I don't understand some of the hate in the reviews. Looking for a nice restaurant while we were in…read morethe area, we almost passed on Tre Monte because of the negativity. However, the bartender at another place said that it would be the place he would go, and I've learned that the recommendation of a bartender is worth more than any amount of reviews on Yelp.
We showed up just at opening, sans reservations, on a Saturday evening (12/7). There was already a line at the door, which is a good sign about the food, but we wondered if we would be able to get a table. The fear was unfounded, as the hostess graciously showed us to a table and dropped menus. Our server, Christina, took our drink order, and was very apologetic that they didn't have onions for Bestie's gibson. No worries - olives work just as well. She came back with our cocktails, recited the specials, and we asked her to give us time to enjoy our drinks; we'd flag her down when we were ready to order.
The menu is a great selection of Italian cuisine, balanced with a few standards. We took our time with our cocktails (the martinis were perfect, by the way) and Christina came right over when asked her about wines. She apologized for us not having a wine list, and returned immediately with one (some excellent bottles in their cellar, and a great selection by the glass).
Bestie decided right away on the Shrimp Gran Manier [sic], egg-battered shrimp in an orange-flavored sauce, as an appetizer. I fell in love with the Melazana, breaded eggplant with marinara and cheese, covered in a creamy pesto sauce. For entrees, I picked a simple sauteed chicken, covered with prosciutto and cheese, while the rack of lamb caught her fancy. Christina came right over when we were ready to order, and congratulated us on our choices.
We were able to watch the kitchen as they worked. Both of us, having a lot of experience in the industry, marveled at how well the staff worked together in the tiny space. It wasn't long before our appetizers arrived, and they were as delicious as they sounded on the menu. As soon as Christina cleared the empty plates away, she returned immediately with our entrees (which we saw were plated just as she headed to the kitchen area).
Bestie's lamb was perfect. She had a choice of two sides, and she picked an herbed polenta and grilled vegetables. I accompanied my chicken with a gratin of potatoes, and sauteed spinach with garlic. We took our obligatory pictures and dug in. Needless to say, there was no conversation while we ate, with the food taking all of our attention. Bestie's lamb was cooked perfectly, with a generous portion, My chicken was flavorful, with the right balance between the sauce and the meat (I have a love/hate relationship with cheese - I like a lot of it, but not when it overpowers what's under it).
To finish things off, we ordered coffee and cannolis, something light to balance the richness of the dinner. Both were delicious. When it came time to settle our check, Christina was right over.
I am so glad that we listened to the bartender and not the reviews. Our experience here was the highlight of our weekend in this area.