I'll cut to the chase on this one. I absolutely adored Sardelli. From the ambience to the decor to the service to the food.....a home run! You could pass Sardelli and not even know it (except for the valet in front). There is no sign on the regal looking townhouse. The intimate dining space on the first floor, consisting of dark colors and huge gilded mirrors, makes you feel like you are dining in a private home.
The food was absolutely divine! The menu was certainly a crowd pleaser for my entire family because it pleased the meat, fish, and pasta lovers. Sardelli is a first rate steak house but also has lots of fresh fish. Sardelli also makes all of it's pasta in-house.
Items the table ordered:
Chopped Pork Belly Caesar: the chopped pork belly made this more interesting than your average Caesar and the dressing was very good.
The Salad of the Day: I forgot exactly what was in this but it just looked like lots of greens. Forgettable.
Raviolo (ricotta, spinach, pancetta, egg yolk, sage brown butter, in one big ravioli): So scrumptious! I am still deciding who makes the better Raviolo, Sardelli or Raviolo. I am leaning towards......Sardelli!
Filet Mignon: Tender & tasty!
Branzino Special: Cooked in a lemon sauce with capers, this was light and just perfect. The portion was big enough for my Mom & I to share (along with a little extra pasta, of course!)
Short ribs: Braised for 48 hours, Husband said they were soft like "butter" and absolutely delicious.
Cavatelli, braised veal shank, parmigiano, truffle butter, veal broth: I ordered a half portion of this just in case the fish I shared with my Mom was not enough. Boy, I wish I had ordered a full portion because everyone else devoured it! The pasta had the perfect texture and the sauce was delectably savory but not too rich. This was my favorite dish of the night, even if there was far too little of it left for me!
Being a birthday celebration, we did finish with dessert. Sardelli was out of Creme Brûlée that night so we had to settle got a a Bread Pudding and a Chocolate Bomb Cake, both with ice cream. I only had a taste of each but they were sinfully rich and delicious.
The service was very friendly, although dishes came out a tad slow at times. I don't think this was the server's fault, but the kitchen's. For example, when it took a while for the Raviolo, we were told that the Raviolo are made fresh and they were not ready yet. When they came they were well worth the wait! At another lull in service, our service came out with a complimentary small bowl of cream of tomato soup ( very yummy!). A little late for an amuse bouche, I am not sure if Sardelli usually does this mid service or the chef sent it since he knew service was slow.
After our meal, we toured the 3 other floors. These are great rooms with spectacular views for parties and events for 30-80 people.
Sardelli will definitely be high on our list for special occasion dining destinations. I look forward to future visits and trying some more homemade pasta! read more