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50th St-8th Ave (C, E)
50th St-Broadway (1)
49th St-7th Ave (N, R, W)
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I had a delicious 3-course prix fixe lunch here for $14.95.
Yeah, that's right. THREE courses for $14.95! And each course was fantastic! Maybe we ordered the right things, or maybe it was a lucky day, but whatever the case, this place was solid enough that I would consider it a good stand-by if you're in the area and looking for a nice meal for a decent price (too bad I don't live in NYC! Boo!).
I ordered the crab cake, the rigatoni with saffron and sausage, and the tiramisu. My friend ordered the octopus appetizer, the baked salmon, and the cheesecake.
The crab cake was flavorful, crispy on the outside, with some kind of delicious yummy brown sauce that complemented it really well. I tried my friend's octopus appetizer, which was also good, and he seemed to enjoy it too.
As for the main course, I really liked my rigatoni, which was cooked perfectly. The saffron sauce was light and tasty, and the sausage was hearty and a good addition to the dish. My friend's baked salmon was AMAZING. I tried a piece and was like DAMN this is GOOD. The outside was crispy, and the inside was melt-in-your-mouth soft and tender. Perfectly cooked. That's how I like salmon. I would definitely order this! Highly recommended.
The desserts were really good too. I liked my friend's cheesecake, which was a simply good piece of cheesecake. And then I tried my tiramisu, which was BOMBIN'! I don't even like desserts, but I devoured that whole thing really quickly. Man was it good!
The bread that they start you off with is also some pretty good bread, and it comes with this interesting chickpea paste instead of butter. Light. Healthy-ish. I think!
The place also has a very simple, comfortable feel, with light wooden tables and lots of natural lighting from the whole wall of window.
Overall, a great value for very decent, solid food. My friend, who lives in NYC and took me here, comes here a lot, and he seemed to like many of the items on the menu. Sometimes, when I go to nicer restaurants, the place generally only excels in one category of the meal, whether it's the desserts or the appetizers, but the thing that I like about Roberto Passon is the fact that, from start to finish, the whole meal is just really solid.
Good value + Decent food all around = YUM-O!
I really WANT to love this restaurant since I am new to the neighborhood from West Village and my work is so close to the restaurant. I went here with a client for lunch - great lunch specials - very well done.
Ordered in once for Dinner - found a long Hair in the White Asparagus appetizer.
I tried it again to buy lunch for the office for a group of us. I ordred the Rigatoni Bolognese. It was super tasty, then I was like...hmmmmm?
Is that hair again?
Not One
Not Two
Not Three
Not Four
BUT FIVE medium size black hair...all mixed into the sauce inside the rigatoni....COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hair net anyone?
I work at a local hotel and unfortunately would not recommend my staff to send guests here.
I have emailed the management to have them pull the sauce.
Order was on 11/19/09.
I am really disgusted. Sorry.
This is my favorite pasta/Italian restaurant in HK. I usually opt for one of the pasta's with added meat. I love the modern decor and the full glass facade.
The lamb ragu pasta is one of my favorites. The pasta is always fresh tasting and properly prepared. I also like the wild mushroom fettuccine. If you're in the mood for something interesting, the pumpkin ravioli with sage butter is great, as is the rabbit Tagliatelle.
For salads, the warm beet salad with goat cheese and leeks is a fantastic start. The warm beets and cheese go great with the provided dressing.
Best of all, the prices here are very reasonable and provide a great value.
Had a great dinner recently. Normally I'm not a fan of lobster, but they had a great special: Lobster w/ white wine sauce and linguine. Their fresh mozzarella and tomatoes w/ prosciutto starter was fantastic. Service was great, and so were the drinks. I'll be back!
I had some steak special and it was pretty good. But when I asked the waiter a simple question about this other dish that the table next to me was having, he seemed to have misunderstood my question and reacted very rudely. I don't like wasting my time arguing with a waiter over nonsense.
We (2 of us) stopped by here one weeknight night while walking in Hell's Kitchen. The food was good and not overly expensive for the neighborhoood. I had lamb with shells in a red wine reduction that was fantastic. I tried a Super Tuscan they have by the glass and didn't love it, but they brought me a very nice Chianti.
Our server was very nice and we were given free dessert at the end of the meal, a very tasty intensely vanilla panna cotta.
I'll add that is wasn't busy during our visit. There were plenty of people there (I usually will avoid a desolate eatery), but maybe it wasn't as crowded a scene as some other reviewers have experienced.
Terrible experience. Over 1 hour and 20 minutes for delivery. The Hostess actually hung up on me and ignored my calls after a while. There is no excuse to treat customers that way.
I ordered the octopus appetizer, chicken livers appetizer, rigatoni with sausage and panna cotta. The food was cold by the time it was delivered. The chicken livers looked like a train wreck and tasted like an old barnyard. The octopus was slimy and fishy. The rigatoni was actually tasty which is why there is even 1 star but it was cold and not al dente as it likely sat in a plastic container for an hour.
I will never order from Roberto Passon again. I am frankly surprised that the reviews are so good.
Don't bother.
Unlimited drinks with brunch does sound like a fabulous idea, until after ordering your food and first round of drinks, you are informed without prior notice that:
a) the kitchen is closing, and
b) you may have one more drink, because the unlimited drinks are over.
Over? I had barely sipped my first bloody mary. I didn't want another drink, I wanted another 6 drinks!
The drinks weren't even that good, either. The bloody mary was poured from a mix, and not even stirred. My friends thought their mimosas were made with fake OJ, and presumably with extra seltzer to water them down a bit since there were super bubbly.
Not to mention the food, yeah, we needed the unlimited drinks to get through it. The veggies in the omelets were clearly from a can, and not at all appealing.
So take that pretentious waiter guy. I know you're infinitely cooler than us, I picked that up by your smug demeanor and higher than thou attitude. All we wanted was an apology, and your "manager" (read: other douchy waiter that pretended to be the manager when we asked to speak with one) nor yourself could even give us that.
So unless you want your brunch ruined, I'd avoid this place at all costs. There are plenty of other well-priced brunch places in the city. This one is not worth your time.
I've only been for brunch so I can't comment on the dinner menu items. They have an 'add $8 get unlimited drinks' which I tried once but really wasn't worth it since I was hungover anyway. I like the eggs benedict, but I especially like the bread that comes with the meal.. Two rolls of bread with jam and butter. What a perfect way to start brunch!
The waiters are pretty accommodating, but not exactly friendly. The space itself is relaxing and the patrons diverse - everything from a huge group of guys to couples with their kids.
I was surprised to find out that Roberto actually had a pretty decent brunch menu, and a highly attractive all-you-can-drink brunch special; however, the restaurant is understaffed, and the one or two waiters that service the restaurant have a bad attitude.
After ordering eggs Benedict with special instructions to cook the eggs "medium," I received the eggs soo runny that they were practically raw and uncooked. When I kindly asked the waiter for something else in stead, he proceeded to teach me a lesson about the difference between runny, medium, an well done eggs, and he insisted that my eggs were as I had asked (medium). I could not believe how embarrassed I felt.
They would've gotten 4 stars if it wasn't for sucky service. On a good note, they food is very tasty.
Had an amazingly delicious lunch here on a Friday for $13!
Went here with a friend on a Friday and had their 3 course special for $13! Definitely a deal!
Food:
They start you off with a piece of bread per person and an eggplant, tomato, olive spread. It was cool in the mouth and a nice introduction for the meal.
I had the roasted octopus for appetizer, which was perfectly roasted to al dente and light seasoning to highlight the octopus.
I had the fettuccine funghi, which was intensely flavored! I love mushrooms, so I really enjoyed it. It was so savory, it almost tasted like it was in a meat sauce. I had to take a little break and drink some water to make it through my plate.
For dessert, I had the creme brule. Pretty standard.
The proportions weren't too small, and weren't too large. I was happily full and very satisfied with the meal. At $13 for this lunch, I'm definitely going back!
Service:
The staff maybe said two words to us our whole time there. They kept on switching my friend and I's orders, so we would just switch plates when the waiter walked away. They're pretty hands off and don't say anything, I guess. The good food made up for their lack of service.
Environment:
It's a decent sized room with a whole wall of glass looking out into the Hell's Kitchen street. The wooden tables match the wooden floors. The tables are good sized and well spaced, unlike its often crowded and loud neighbors.
Restroom:
All the way in the back, ok sized and clean.
YUM YUM YUM!
French toast topped with strawberries, 2 eggs, & bacon! soo GOOD!
i dont eat salad..so the mix greens taste like trash to me! literally! YUCK!
Buttt how can u beat $8 for unlimited drinks .....4 peach bellinis and glass of water hahaha!
I had a great time!
the people sittin next to us where fun and warm!
andd whats better laughing at people outside walking the city streets!
I will be back!
You can always expect a quality meal from this place. Their appetizers, salads, pastas, and desserts are incredibly rich and are absolutely worth coming back for. The atmosphere is great for a date or a nice dinner with friends. A good wine selection (but not so special drinks list) makes for a complete meal.
I've been here now 2 weekends in a row for brunch. Last weekend for my b-day brunch with 5 friends and this weekend with one friend. A place automatically wins my approval by seating incomplete parties. Each time they sat me and I was able to get a drink while I waited which I LOVE!!! This action alone will keep me coming back but then there's the $8 dollar unlimited drinks and the extremely yummy food.
There are reviews here that complain about the service. Both times I had the same server and he was great. They have one guy that goes around and refills your drinks so you are never with an empty glass for long. This is a must do if in the neighborhood.
Been here twice for brunch with coworkers -- $8 added to your meal and you get all you can drink, usually till around 3. But the staff can be hit or miss and drinks can either flow or never come, which is irritating.
Some dishes like the French Toast and Steak & Eggs are good, but come in small portions. If you're really hungry, go for a panini -- had the Positano (grilled chicken) last time and was more than full.
Few weeks after I came back from Italy after spending 3 weeks there over christmas break in 07. I was craving some Fagioli soup and Gnocchi i had in Florence and also a Florentine steak. Unfortunately I could not find a Florentine steak but i found Roberto Passon had a Fagioli Soup and some Gnocchi. Unfortunately the food was not up to par from what I had in Italy but it was still pretty good. It satisfied my craving. The Fagiolis in the soup were very very mushy. The Gnocchi's texture were nice and chewy like a gnocchi should be.
The wait staff was also really nice.
Order
Orzo e Fagioli Soup - ok
Gnocchi - good
Sirloin Steak - good
Here we go again. Now that Hell's Kitchen has become fabulous and chic, it seems that only the fabulous and chic can work in restaurants. Get over yourselves, guys. You are in the service industry and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I tried this restaurant when it first opened. Good food, good service.
I later invited out of town guests to join me for dinner. After waiting a long time, an incorrect order arrived and the server disappeared...forever!
Okay...one more time: I visited the restaurant on a weekday afternoon for lunch. There were few customers. When I arrived the host asked if I was " only 1." Yes guys...unless you are having hallucinations, I am "1"...not "only 1." Okay...so he escorts me to a table in the middle of the room. Hmmm...I asked for a table against the wall...and after making sounds, flipping his head back, he escorted me to a table. The food was excellent, the wait staff friendly, kind and considerate. When ready to leave the restaurant I said good bye to the host who just simply ignored me. How more gracious can you be. Guys...Hell's Kitchen is Hell's Kitchen. I am not royalty...but neither are you. Get over yourselves and start treating customers politely. Leave your attitudes at home.
Roberto Passon has a lot of potential.
The space is nice - rustic New York building detail defines the space. Old, broken up brick contrasted against new windows, glass panels and old wood floors make the space look larger than it really is. The restaurant stays bright during the day and illuminates well at night. The only realy problem with the design is that the restaurant gets very loud very quickly - there is essentially nothing to absorb the noise.
We were seated quickly for our brunch and served with a great bread plate each - accompanied with soft butter/preserves for the table to share. Soft butter - yes! A server then came and took our drink orders - 2 Bloody Marys for their $8 unlimited brunch drinks special, which also includes regular champagne, bellinis, strawberry bellinis and mimosas. The drinks took a little long but were well made, although I generally prefer my bloody marys a little spicier.
While we were waiting for our food we scoped out neighboring diners' food - all of which looked DELICIOUS (maybe that was our Saturday night hangover speaking, but it still looked good nonetheless). I ordered the Positano panini - grilled chicken, provolone, sun-dried tomatoes and dijon mustard. It came accompanied with shoe-string french fries. The panini was HUGE and was delicious as were the crisp, golden artery-clogging fries. A woman at the table next to us also ordered a panini that came with fries and the server quickly and gladly replaced her fries with a pretty side salad per her request.
Our server stopped by ever-so-often to top off our drinks, leaving us delightfully drunk for some Sunday shopping. I'm definitely going back.
Came here for Sunday brunch before a musical. Got here at noon and the place was empty...though it started filling up fast around 1pm.
The chocolate chip pancakes were a bit crispy and salty on the outside but fluffy and sweet on the inside. Syrup was poured onto the pancakes so if you like it on the side..make sure to specify. Interesting taste, i liked the salt, but nothing special. The salmon benedict was OK. the smoked salmon was...cooked! not only that, it was pretty salty.
If i were to come back, it'd be for the $8 all you can drink option. It might deserve 4 stars after throwing back a few mimosas.
I moved to the neighborhood about six weeks ago and have been passing by this place quite frequently. The menu sounded delicious, the decor looked inviting and it is always packed...so needless to say I was yearning to try it. I had a few friends in town this weekend and it seemed like a great time to try the brunch. Of course I was attracted to the free drink refills but this by no means overshadows the TERRIBLE service!
We managed to beat most of the brunch crowd, yet somehow everyone who came in after us got served before us. Hmmm. My two friends and I all ordered simple egg dishes that couldn't possibly have taken that long to make. When the food finally arrived they brought me over-easy eggs instead of the scrambled I had asked for. When I told the waiter it wasn't what I had ordered he just looked at me puzzled and finally realized he was supposed to take them back. After a good 10-15 minutes he returned with my eggs and barely grunted an apology.
Service aside...the food was decent...but you can't really mess up eggs. I might give it another shot, but with so many other great restaurants in the neighborhood I'm not sure it is worth it.
There is no good reason why after 4 years of living in Hell's Kitchen I haven't eaten here. A good option for pre-theater or a date - it's a simple, chic atmosphere - very airy with high ceilings, which unfortunately, lead to a rather noisy experience. But only my parents nitpicked about such things.
The food was quite good - I started with the prosciutto and pear salad over arugula: fantastic. Followed it up with a black tagliatelle with mussels, clams, and asparagus. Light and delicious. It's not quite a five star, but it's among the better choices for Italian on 9th ave. Thumbs up.
This restaurant is a great example of poor acoustic design. The room was only half-full, but we were just bombarded with the sound of everyone else's conversation. It's not that our fellow diners were particularly loud, just that the sound had nowhere to go and nothing to do but bounce around and fill the space. To compound the questionable ambiance, the lights are kept very dim, and the background music of choice seemed to be Seal's Greatest Hits.
Both the food and the service were just a shade lower than the 4-star experience i expected.
There appeared to only be one waiter for the entire restaurant, and while he wasn't particularly overworked, he visibly favored some tables over others. Maybe the four businessmen at the adjacent table looked like better tippers than we did, but they got many more visits from the waiter and he generally paid more attention to them while at their table.
And i'm not normally someone who would subtract points for the aesthetics of a meal, but my gnocchi just looked so much like soggy albino dog food that it was hard to eat, even though it was quite tasty. The pumpkin ravioli looked far more appetizing, as did plates served to other tables, so i think this is a failing only really apparent in the gnocchi, but it still made quite an impression on me. The mista salad was mediocre, verging on bad, though. All other dishes were generally judged to be good, but not great.
The bread provided for the table is extremely crusty, which isn't my thing, and the two mystery sauces provided with the bread didn't look particularly appealing.
So, in sum: meh. I may give it a try for brunch sometime, if it's fairly empty and the lights are on.
--
Edited to add: I've walked past the place a few times during brunch now. In daylight, the massive front windows flood the venue with natural light, and it actually looks much more inviting.
Oh good, another place to add to my list of drunken brunches.
$8 for all you can drink mimosas, champagne, screwdrivers, bloody Marys or bellinis is an awesome deal, and was what sold me on this place for my brunch destination this Sunday. Meals are reasonable too and clock in at $7.5-$8 for the more breakfasty options and $12 or so for more lunch-oriented food. You are served a nice little hot mini-muffin when you enter, plus a slice of rustic bread. The servers were very attentive with refilling water, but weren't NEARLY as generous with the booze. Frankly, if they'd been more on top of that (hell, just leave us the carafe on the table...) this place would easily be 5 stars in my book. The food was very nice basic brunch food. My smoked salmon Benedict came with a little salad, a few home fries, and a generous drizzle of hollandaise. I also saw someone across the room eating pasta that looked very tempting.
The only detractions were for me the noise level (I had trouble hearing my BF across the table) and the fact that the space just really feels like some sort of retail space/clothing store. The tables looked good, but the bare walls and wide open windows made it feel kind of cold. I think a few more soft surfaces would absorb some of the noise as well. (Curtains maybe? At any rate, you feel a little fish-tank-y if you're seated near the windows.)
I'll definitely be back here for brunch again, I can't believe I ever faced long waits on the LES for pretty much the same experience when all along Roberto Passon existed.
From what I remember... this is one of my favorite drunk brunch finds of the year!
Roberto Passon offers an unlimited brunch for around $20, which features all sorts of drinks: bellini, mimosas, screwdrivers.
The kind waiters indulged my gaggle of girls by allowing us to stay for three hours. (We, of course, would have vacated our table if there had been a wait for it.)
The food was incredible and the decor tasteful and clean, and I can't wait to go back for dinner. I definitely need to bring more people here.
Came in Sunday a little after 11am for brunch, the place was pretty empty?
The best deal on their brunch menu is $8 all you can drink mimosas, bellinis, screwdrivers, etc. Nothing stood out on their brunch menu, and you have to order everything seperately(ie no breakfast platters).
Chocolate chip pancakes were fluffly and plentiful, but nothing special. Their french toast was moist and nicely crisped on the edges. The apple cinnamon sauce was unique, but not mind blowing, kinda like this restaurant.
Rating - 7.0
We were walking down 9th tonight and saw this neat little place with floor to ceiling windows, not knowing anything about the place we walked in and sat down. It took the waiter a very long time to come take a drink order (waiter 9), and his service got WORSE as the night went along.
Please see my blog for more details and reviews.
When he gave us the menus he said there were no specials, it was the first night of a new menu so everything was a special.
Bread served before dinner was horrible, way too over cooked.
App was excellent (carpaccio) and the entrees were all just ok, with the exception of the Rigatoni with spicy sauce that was fantastic.
Wine was good, but again the service was BRUTAL. I would go back for the Rigatoni, wish it was my dinner.
1 Carpaccio Manzo 12.00
2 Pollo Montasio 34.00 (mine - really thin chicken with cheese on top, decent sauce, and bland mashed potatos)
1 Tortelli Riccota 16.00 (just ok)
1 Rigatoni Bologne 14.00 (the STAR of the night)
1 Chianti Colli 36.00
1 Chian Bucciareli
Total - $ 164.74 for four
The only reason I am giving Roberto Passon 3-stars instead of 4 is because I feel like I can get just as good and/or better Italian at other places for less. What I had was very good though so if you want to try it out, go for it. I had the tricolor salad (very, very tasty) and the carbanara (have had better but was good). Plus, the bread is served with this exceptional eggplant spread and a nice olive oil. I went with a party of 17, and everyone seemed very happy with what the ordered. The service was somewhat slow, but very nice (and the slowness could have been due to the size of our party).
Some of my coworkers went for brunch, and the service was so horrible that they left without tipping. I actually got a message from the manager via yelp, but it doesn't seem like nothing has changed in their service since then seeing the reviews by the people after me. Meh.
HORRIBLE service.
One of my coworkers had gone during their brunch hours and gave them a big two…
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Roberto Passon is an excellent place to enjoy your food. I have eaten Brunch and Dinner here, and both were delicious.
The decor of this restaurant is very inconspicuous. The walls are simple brick, there aren't a great deal of fixtures, and the well constructed wooden tables have simple geometries but are not smooth. The rustic minimalist design of the inside is pleasant but doesn't detract from the food or conversation.
The food is very good. It hits the spot perfectly if you are waking up after a long night out or if you just getting ready to hit the streets in the evening. The dishes are well prepared and not overbearing in flavor, which I think is a shortcoming of alot of Italian Restaurants in the area.
The food is really good and inexpensive considering its quality. I think that the brunch deal is bargain, especially since it comes with a bottomless glass of mimosa/bloody mary/bellini.
*Very tasty food
*Pleasant atmosphere
*Reasonably priced
Bad experience. I went there with 3 of my friends for brunch on Saturday. We were excited about the unlimited mimosas, and went with a reservation at 2:30. We had just about placed our orders, when the waiter informs us that the brunch closes at 3! Now, why would they take reservations for 2:30??! They know very well people come for the unlimited drinks. We should have been warned....not asking for much. It would've still been ok if the waiter & later the manager had been apologetic about it. Instead he comes over with a cold look & says "I've had this argument with many other people before"! ..... Ha ha! I can safely vouch for my friends when I say that none of us will be back.
Roberto Passon is an excellent homestyle Italian restaurant. The ambiance of the place is cozy and romantic; and the food is hearty, flavorful and satisfying.
Each dish was well prepared, fresh from the kitchen. The appetizers include salads, cheeses and seafood. We had the perfect salad for starters and the crabcakes, which were mediocre. The entrees include seafood, veal, chicken and pasta. My boyfriend went for the veal and I had the pasta. The portions were extremely generous: the veal dish came with three slices of well-marinated veal, and I loved every bite of my fresh pasta and rich sauce. Both entrees were very flavorful, but were a bit on the heavy side; so make sure you come with an ready stomach. There's also a wide selection of wine to pair with the whole delicious experience.
We didn't have room for dessert afterwards, but judging from all the raves over dessert from the table next to us, I walked away with tinges of regret. In all, imagine sitting down with an Italian family where they stuff you with mouthfuls of rich delicious home made food, lots and lots of it-- that's the experience at Roberto Passon.
The breakfast food here is not good. My boyfriend liked his pasta, so the Italian food might be better, but I would definitely not come back here for brunch. The chocolate chip pancakes were particularly bad - very very dry. That being said, the presentation and the decor were very nice.
Also, I thought it was kind of cool that Milan from Project Runway was eating a couple of tables away :) .
Clearly a contender for the best Italian food in the Hell's Kitchen area, Roberto Passon hides its corporate restaurant roots and makes most of its customers become entranced with its humble decor, prompt service, and cozy atmosphere. The interior is darkly lit, but just enough to keep the mood intimate and semi-romantic. Since its not a large restaurant, it can get crowded in a hurry and the line will eventually find its way out of the restaurant, which is a bit of a distraction at times. Hence, make reservations and save yourself the trouble of being wait listed.
The food here is nothing short of spectacular. Our appetizer special had a fancy name (that I forget) and was stuffed full of rice, cheese, and garlic. It was heavenly and reminded me of the boudin balls from the south. For $12, it was a little spendy since they only had 3 balls to eat and these babies were about as big as mini hacky sack. With the pasta dishes, the presentation was fabulous and sparked my group's hunger even more. My pappardelle with braised venison was some of the best I've ever had, while the fusili and rigatoni were also very good. It is too hard not to recommend this place, it wins my vote for the best Italian in the neighborhood.
I came here for brunch with friends on a weekend. I have never eaten here for dinner so I cannot say. However the Brunch is Fabulous!
You have a large seletion of breakfast entrees to choose from like eggs benedict, omlets, 2 eggs, etc. you name it, as well as other pasta dishes to choose from and lunch entree dishes.
THE BEST part of this is that if you order anything from the brunch menu you get unlimited mimosas, belinis, champaign, wine, etc, whatever it is to go with!!! for 8 dollars I believe. Now How is that BAD?? THAt Win's IN MY BOOK
The waiters were friendly too and I have to say service was pretty good and attentive. My friend asked for a side order of eggs to go with her order and they turned it into another entry by adding salad and potatoes. WHAT?? HOW AWESOME IS THAT???
YEah.. I'm returning the next chance I get. Who's with me? Let's go get belini's and such with our brunch ^___^
Sometimes life rewards us with impromptu choices, and choosing Roberto Passon among the numerous options along 9th Ave was a reminder to be adventurous in dining.
The wide array of ingredients on the menu gave me a heads up that this was going to be a decent choice despite some empty tables (it was Sunday night).
Right off the bat, the beets salad was just right. Generous serving and the right mix of texture and taste.
My friend and I were swayed by the description of the pasta special, and we were not disappointed. The pasta didn't taste like regular pasta b/c it was so fresh. The sauce was mild enough to showcase the pasta but flavorful enough to pair with it.
The dessert and coffee were equally pleasing. Perhaps the service and the food made us linger that the meal ended up being the highlight of my trip here. Who knew? With all the arts and people and traveling, dining in this comfortable yet elegant restaurant is what makes me look forward to the next visit...
11/12/2006 Another star has been added.
As an update:
A bit upset at my prior experience, i sent a letter in to the restaurant advising of the problem. I was contacted by one of the managers, and invited to come back. Jason, the manger, offered a bottle of wine as a token of appology from the restaurant (very kind of him). It was a very nice crisp Chianti. Our experience this time around was exponentially better than the first. Once more, the food was very good. Tasty, very beautifully presented. We tried their sirloin steak with green beans, the ossobuco special, and as a starter, grilled baby calamari. All delicious plates. As a closer we had the Apple tart, very nice too!
The service was very polite and attentive. Of course its understood that the manager had an eye on how we were treated tonight. None the less, i do think think this waiter was in a good mood and liked what he was doing as opposed to the prior waiter we had. In any case, its likely that we will be back here. The food is good and its close to my GF office.
09/30/2006
The food was good.. but the experience was lost to me at the door. Our greeting was "we only take cash and amex". That was a big turn off and i was almost to walk out of the place as this wasn't said in a suggestive mood, but in a " u better have something to pay with" mode. Besides that, the treatment was a bit rude on the edges, as well as forced. I'm not sure if it was my jeans, our race, haircut ... but the waiter wasn't happy about serving us and spent most of his time chatting with the patrons on the other corner. It was very disheartening, but we, my GF and I, sucked it in and ordered our food trying to make the best of our night, and we love food, good food that is.
I had the portobella, goat cheese, tomato salad. and the slow braised rabbit. The salad was OK, i figure it could have been more flavorful, but the rabbit was awesome. It fell off the bone and i can recall the great flavors still. Would go back just for that, but i still have the sour taste of the surrounding experience that night... I'm iffy about returning.
Service= Good
Food= Excellent pan seared striped bass. The gnocchi with fresh mozzarella and basil was great as well. For an appetizer we ordered from their daily specials menu and had this big fresh mozzarella that was hard on the outside and soft and milky on the inside, it was very tasty but when the bill came it turned out to be $20! Far more than anything else we had ordered. I thought it was sneaky and certainly wasn't worth it.
Ambiance= We were seated toward the far left-hand corner and I couldn't help but to be annoyed by this constant mechanical humming noise- maybe a dishwasher?
Overall an OK experience, but nothing amazing.
If I had been able to take advantage of the $8 unlimited drink special for brunch, it would have balanced out the slow slow service. We arrived at noon on Sunday with reservations for 4 and waited about 45 minutes to get our food. I ordered the eggplant panini which actually ended up looking like a sub. Don't expect the parallel lines of an Italian sandwich press. The salad was really great as was the complimentary breads. I'll come back again if I have nowhere to go afterwards.
The dinner was well-prepared and promptly served, but the food was not memorable beyond the general feeling of satisfaction. The latte was one of the best I have had in a long time. As good as you can get in Italy itself.
However, given all the choices, I probably would not go back. No regrets that I have gone either.
This is the ONLY place in all of manhattan that i found last summer that had all you can drink at brunch and DIDNT force you to buy an entree to get the $8 all you can drink special!! A++++!!
Further, they had three options of bellinis (peach, strawberry, and kiwi, but they were always out of kiwi, so i guess 2 options is more realistic).
They also had all you can drink mimosas and bloodies included in the deal i believe, but dont recall the bloodies being that great...
the food was well priced and looked pretty good too! all in all i was shocked at the value for what i heard was a fairly upscale restaurant...although it was in hells kitchen (nothing against hells kitchen, but this is the only motivation i ever had to make it out here)
it was always pretty crowded at brunch, which is understandable with the awesome brunch drink specials! The waiters are sometimes slow to refill your drinks, but not enough so that i wouldnt come back again if i had the chance!
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