and I are older and do not have the appetite for all of that food anyway (ie had we ordered "2 price fixe trios", which is why I refused to come here when price fixe was mandatory) but I wish the server would've told us "hey if you order an additional salad or pasta (which were under $37) I can give you the $79 trio price for the price fixe trio you're ordering, and you'll get another dish to try or even take home". So---there was definitely this feeling of being "had" price wise. But I also knew I didn't open up my mouth and ask, and was just disappointed the server just didn't voluntarily help us in this regard (knowing what we ordered). So, we said to ourselves when we go again next time, I'll be sure to speak up. For all we know if we both don't order the $79 trio price fixe thing, all items will be charged the pricier "Ala carte" prices....I have no idea what their pricing system is, since I didn't ask nor was it voluntarily explained to us. Maybe someone who goes here after reading this can lmk within their review.
I agree with other reviewers that the portions are not large, and the entree didn't come with any sides. So the $79 price fixe is enough food for one person to eat (with nothing at all taken home). We chose to share as I'm monitoring my food intake, but we still want to enjoy the experience of going out to dinner. If they continually charge what they charge for two people who both choose to not do the price fixe, this would definitely be an expensive place for the amount of food you get (if this makes sense). In other words - for the same price the Ny strip elsewhere (same size and quality) ...you do get sides with it.
So knocked off two stars for the reasons above. read more