I had high hopes for Dish, but our first experience fell pretty flat. Our neighbors had…read morereservations for four, but the other two couldn't make it, so they invited us to join. Because of that, I can't speak to the reservation process or how difficult it is to get a table.
The restaurant itself is small and cute. It does feel a little dated, but I don't mind that for a restaurant serving traditional Italian food. It almost feels like an old house, which gives the space some character.
One of the highlights was their Dirty Martini. It was SO good and came with Gorgonzola-stuffed olives, which are always a hit with me. The martini was honestly perfect. They had a decent cocktail and wine selection, with plenty of local distilleries and breweries featured.
Unfortunately, the service and one particular experience really put a damper on the evening. Before we even got our food, our neighbors told us how much they loved their meal during their last visit. They recommended some favorites but mentioned that they had previously found a very long hair in the gnocchi. They said the restaurant made it right, so it didn't ruin their experience.
To start, we ordered the beef carpaccio. I took a bite and immediately felt a hair in my mouth. I pulled out a very long, light-blonde hair, and my neighbor just looked at me and said, "This can't be happening again."
For context, I have dark brown hair, she has medium brown hair, and both guys have short hair, so we were all pretty confident it wasn't from our table. When our waitress came back, we showed her the hair, which we had placed on a bread plate. She took the plate away but left the beef on the table and simply said she was sorry. A few minutes later, she asked if we wanted her to take the dish away. We said yes, and she then asked if we wanted it remade. We said yes and thanked her. That was essentially the end of the conversation.
When the bill came, I thought she had comped the beef, but my neighbor pointed out that she had actually rung in another and removed the original one. So, we actually were charged for the replacement dish.
All four of us have worked in the service industry, and I still do, so I completely understand that things happen. We were extremely polite and weren't looking for anyone to make a huge fuss. But aside from replacing the dish, there didn't seem to be much effort to remedy the situation. We even wondered afterward whether the waitress had even told the kitchen or a manager what happened. More disappointing was that her attitude toward our table seemed to change afterward. She went from being friendly to seeming almost annoyed by us.
Looking back, we probably should have asked to speak with a manager or said something in the moment. But you hate to be those people when you know firsthand that mistakes happen. That said, at a restaurant of this caliber, I don't think guests should have to ask for a remedy after finding a hair in their food. I would expect the staff to be more proactive. Accidents happen, but how you handle them matters.
What makes this more disappointing is that our neighbors said their previous hair incident was handled completely differently. They said their server and the staff were fantastic, remade the dish, comped several dishes and a round of cocktails, and even gave them a gift card. We certainly weren't expecting that extreme or fishing for freebies. But considering this was the second time our group had encountered a hair in the food at Dish, I do think it's reasonable to expect more than a simple remake, especially with a bill that was almost $400.
As for the food itself, there were definitely some things we enjoyed. The beef carpaccio, hair aside, was actually good. The scallops were delicious, although a little small, and we all loved the beets that came with them. The house-made sausage was also good and had a nice kick.
The boys both ordered the pappardelle with rabbit, and we all tried it. Unfortunately, we agreed it was pretty dry and could have used quite a bit more sauce. I ordered the spaghetti frutti di mare, which was light and fresh with a fair-sized portion. The real standout was the rigatoni. It was reminiscent of a carbonara and was probably my favorite dish of the night. If we came back, that's what I'd order.
For dessert, the limoncello cheesecake was fresh and light without being overly citrusy. The tiramisu was creamy with a really nice punch of flavor, and the cappuccino was perfectly made.
I know a lot of people are talking about Dish and the possibility of a Michelin star. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to imagine it receiving one. The cocktails and food had some bright spots, but the service, food-quality inconsistencies, and hair incident left a lot to be desired.
Maybe we caught Dish on an off night. Many of the reviews I've seen are very different from ours, so I do want to acknowledge that this could have been an isolated experience. But I think it's only fair to share.