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Categories: Tapas Bars, Italian, Pizza [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideGrand (Red)
Mon-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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quartino ... why yes, why thank you...
i was pleased and i was most definitely happy...
eating at quartino has this feeling of eating in italy! the whole setup, from the patio dining to the french doors and more... the ambience? can't be beat!
quartino: italian tapas FO SHO! :D
when one thinks of quartino, i think, EXCELLENCE! in service, in quality, and in food! for you wine lovers, you will be NOT*, NOT* be disappointed.. extensive is the perfect word for it... as for food, prices were fairly appropriate ranging from $9 (pastas) and up... tapas $10 and up, you get the picture...
definitely a great place to come on a date or not (semi casual) or whether it be kid friendly, quartino is it! :D
I've only been here twice. Once for drinks (really crowded) and once for dinner (really crowded). This review is for my dinner experience. We stopped by on a busy Saturday night. We were seated immediately; our table was upstairs, tucked into a corner near an exit door, where they eventually shuttled a table through (Watch your head!).
Prices are affordable and I like the option to order wine by the 1/4, 1/2, etc. carafe. It allows you to sample before you leap. (Unfortunately, I didn't like either of the wines we tried.)
We started with bruschetta, which tasted too dry and crispy. The boys had a meat plate that they said was okay. For entrees, they ordered tagliatelle and ravioli. They said those were okay too. I ordered a veggie pasta dish that was a big disappointment. (It was very bland.) I hope this was an off-night for the restaurant because friends have told me how much they like the food here. I guess I will have to give it another try...
Quartino has delicious pastas and tapas. There's definitely something for everyone here, even if you're not into the small plates type thing (because you can easily just get an entree for yourself... I recommend the gnocchi.. with arugula pesto... so yummy). I will say that the Zeppole (italian doughnuts, we got it with dark chocolate) didn't blow me away, but at $5 I'm not really complaining.
The biggest issue I have with this place is it's super noisy, and I think it's mostly because of the acoustics of the room, not because of any loud music or anything. It'd be so much more pleasant if you didn't hear everyone's conversations simultaneously.
Meh, just meh. Nothing here was over the top or unique for me. The pizza was OK, the pasta was OK and the veal meatballs were OK. Maybe was expecting too much? Maybe small plates and Italian food is too much of an oxymoron? Not sure.
I was here with a group and it came highly recommended. We sampled numerous items. How could I leave an Italian place and still be hungry? In addition, their wait staff (for a not-super-crowed Wednesday night) was not attentive, and my martini was pitiful.
Great food but the waitress was only so so. So instead of four stars you get 3 for A-OK. The busy boys and food runners were very good.
You gotta love a place where your entire table of 12-14 people can get completely trashed and no one judges you; probably because it's quite boisterous in there on a Saturday night anyway. I mean this place was really bumpin'. Don't expect a quiet dinner here.
The entrees are a nice, small size but still filling. By the end of the meal, we were groaning when other dishes were brought to the table. Also, the dishes are served as they are made, making it perfect for passing dishes around. We had maybe 20 entrees being passed around and I had a little bite of everything and was stuffed; I believe everyone else felt similarly. The short ribs and cheese plate were especially outstanding and the only dish I really didn't care for was the gnocchi.
The wait staff was attentive and kept us moving efficiently toward our goal of getting absolutely wasted. One of the busboys had really bad B.O. so I *know* he was working hard.
Went here for an end-of-softball-season party with co-workers. We sat in the bar area, and pulled a bunch of tables together. We ordered lots of red and white wine with several different pizzas and antipasto platters. The service was friendly and they kept the carafes of wine full. The food was not overwhelmingly good, but I love pizza so I wasn't about to turn it down. I would like to go back, grab a table with my sweetheart and enjoy a low key meal and give it another shot.
Quartino's food is usually a pretty solid four stars, but I have to take away a star for ambiance. This place is crowded, loud, and overall a terrible place to hold a conversation. I've been here several times for happy hour and also for dinner on the weekends with friends. The wait can get ridiculous- more than an hour during the week!
I will say the food is great. Everything I've tried, from the pizza, calamari, scallops, and steak is delicious. The sangria is not to be missed either!
Give it a try if you like shouting your conversation, standing shoulder to shoulder in a bar while waiting for your table, coupled with good Italian food.
I came here with a friend for an early dinner. We didnt make any reservations but were seated immediately upon arrival.
Our server attended to us quickly and was very friendly. We ordered the calamari, linguini with clams, tortellini, penne alla vodka, and asparagus with risotto. Everything tasted delicious and the calamari appetizers came out quickly! I love how you can order a half size dish or a full size dish. The half size dish was more than enough for me! I had no room for dessert but I made room for dessert! We ordered the profiteroles (comes with 2) and the zeppole. Both were delicious and the zeppole was freshly fried. Very yummie!!
We both ordered drinks. My friend ordered a white wine and I ordered my signature midori sour. Unfortunately the midori sour I ordered was extremely sour!!! I was told it was because they use fresh lemon juice. Our server was extremely nice and had my drink remade when I asked for more syrup in the drink. Even after it was remade, it was still too sour for me. Our waiter saw that I barely touched the drink and offered to take the drink off our bill. What outstanding customer service!!
Valet parking was quick and easy. Cost is about $10.
By around 6:45pm the restaurant was completely full. If you decide to eat here, make sure to go before the rush.
Oh Quartino, how I wanted to really like you, but it just didn't work out that way.
I took my team for lunch today to Quartino. We were looking for something somewhat vegan friendly but also with enough meat for the carnivores of the group. We got a reservation on Open Table and away we went.
Our group of 7 was promptly seated and offered drinks. We ordered the drinks and waited....and waited....(this will be a recurring theme). Finally a server comes by and explains the menu. One of the group was here and explained how it worked while we waited (and waited). We ordered the meat and cheese tray for an appetizer along with the bruschette, Caprese salad and carpaccio. The carpaccio was amazing. Caprese salad was average though I have to say I'm sure it would have been better at the height of tomato season. I didn't try the bruschette but everyone seemed pleased.
At this point, food started flying out of kitchen. Everyone ordered a small plate and we shared across the table. I ordered the pork marsala and it was a good dish, albeit a bit uninspired. My lunchmates ordered pizza (which they enjoyed)linguine with clam sauce which they said the clams were overdone and the ravioli (which some were left behind).
Once we were finished, we waited and waited for a dessert menu. We tried getting anyone's attention and no one would help. Finally after 15 minutes of waited I attacked the manager, got the check and walked out.
The food was in the 3-4 star range, but the service rated a 0-1 star. I can't blame the busboys - they were there with water regularly, etc but the actual waitstaff was non-existant.
This is an upscale Olive Garden.
The pasta is so insanely overcooked it really is insulting. I was at a table for 14, so we definitely had a big enough sample size to be sure that this was always the case.
The pizza has some decent toppings but please, PLEASE, if you are going to make pizza and serve it to people, try to learn how to make a crust. I am so sick of these places in Chicago where they really take for granted the craftsmanship it takes to make a decent dough and just whip together some crap and then top it with good ingredients and hope nobody notices that its on a piece of cardboard.
I do give them two stars because they accommodated 14 of us and its kind of a lively atmosphere and its hard to find a place in Chicago focused on lots of passing of plates and sharing of foods. So if you are not quite so obsessed with properly executing the basics of Italian cooking as I am you could pretty easily go here and have a good time.
Bottom line: It is across from Chili's, just as it is across America, where it is known as the Olive Garden. Though without the breadsticks I loved as a kid.
Yes, 5 stars and let me tell you why...
Dinner at Quartino is more than just scarfing some grub, it's an experience. In fact, I've never had dinner here in less than 2 hours and it had nothing to do with slow waitering --all your food comes out as it's ready so service is pretty darn fast. The tiny tables that are too close together, cheap delicious wine and tiny plates meant to share scream leisurely European-style dinner.
I am a sucker for family style eating, of which Americans seem to be not so fond. I don't know what the reluctance is...maybe it's capitalism and that whole what's mine is delicious, but I suggest trying them with the marinara cause the red pepper sauce doesn't do anything for me. Get a 1/4 carafe of wine and you can try a few for half the price of other d-town eateries. Also, the white sangria...mmm. And of course the warm chocolate cake is the perfect way to end a fabulous meal.
My suggestion, put on a loose ( but attractive, it is downtown after all) pair of pants, grab a couple friends and head there tonight.
This place was delicious thanks brad and Jamie, the veal meatballs were solid unfortunately i didnt get to try the wine i am sure its delicioius. but this place was great the food was wonderful.
The ONLY reason Quartino gets 4 stars instead of 3 is because of the terrific pizza. I am from the east coast and have been dying to find a flat pizza, and Quartino's pizzas are terrific, and very reasonably priced.
The wine selection is pretty awesome too, and I think the prices are extremely reasonable.
The downside: It's freaking noisy in there! and the bar stools are SUPER uncomfortable and practically on top of each other.
But overall, an awesome stop!
The atmosphere was authentic Italian ristorante; tile floors and walls. We had no reservation on a Saturday night, so we faced a 2 hour wait for a table or 45 minutes for an outside table. But we went to the bar and found a table immediately. The food was fantastico. There were only 3 of us, so we couldnt really appreciate the make-your-own appetizer of exotic cheeses, meats and olives. But it sounded terrific to us. The carafe of chianti was delicious as a complement to vodka penne pasta, eggplant parm, and quatro frommagio pizza. Yum. I can't wait to go back.
I went to Quartino for a bachelorette party dinner a earlier this year. The M-O-H set up a family-style dinner for about 12-15 of us so I was a little wary of what we were going to eat that night. Not only was the food delicious, but there was plenty of it (we actually had a bunch of leftovers) and the wine was flowing! The calamari was cooked perfectly and the mushroom risotto was superb (and I don't even like mushrooms). The waiters made sure that we were never without a full glass of wine, which was to our detriment later. But that's not their fault!
I would very much like to return to Quartino and order off the menu to see what else they had to offer. Fancy, but not stuffy or overpriced.
I haven't sat for table service here yet, but I did come for drinks after work around midnight. We sat at a table in the bar, which did have waitress service.
What a nice surprise - my drink was STIFF (none of that watery, more-soda-than-scotch crap you find at some other Chicago bars), the pizza we ordered was nice and crispy and thin (though a bit greasy), the clams were awesome (and the waitress brought more bread for sopping up the sauce - no charge) and my caprese was very good... nice, fresh mozz.
Our server was incredible - attentive, despite the bar being incredibly crowded.
This definitely wasn't the cheapest place I've ever been, but after nine hours on my feet I'll come here to satisfy my scotch and pizza craving at midnight any time.
The taste of the food is great. The Fetuccini Alfredo were fantastic 3 times I've been there. The staff although a bit on the slow side, is friendly. The place is huge and the pizzas are delicious. My only complain is that the food takes a little more than usual, and the staff is a bit slow, other than that, it's a great place to eat.
Meh, good wine, mediocre food, very crowded tourist spot.
I've never ever ever had a bad meal here. In fact, I've never had a good meal here. I've only had GREAT meals here.
First, the pizza. Exceptional, melt in mouth and full of flavor. I'm usually a sauce and cheese kinda girl, but their pizza topped with arugula is fantastic. All of their pizza perfectly blend the most complex of flavors together perfectly. Nothing about it is bland.
The pasta is also incredible, as are the bread and cheese plates.
The best thing about this place? Not expensive at all. For the quality of the food and establishment, this place is a steal. Their wine may not be actually cheaper than water, but it's still pretty darn cheap.
The ambiance is perfect for any occasion: date, girl's night out or a gathering of old friends. Sometimes there's a wait, but it's never for very long, even on a Friday or Saturday, and always worth it.
My friend and I - two famished, near-bitchy-mode gals - found ourselves rushing to Quartino after a whole morning of retail therapy in the area. We spent the next 2 hours feasting on yummy Italian "tapas" -- the duck prosciutto & arugula pizza, veal meatballs (my fav!), eggplant parm, etc, etc - and calming our nerves with some lovely Chianti.
I often use the bread metrics as a proxy measure of the food quality of any European-cuisine restaurant. And I must say Quartino's crusty, warm bread was a winner.
Service was friendly and fast. A fun, casual ambiance with a touch of River North chic-ness. Great for family dining, friendly outings, or casual, fun dates.
I'll be perfectly honest- Italian food is not really my "thing". When I think of my last meal on death row, it is nowhere near pasta, red sauce, ravioli, or anything else of Italian descent. Pretty much the only thing I adore coming out of that strange boot-shaped country is wine. That being said, Quartino almost converted me last Friday.
A friend and I are on a tour de force to visit all the yummiest Chicago restaurants so when Quartino came up, we happily obliged. We made an open table reservation for 9 pm on a Friday and were seated promptly (despite the restaurant being LITERALLY bursting at the seams - people were actually hanging outside in the rain because there wasn't even space to stand). We got a nice little table and after having a semi-awkward and semi-funny exchange with our waiter got our waters and wine ordered. This funny/awkward dynamic lasted the entire meal and was pretty much the only thing that detracted from the evening (also, the tiny table and severe lack of room to have a plate, water glass, and wine glass for 2 people).
After the waiter brought us a red carafe when we clearly enunciated chardonnay, he happily comped the whole thing then brought the right one over (nice!). The food came next and I'll just highlight the best of the best - the mussels. Seriously the biggest mussels I've ever seen. Perfectly seasoned and soaked in some sort of white wine and caper concoction and basically a spectacular, mind-numbing, nothing-else-matters-except-these-mussels life altering experience.
Everything else we had was also quite delish but I will take some time to address the desserts. We ordered the warm chocolate cake with vanilla gelato and the fruity gelato trio with limoncello. Both were stupendous ends to the evening and it was at that point where I was happily astonished that absolutely nothing that went into my mouth that night tasted even remotely bad.
I would definitely consider going back just for the mussels. But knowing me I will probably go back for the mussels and at that point I might as well order dinner, and naturally what's dinner without dessert? Yes, I have very little self control when it comes to yummy food.
We kicked off our wedding day by having all of our family meet up at Quartino to get to know each other before the wedding. Good wine, family style portions was the perfect way to get everyone to interact with one another.
When we were seated, it took a little bit before everyone came in, but our waiter was patient and attentive until all of our family arrived.
This is a special place for my husband and I, because we "celebrated" here every time we felt like celebrating, anything from a new condo to a new couch, and now our two families coming together.
My mom and my sister loved the place, and my husband's family always like coming here, for any reason. The food, wine and service is consistently good.
This place never disappoints. The service in consistently good, and the food and wine is great for… Read more »
I am an Italian-foodie. I love pasta and could eat it for every meal every day, probably!
That said, Quartino is a place I had been wanting to try for a while. I had heard the food is really good and also reasonably priced. It was just that! My husband and I met another couple here on a Sunday night on a holiday weekend. It was really packed! We had an 8:00 reservation and enjoyed a few sips of a drink before our name was called. Perfect timing! I had a sangria and it was really good.
For an appetizer, we had calamari rings and the spinach frittata. Both were so delicious!! I had spaghetti pomodoro for dinner and it was great. I love big tomatoes in sauces.
For dessert, we had gelato and the Italian donuts that were awesome!
Very impressed. I'll definitely come back!!
I've been here a few times and I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant. The wait staff is great and the ambiance can't be beat.
The meats and cheeses you can order as a form of anti-pasto are absolutely excellent. The polenta fries are covered in a savory panco breading and are quite tasty. Also, they have several great pizzas to choose from. I have tried the portobello with crushed tomatoes and the four-cheese pizzas - both were great.
I guess if I have to think of something that isn't great about this place would be that it's so popular that it's usually very crowded and with that comes a noise level that can make it hard to carry on a conversation.
Stopped in here last Saturday for a late lunch....the food was delicious. Shared amongst our table:
calamari
steak tartare
sun-dried tomato soup
veal sliders
I think my favorite of all was the veal sliders....a cousin to mini hamburgers. Quartino's is a reliable place for great small plates to share.
Somebody freeze time, I'm in heaven!!!!
Ate here with my dad. First, we were worried we wouldn't be able to get a table because there was a mob of people waiting! Thankfull, everybody was waiting to be seated outside, so we got a table indoors immediately. Ordered the "Fungu?" pizza (mushrooms and tomatoes) and the Clam Linguine with white sauce. Sure, those were amazing, but on to the best part - dessert!!
Apparently their Tiramisu is on the secret menu. IT. WAS. AMAZING. I have never had such amazing tiramisu. We also ordered the Gelato (Strawberry, Chocolate, Vanilla) and it came with strawberries, a biscotti, and whipped cream. I could eat that again everyday.
came here on a thursday evening w/a friend when her brother was in town...and i have to say, quartino is pretty pretty good. it was packed and we were seated right away, which i definitey appreciated...because the waiting area is pretty cramped.
im a big fan of tapas as a rule because im so indecisive, so this was a great answer to my personal problem.
we started off w/sangria that was on special (which was definitely pretty darn good) and hten moved on to tapas. since none of us had ever been there before, we asked our server for advice on what to menu. he was incredibly helpful and we each ended up picking 2 and sharing. everything we tried was very tasty, and i'd imagine the things we didnt try are as well, but like all tapas this place can get pricy quickly. we also ordered a caprese salad to share...but our server forgot it...oops.
overall quartino gets 4 stars because i did enjoy the food and our experience as a whole...but we did have to wait quite a while for service once seated and for our meal, not to mention our forgotten salad. also, though i realize they were pretty close to maximum capacity, i felt rushed to get out and like we didnt really get to enjoy our meal properly.
Love this place more and more every day!
RYAN is the best server there!!!
OK let me start by saying that this is my first review on Yelp. The reason for this review is that I… Read more »
The food was excellent (in addition, a great value) as was the sangria, but the noise level is almost intolerable. I felt myself screaming at my date and almost had a hoarse voice by the end of the night. Definitely try to get a seat outside if its still warm out!
Oh, and the arugula pizza was DELISH.
Came here with some gal-pals for dinner the other week. I was craving a proper bolognese... Quartino's didn't stun, but hey, the food is well-priced considering the location. All of it is meant to be shared so expect smaller portions (even for pasta dishes!), but you can easily get something as an entree and just not have leftovers. (Blasphemy for Italian food?)
Our waiter was quirkily nice-- I accidentally left him $5 more in [an already-healthy] tip than intended, but was kind of glad of it after that initial "aw, crap." How's that for crazy?!
The nicest thing about Quartino: We got there early and were seated upstairs, and it filled up as the night wore on. Lights were very dim and by the time we left, everything was a-chatter and a-clatter. There's just something so relaxing about a dining room that feels ALIVE, but isn't disruptive or annoying..!
I crave Italian only like once a year, and Quartino's food wasn't that impressive, but for that ambiance and the fact that we just had a good time, I'd come back! Each of us ended up paying around $20 (food, booze, tax, tip).
Somewhat of note: A pitcher of white sangria was $16-- honestly, nothing special, but far from bad! Also a quarter-carafe of the house wine is the perfect size for a couple of glasses, and a steal for $4.
This is not the typical Italian food that you come to expect, nothing is really smothered in heavy cheese or red sauce...but with that said, the food was amazing, the service staff was helpful, polite and prompt, and the atmosphere added to the experience. We went on a Tuesday night and didn't have to wait to be seated.
We went in celebration of my birthday, had Bellini's, wine, olives, dinner and dessert- and I cannot think of a single criticism. Perhaps my best Italian dining experience outside of Italy. I definitely plan to return soon...and I highly recommend: the polenta fries, the Bellini's, the pizzas are amazing, and the Italian donuts!
Pretty good foods with reasonable prices in this neighborhood. Think Italian-esque food Tapas style. Also, the wine prices are decent, which is rare.
This is what 2 of us ordered to share.
Let's get started:
White Bean Garlic Spread - Very tasty dish. Served with pieces of toasted bread. The garlic taste is not overwhelming, and the consistency is good. They give you a well sized dish of the stuff, so be sure to ask for more bread.
Eggplant Parmigiana: Divine! Melts in your mouth, not too much cheese and seasoned superbly.
Caprese salad: Again, large portion. Mozzarella was so fresh as were the tomatoes. I did add a little pepper to the salad, but that just be my own taste buds preference.
Asparagus Risotto: TO DIE FOR. This was my favorite dish. The flavor was bursting from the bowl. I did not want this dish to end it was so tasty.
And for dessert: One scoop of lemon gelato - refreshing and Coppa al Banana...this dessert was HUGE and luscious. Be sure to save room for this guy.
Enjoyed this a great deal! "Small plates" for the Italian cuisine lover.
Nice selections of wines, and many could be by the glass/half carafe/full carafe. We had some mixed olives and the beef Carpaccio to start with, which were excellent. The Italian fondue - made with a mixture of several of their imported formaggio and served with bread chunks plus the added apples - was AWESOME!
We had a baby spinach/pear/walnut salad which was good, but under-dressed (and I never say that!). Also, I understood that things would be brought out in the order they were available - but still was surprised that the salad showed up after all the above. Guess salad guy got busy?
The only thing resembling an 'entree' we ordered was actually my least favorite. We had the gnocchi with pesto, which I normally really enjoy when in a more authentic Italian cafe. But this one was overloaded with undercooked green beans and onions and it totally overran the delicate dumplings.
I would love to return for another try at the pasta and some of the more interesting appetizers. I'll put it on my list!
I came here with 2 friends for weekday lunch, because my friend had a 50% off coupon. We had a wonderful lunch - I love tapas, but prefer Italian food to Spanish so this place suited me to a tee.
All the dishes come out as they are ready, this wasn't a problem with 3 of us ordering a few small plates, but I guess it could be awkward with only two people, or if someone wants pizza and someone wants polenta fries.... in any case, I think Quartino is made for a big group and lots of wine. That's how Italian should be done, and I'll be sure to be back here to do just that!
The food: polenta fries sounded interesting but weren't as interesting as I thought; we still polished the lot off... eggplant parmigiana was delicious, as was penne alla vodka, the veal meatballs came in a sauce that i could not stop eating. Even the table olive oil was great quality. All in all, it was a fantastic meal.
Can't wait to try to salami and olive bar too. AND - they have $5 wine for take home. No idea if it's any good (it is 'table wine') but good effort!!
Oh - fantastic service too, considering the amount of rushing about they have to do to keep those dishes coming.
Update 23rd August - popped in for a 'dessert' in the shape of a cocktail this evening. Incredibly knowledgeable and lovely waitstaff mixed us a phenomenal espresso martini, invented a chocolate one to meet our 'dessert' requirements and let us enjoy them at a leisurely pace in great buzzy surroundings. I could get used to this.
Hmm, I don't get the hype. I read most of the reviews and came here expecting amazing dishes. After checking into our hotel, we arrived around on a Monday afternoon. We were seated promptly outside and although it's a great atmosphere, it felt a bit too crowded.
We ordered the Margherite Pizza and a pasta (I forget which). The pasta was way too salty, we didn't end up finishing it. The pizza was... acceptable - I wouldn't go back for it again. To be honest, nothing was really special. I think the only thing I can say that I liked about it was the decor, ambiance, and the outside patio. Meh.
I showed up at Quartino on my friend's recommendation, and I was completely ravenous from my all-day trip in to Chicago. So I accordingly went a little nuts in my ordering, packing into one visit what I might have in three normal outings.
Started with a small cheese plate from the Salumeria menu. Each comes with accompanying fruit, giardiniera, and cucumbers. Salty cheese, meet the sweet fruit or crisp cukes. A perfect small cheese plate (which, if you're inclined, can be grown considerably by added meats and vegetables).
Unable to choose between gnocchi and a pizza, I took both. The gnocchi, fortunately, arrived first. A second hit: cooked completely yet remaining ever-so-slightly chewy, these were some of the best gnocchi I've ever had.
My pizza was the Quattro Formaggi, and it came last, fortunately. Because it was easiest to pack up and take back to my hotel after a valiant try at a second slice. They're small pizzas, and neopolitan thin-crust, not the monstrous thick Chicago style. The thinness is never better than when it is right out of the oven, but even so I didn't mind snacking on it for breakfast, either.
The shop is Old Tyme elegant, tile floors and small tables. In comparison to my native environs in socal, Chicago service always spoils me, and this is no exception. Waiters back east are universally more attentive, and kitchens nearly always more efficient than they are here.
I felt a little bit like a tourist walking into Quartino due to it's distinct location at State and Ontario, but I was pleasantly surprised at how great the food is. I absolutely love Spanish tapas because you get to try a little bit of everything. This place is the Italian version of tapas, so I recommend going here with a lot of people and trying one of everything. The pastas are deliciously creamy and rich, and it's ok to order a couple because you don't have to eat the whole thing by yourself. One of my favorite dishes was polenta fries with red pepper sauce. It was just a unique dish that I've never seen anywhere. A great twist to the regular french fry. The salads are good. The spinach one was fairly large, enough to split between a few people. When I'm looking for a good place to eat downtown, I will definitely be back here.
This is my favorite *good* italian place to dine without spending money worth a bran new pair of stilettos on one meal.
**********Always always always have great service**********
I think I've tried a bite almost everything from the menu, minus the fondue.
Amongst them I especially love.... Peach bellini, grilled octopus appetizer, caprese salad with the best balsamic reduction and freshest mozzarella, ear shaped pasta with ricotta, lamb chops, and italian donuts with honey.
It's a comfortable, casual, beautiufl place to have a relaxing lunch/dinner. You don't need to speak in hushed voices and you can laugh out loud. The women's bathroom is sooooo pretty too, haha. One day I'm going to break in and steal their silverware collection- they have about 10~15 different sets that they mix and match... all matte silver with fine details, some with faux lace prints, flower decorations, scalloped edges.. The plates have an old French vintage feel as well.
I came here for lunch today with a fellow yelper because I had a 50% off coupon. I thought half off meant the price, but apparently it was also half off the flavor.
First we split the polenta fries with roasted red pepper sauce. To say the sauce was bland would be an understatement.
We then got a raw deal with the shrimp risotto. Literally. The shrimp and the risotto were both slightly underdone and again, bland.
Our third dish was a pizza with gorgonzola, walnuts and pears, which sounded interesting but did not live up to the allure. The crust was dry and floury and the sauce was bland.
Is someone allergic to salt, pepper and other seasonings at this restaurant?
The hostess was very sweet, and service was fine, but the food was not worth returning for.
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