That's a NO on EuNo. Went for my birthday because it was my then-boyfriend's "favorite Italian restaurant." He's never been to Italy. (Disclaimer: I lived in Rome for two consecutive years and Pisa for a third, and I return often. I've learned to judge "Italian food" in the USA on a different standard from the one I use in Italy.) I told him I had a great time. Here's the real deal:
The food was good, but really _not_ "authentic Italian" as so many have claimed on Yelp.
The host was lovely and agreed to seat us in the charming cellar. We were seated (closely-despite several free tables) next to another couple that was wrapping up their date. Behind us was a large group in town for the Frozen Four. The acoustics meant we were almost part of their party, which was fine, because they were fun, funny, and sweet.
The service was uncomfortable at best, and generally quite surly. Before dinner, I asked for a spritz. The waiter explained they served wine (including prosecco), beer, aperitivi and digestivi. I very politely noted that they then have had the ingredients for a spritz (prosecco, Campari, and soda water.) He got annoyed and told me I could have wine or beer. I knew we were off to a rough start. He was unpleasant throughout the meal. I was smiling throughout, because I didn't want my night ruined, and I don't like confrontation. Still, I didn't understand the waiter's bad attitude. My date suggested the waiter may have been annoyed, because he had to go up and down the stairs.
Back to the food. As I say, it was a _good_ meal. With grade inflation, that means a B. That's by American, not Italian standards. It wasn't like anything I've had anywhere in Italy or Sicily, but it was tasty. The risotto was more of a rice than a proper risotto. I can't remember much of the rest of the meal (three months ago).
I do know that we were looking forward to our desserts (who doesn't want dessert on her birthday?), but the service took so long that we had to cancel the order. As soon as we arrived, we told the host we had tickets to the improv. (In the theatre district in NYC, this is standard operation, so no wait staff would ever take offense -- they find it helpful.) I believe we repeated it to the waiter as part of our first words exchanged: just an FYI, though we had loads of time, so it seemed almost unnecessary. Even if we didn't have another engagement, the service was still very very slow. Fine if they were part of the Slow Food farm-to-table movement (pretty much most of Italian food in Italy), but that wasn't the case.
When the jovial "frozen" crew at the next table over was wrapping up and ordering their digestivi, some wanted grappa. The waiter told them not to order it, because grappa was just bad. "Hey now," I laughed, "not all grappa is crappa! I've had some really good grappa!" I shared with our new friends. So they told the surly waiter to add a grappa onto their tab for me when I finished my meal. (Their table and ours had had a conversation about cheering for the Friars and about their trip over from Minnesota... So it wasn't as if this was our first engagement and I was stepping on the waiter's toes or anything.) After we canceled our desserts, the bill arrived with a limoncello. This was a jerk move on the waiter's part. And I didn't appreciate it.
I'd definitely hang out with those hockey friends again if the occasion ever arose, but as for EuNO -- definitely a No: I won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend the place to others either. read more