Ratatouille Restaurante

I wish I could give this place a good review. I really do. They make it look like they're trying. But unless you want to pay 20+ a plate for stale bread, or waiting 2 and a half hours for 10 long neck clams so well done I can only compare them to chewing gum, over linguini (severely over done) then this is this place isn't for you. My dining partners got ratatouille that was so sweet they described it in horror like the famous (infamous) pasta sauce called Ravi. As far as ambiance it is unbearably loud. Don't expect to hear your dinner guests. I rarely write bad reviews but my experience and everyone around my table's was terrible. Two couples got up and left.

Dear management, get a new wait staff or do some retraining. If you would like to discuss my review/opinion with me please pm me.

Giving Valenti's 5 stars was as easy as finding sand on a beach - authentic, fresh, incredible, and delightful Italian cuisine that won't break your wallet. This establishment is a classy breakaway from the usual mill of cookie cutter chains that have no identity. The pizza here is amazing, cooked to order in the massive imported Italian stone oven that sits at the far end of the bar, while the entrees are to die for. No matter what you order, the food here is as good as it gets and combines the basic dishes with the more complex creations that you'd find in Italy.

I'm not sure what to make of this place. I'm so confused. Confounded. Check it out you will not be disappointed.

THIS REVIEW DOES NOT APPLY TO RATATOUILLE.
Valenti's was amazing while it lasted.

I can't believe anyone would rate Valenti's anything less than a 5. I love Valenties, a diamond in the rough.
All of the menu items I've tried have been just fantastic. They have a brick oven to and make fantastic authentic Italian pizzas. Add salmon to whatever salad you order, they are always cooked to a perfected medium, crispy on the outside.
Last but not least the oil and bread served with every meal. Oh the oil! I despise green olives I always have, this oil has minced green olives and it's amazing.
The prices are reasonable.
Table for 2 will run you about $30-$40 depending on your add-ons (appetizers, wine, etc).

They received one star ONLY because I couldn't write a review with zero stars.......

The absolute worst experience I have ever had at a restaurant.

First, we had made reservations for 12 people, weeks in advanced. Confirmed our reservations the morning of. When we arrived they only had a table set for 10. Their solution was to give us an additional table in the corner so that 2 lucky people could be separated from the rest of our group. Well we weren't having that....and finally they brought 2 additional chairs to our table. 2 chairs that were bar stools, so 2 people had to sit much higher than the table making it impossible for them to eat comfortably.

Reservations were at 7:30. It was 8:30 before we received bread (which we had to ask for) still no one has taken our order. And we were having to get up from our table to order drinks at the bar....since our waiter was to preoccupied with other tables. Once we did place our order it was another 45 min before we received our food.

A couple in our group ordered lobster ravioli, about 30 mins after we placed our order they were told they ran out of it. At this point everyone in our group was upset, and we asked to speak with the owner......this is where it gets good.

We voiced our issues to the owner who replied with "I do this for fun, I don't feel like arguing so we will just take our food back"

We were dumbfounded by his response. Some people continued to eat, I gladly gave my food back.

In an attempt to fix the issue the owner did bring out lobster ravioli (that he must of pulled out of his ass, since they supposedly had just sold the last of it about 20 min ago and proceeded to say "here is ur ravioli, so don't complain because I myself made it for you" What a cocky SOB. If I wasn't there celebrating a friends birthday I would have walked out right then and there.

When the bills came, they ended up charging me for my pasta, and literally hand wrote a 20% gratuity on each of the the checks. How ballsy is that?! No tips were given, and portions of the bills went unpaid.

I have never had such an unprofessional experience in my life. I will NEVER go back..... And strongly advises that no one give business to those assholes either!

This was my first time at Valenti's, and I was very pleased. I had dinner there with a friend, we both ordered salads as starters, I had the arugula salad, which was very simple, but very tasty. Arugula dressed with fresh lemon juice and EVOO, topped with red onion and shaved parmesan.....excellent! I then ordered a flatbread pizza topped with sausage and mushroom bianco.....very good. The Italian bread served with dinner was warm, slightly crusty and delicious. My friend and I shared a slice of cheesecake with raspberry sauce, NY style, very good, but a little bit pricey ($8.00), same price as the pizza:-(. Our server was not as attentive as we would have liked, long wait between refills, next course, check etc. The Executive Chef stopped by our table to see if we enjoyed our meal. I will definitely return.

This rating is based on food quality and staff encounters. I had an overpriced shrimp and linguini dish that was okay, but nothing to write home about. The sauce was simply bland--no bite, no spice. The server was nice enough. But later in the evening, I noticed another server being kind of short with a guest. It was an unapologetic type of act in response to a complaint. In short, I won't be back. Though the entertainment was good--a live band, and the group I went with along with the crowd at the restaurant,
was wonderful.

This is my new favorite restaurant for a plethora of reasons! During the weekends, in the evenings, there is a pianist who maintains the intimate, inviting ambiance. The owners and Chef have always come to our table, ensuring any of our needs were met. Moreover, the menu is spectacular - each visit, I have tried something new, and I have yet to be disappointed. It's rare that you find an establishment that is of such high quality that makes each patron feel like family.

Introduction
My wife was willing to go out in public again with me. She took a big risk by going with 2 other couples. I must have behaved pretty well. I never got my hand slapped.

Overall Rating- 3-4 Stars

Food - 3-4 Stars
I had the Pappardelle Bolognese ($20). It was pretty good. I love lots parmasan cheese on my pasta - more than any reasonable human being would want. This is one of those restaurants that uses a grinder. The gal was grinding at the table for me. After 90 seconds I felt sorry for her and let her go before I got enough. (I'll have to start carrying a can of Kraft parmasan cheese with me.)

One of the other men got the Monkfish Scaloppini - $25. He said it was quite good (then again, he's a very diplomatic guy). One of the women got it too and said it was too black for her taste. (She originally ordered the Peasant Combo - $18. When she did, the server waived her off of it with a negative nod. - - - Milo (owner), if you're reading this, no, I can't tell you which server that was!)

One of the women got the Chicken Picatta $18. She said it was very good, but on the tasteless side.

Service - 3 Stars
The server was OK, but seemed rushed, despite we were only 1 of the 4 tables in a room of 20+ table that had guests. It was another one of these cases in which the server was willing to make 3 trips to the kitchen for 3 separate items. (I remember my father-in-law telling me about a man he knew who was so unproductive that if he needed 3 stamps, he would go to the Post Office 3 times!)

Price - 2 Stars
Virtually everything is a-la-carte. So, if you buy a medium priced entrée, a salad, and 1 drink/glass of wine, tax, and tip, it's tough to see how a couple gets out of there for less than $100. That may be the average cost for very good Italian cuisine these days, but there are good alternative restaurants that will cost you less. - - - I'm into value more than "presentation" and "ambiance".

Accommodations - 4 Stars
When you go out to eat with 6, it is best to have a round table. We did and it makes it much more enjoyable. As we arrived at 6:15, we would actually hear each other talk! When you get to be may age, that can be a challenge. If you invite me out to dinner at a noisy restaurant and you mention something bad that is going on in our life and I say, "That's good", just slap me.

Atmosphere - 5 Stars
The decor was fine, but I gave it 5 stars because of the piano player. Dennis was amazing. He played classical and pop music. He took requests, played about anything without any sheet music. - - - I did stump him, though. I asked him if he would/could play either (A) Prokofiev's Piano Concerto #3 the 3rd Movement or (B) Greenback Boogie. (I have a very eclectic music preferences.)

By the way, the Prokofiev piece is the most extraordinary musical performance I've ever seen. You can watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= KDfGBmbNbMw. The YouTube video is almost 33 minutes long. If that it too much classical piano music for you, start at the 27:45 point. It will be the fastest 3 minutes of your life. Watch the pianist's hands closely. They sometimes move faster than the shutter speed on the camera. It is an amazing physical feat. The pianist is always exhausted afterwards.

So, I love the entertainment and ambiance at this restaurant. The owners are always present and welcoming. I love Stacey the bartender.

They need some work on the food. My side of pasta was cold. Ugh! The Veal Piccata was boring and for 24.00 I expected more than four small pieces.

The Pesto Red Snapper was bland, lacking any pizzazz. The pasta was lukewarm and hand churned Parmesan cheese was not offered, let alone cracked pepper.

You have a beautiful restaurant and great service. If your food would be equal you have a winner. Step it up a few notches!