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Copley (Green)
Back Bay (Orange)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"An excellent, modern Italian restaurant at reasonable prices. My daughter and I enjoyed a lovely lunch there yesterday. We ordered the…" read more »
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This place is gorgeous. Chic down to the tiling in the bathroom floor. We came here on a Friday night around 9:30 and the place was packed. We decided to sit at the bar and managed to steal the last two seats.
The bartender was very sweet - I had the promegranate martini which was nice and stiff. I could have it a bit sweeter but that's just me. There was about two other people behind the bar that swooped in with water and placemats very quickly.
I judge restaurants heavily on the bread they serve and this bread was delicious-warm, fluffly, crisp outside, and great butter/oil to pair it with. The boy had the scallop dish and I had the half plate of linguini. Mine was so, so good- three huge tiger shrimp, al dente pasta with a nice little kick to it. Very pleasantly surpised and the portion was just right for me. The boy's scallops were perfectly cooked (medium rare to medium) and he enjoyed the cauliflower and mushrooms, licking the plate clean. We didn't get dessert but the cider donut one was very tempting.
I'm taking away one star because of the price. I just can't justify spending $38 for five scallops. Granted, they were very good scallops, but if he had been starving it wouldn't have been filling enough. Additionally, boyfriend was convinced both the couples on either side of us weren't in fact couples, but fat rich old guys stringing along their mistresses/"personal assistants." I disagreed but we had fun eavesdropping and debating about whether their boobs were real or not.
In all, great food, great service, great ambiance but be prepared to spend a lot and beware of the pretentious wannabes.
So this is one of my friends favorite spots. He pretty much hits the bar every time and thinks the staff is great.
I hate some great Bellini's and wish I could of had some food since the reviews have been great.
I will definitely check this place out when I visit Boston and look forward to updating this review.
Bear minimum its a fun place to bring a date.
My favorite Italian place in existence is Mario Batali's flagship in Manhattan: Babbo. Everything is perfect there, always. In my three years 300 miles away from Babbo, I've searched for a proper substitute.
A guy took me to Sorellina because he thought it was the Bostonian answer to Babbo. I would hope so at Sorellina's price level, but it was almost as bad as Excelsior (now closed). Small portions are generally acceptable for upscale places, and quality control is given in exchange. However, Sorellina could not deliver. The food was beautifully presented, although I immediately regretted eating any of it: the pasta was overcooked! Seriously, if you're going to present such a small portion, don't make it so mediocre. When I closed my eyes and chewed, I thought I was at Bertucci's. Please bear in mind that someone else paid for my meal . . .
The second strike was the awkward atmosphere. Sorellina is dimly lit for a romantic anniversary dinner, but it was mostly business suits in the seats. And, the sound dynamics of Sorellina was such that we were an involuntary audience of the tables next to us. Would you like a side of private equity buy-outs with your entree? Yuck.
Sorellina makes me want to give up on Boston Italian . . .
Yes, it's as expensive as everyone says it is! Holy cow.
That said the food was delicious - thanks to all of those of you who recommended the beet ravioli. I went with a party of 8 and we had an excellent dinner minus the attitude of our waiter.
Now I've been to lots of places that sell half portions of pasta. I love this as I like to get a nice salad starter and the half portion is just the right amount so as to not overeat. This was my plan going into dinner. I did note in many reviews that the portion sizes were small so I thought I should ask to be sure. All he needed to say was "I'd advise going with the dinner size as the half portion is really just a few bites". But instead he literally scoffed at me and said "Most of *our* diners order THREE courses". It was snobby and inappropriate. Sorry I didn't order the $75 Texan beef buddy, but really? He also gave my friend a hard time for wanting to split a dinner entree with her husband. Although we spent over $1000 for the night he made us feel again and again like we perhaps didn't belong there.
I've had great food at less pretentious places (expensive or not) and would select one of those before going back to Sorellina.
The evening started off great especially when we were seated next to Big Pappi (David Ortiz). My wife had the lamb which was prepared perfect and I had the filet with roasted mushrooms... so good.
This is a very chic italian restaurant. It is a place to see and be seen. I just like the decor and the atmosphere here. The Wagu meat is delicious here but costly. The food prep and the service is really very good. Save room for dessert. This place is a bit spendy, but worth it.
This is one of Boston's finest gems. Sorrelina is a gorgeous hip restaurant that has a sophisticated yet unpretentious menu. I was treated to a fabulous meal there this past fall for my B-day and loved it. My friend had been there before so at their suggestion we ordered the maccheroncelli (Kobe beef meatballs which are absolutely amazing, truffle fries which everyone raves about and now I know why and the Polpo (grilled octopus, perfectly prepared). For dinner I had the sirloin and my friend had the ribeye. Each was perfectly done and was right up there with some of the best steak houses like Grill 23. For desert we had a special B-day presentation that was delicious and tasty. Our waitress was professional, charming and attentive. There is absolutely nothing I would change about this place.
Decor is beautiful and the service was good. I ordered the proscuitto and pork. The proscuitto was OK - it only came with three slices and was not as tasty as I had hoped it to be. The pork was excellent - very thick and tender. I would definitely return here to try a pasta dish.
Ok i really hate to do this but i must. I was going to give this 2 stars but i'm giving it 3 because of the ambiance, atmosphere and the service. If it wasn't for the stellar service I would give it 2 stars.
So we walk in and the front door people were really nice and i threw a joke about the rain and they seemed really nice and upbeat. I felt like this meal was going to be great. The hostess/maitre'd was the only hiccup of service. She was pretty snobby and looked me and my guests up and down. I was dress very well and i felt my guests were too but maybe because we were young or what not. After dinner though she seemed to be nicer maybe since we dropped a good number of clams on the meal. Anyways the waiter we had was excellent and very helpful. He was really upbeat and made us feel good like a restaurant of this class should. Even the people busing the tables were very cheerful too. So service, atmosphere, ambiance check check check.
So going in i heard a lot about their tuna tar tar and their kobe meatball spaghetti. I have to say meh and double meh. The tuna tar tar was slathered with mustard. It had so much mustard i couldn't really taste the freshness of the tuna. It did taste fresh but it's a pity the amount of mustard masked that. Using some type of citrus or less mustard would of been much better imo. The crackers too were just too thick. I think a nice rice cracker or just a thinner cracker or even thin slices of bread like thin toasted slices of foccacia would of made it better. We got other appetizers and one of them like the wild mushroom linguine was decent. The kobe meatball appetizer was meh. The meatballs were ok. Just i've had kobe meatballs at other restaurants and even kobe burgers and you could of replaced the meat with chuck and i probably wouldn't of known. Especially since the sauce was so heavy. Like the sauce was just too much... way too much. The sauce was just too overpowering and way too salty (usually i have a high tolerance to salt). Usually barolo sauce makes the dish. This time i killed it. Though the meatballs could of been better too. O yea also the fries were just ok. I think aquitaine's fries were much much better.
For dinner i got the pork ribeye which was really good. So that was one thing i really enjoyed. On top of that the wine was good too. The waiter gave some good recommendations with the meal we had. Everyone else said their's was good too. So at least the entree's will save the meal.
To finish it off the dessert was just ok. The semifreddo was ok but not what i was expecting from a semifreddo. It was a little too hard, not the light,creamy,melty,smooth texture i'm used to. Get the chocolate dessert. That was better. Really chocolaty.
So to sum it up. I expected more from the food from this place especially since a lot of people were talking this place up to me. I just moved here and this was my first italian place. I think i'd like giacomo's just as much even though i haven't been there yet.
I also felt like what the other reviewer said, basically babbo on the outside without babbo in the inside. Sorry sorrelina! Maybe it was an off day. i'll give you a second chance sometime soon. Hopefully it'll turn around.
I wish our waiter was fired. The others seem okay.
Went for pre-fix. Food, not very memorable, the usual BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP, STEAK, PORK CHOPS.
Decor, very nice.
Food was great. Great barstaff. Nice waitstaff. So why not 5 stars. Just IMHO lacking a bit of energy. But will go back and back...
Atmosphere and food are spectacular. Modern but elegant and soft -- blacks and off-white decor are somehow softened with wonderful lighting.
Four of us ordered wide variety of things, and everyone loved everything! I even had the chef prepare a vegetarian plate for my entree (selected from the wonderful side dishes)...and it was absolutely stunningly delicious!! (they should put that on the menu)
The tables have a decent amount of space between them (not jammed up like some restaurants...which I find especially annoying) -- and as two couples chatting we felt very comfortable. I'm not sure what it would be like for a couple on a romantic date....probably very nice, if not exactly a cozy intimate corner. Maybe they have some cozy corners there...I don't know.
Service was outstanding. Huge dining room, packed on a Friday night, and we felt not the slightest hesitation or hiccup in our service.
Expensive? Yes, definitely. But also very very delicious! (btw, get the doughnuts for dessert)
I completely understand all the hype that comes with the restaurant.
Granted it is expensive, but there are certainly more expensive restaurants in Boston that offer smaller portions.
Upon entering, the decor is modern, chic, and simple. Dim but pleasantly warm lighting welcomes you into the candle lit dining room. The hostesses were very sweet and took our jackets and made sure the table was ready.
Wait staff were extremely attentive and very knowledgable. Our waiter was able to answer questions regarding our wine selection in a graceful and polite manner.
The food: Many of us ordered the filet which was absolutely divine. The portion was generous and cooked to perfection. We didnt feel rushed to finish our meal and the tables were spread out enough to be able to enjoy conversation with your guests and not having to over hear others.
You pay for the full experience here-- Service, atmosphere, space, food, and quality.
Worth every penny kids.
This place is really special, IMO. From the outside, it does not look like much, but once inside, it is quite nice. Great atmosphere, great service, great food. The bar area is always busy with people waiting for their table or just groups that came in for drinks.
Food? Amazing. Kobe meatballs in a barolo sauce, goodness gracious! The sirloin/ribeye is fantastic, too. The wine list is also good, but can get pricey quickly. This is definitely not a stop-by-on-the-way-home-from-work place, but it is great for special nights out.
I have to give a hearty thank you to the management at Sorellina. After my first negative review, I received a lovely message from them. (I say lovely because I have also received nasty messages from the management of other businesses which forced me to remove those posts.) They even offered a comped meal, which I would have happily taken had I not been so lazy about emailing them back.
Anyway, that same girlfriend dragged me back to Sorellina as a trip down memory lane. And this time I was not reluctant due to the incredibly polite management.
Unfortunately, the place is still hit or miss. I still like the bar area the best, so we got one cocktail. It was crowded, but we got served in a timely manner.
Our table was another story. Despite having reservations, we ended up waiting an extra 30 min. No biggy, we had cocktails. But the hostess stand seemed harried, and when we got to our table we felt rushed. Our server was very brusque and he seemed offended when I asked for tap water. I think that might have put us off on the wrong foot, because he was kind of inattentive all night.
The food was hit or miss too. I like the squash blossoms, but not a fan of the tartare, needed salt or something. I got the veal chop and it was okay, but not excellent. My friend got the pasta with crab and peas, which was much tastier than mine, but a little too heavy for my taste.
Maybe I've become incredibly cheap as I get older. But when I end up paying over $120 per person I kind of want the experience to be special not routine.
Perhaps my experience was tainted. The first time I went here in 2006, I had the worst case of food… Read more »
Eat here. I went with a friend and we sat at the bar, splitting everything. We started with hand cut raw tuna with spicy mostarda aioli and chili vinegar, which they split for us (always greatly appreciated). Following that was the highly recommended red beet ravioli with toasted almonds, green onion butter. YUM. Their small dish comes with three ravioli but since we were splitting things, the bar tender offered to add a fourth (how nice) This dish has so much flavor that two raviolis each was just enough to keep us sa-tis-fied, and wanting more. The morning after I received a text message that said, "I think I dreamed of the ravioli" followed by "I've taken down two bagels and am really slow today", which has more to do with the bottle of wine but I digress. The double rib roast pork with mascarpone polenta was sweet and the filet mignon was savory.
With great food, great service and a bustling atmosphere (even on a Tuesday night) you can't go wrong.
Eat here.
Came here on a Friday night for a friend's birthday dinner and can't complain!
Started out with drinks at the bar - they seemed to have something for everybody. I got a grape bellini which was delicious.
My friend got tuna tartare for an appetizer and I tried a bite, despite my not so much love of seafood and I was pleasantly surprised! No "fish" taste AT ALL.
I got the ribeye for dinner and it was a very generous portion. Cooked ever so slightly more done than I prefer but not so much that I didn't enjoy it. The potatoes on the side were very good too, but I barely touched them in favor of the Truffle fries we got for the table to share. Holy yum...but then again I am a sucker for anything truffle!
Dessert was the highlight for sure. Apple cider donuts with some apple and vanilla sauces on the side. I've never had cider donuts before, and am not a HUGE donut fan but wow...these were amazing. My friend had had cider donuts before and said these were some of the best she ever had. I didn't want dessert to end!
Service was pretty good - maybe a little on the slow side but it was a busy Friday night. Prices are $$$ but worth it. Decor is elegant but modern, my favorite!
According to the Yelp standards, "A-OK" wins only three stars, so I'm giving it three.
My wife and I had dinner at Sorellina tonight for her birthday.
We split Romaine salad, and for entree my wife had cod, and I had scallops.
Romaine was above average, and so was the cod.
But the scallop was a big turn-off. It was so salty that after two hours I still feel a little jittery and my lips feel swollen from osmosis.
We were also surprised, not pleasantly, when our server thrust the desert menu without so much as asking whether we would want to see it. I was going to have sorbet anyway to ease the pain from the salty entree, but is the formality of confirming the client's wish for deserts forsaken at top restaurants these days?
Sorellina uniformly received good scores on zagat reviews for food, service and deco, but my wife and I thought only its deco lived up to the high score it received on zagat.
So...just back.
Went with 4 clients. We split 4 appetizers, but oh!, actually 5 apps. Waitress made a gaff, admitted said gaff to us, and made good with all of us being relatively a) ignorant and b) happy regardless.
1. Tuna Tartare. Yes please. Thank you. And yes, sir - may I have another. Draw back: the chips weren't that great. Tuna though...ooof. Top notch. The mustard added was a great blend and choice.
2. Procuitto. You mess this up...find another gig. So, no points for awesomeness, but hey, not taking away.
3-4. A very nicely presented Kobe Meatball (welcome to awesome meatball town, even though it was a bit dry, party of one meatball) and the linguine with shrimp - except there was the gaff. We ordered Fetuchini. Meatball was delish with an amazing sauce and homemade pasta.
The pasta with shrimp was riduculously good. I grew up Italian. I never got the difference. I just got the difference between the good stuff and the rest. Don't tell Nanny, but...well, just don't tell her.
5. Fetuchini. With mushrooms, garlic and truffle sauce. I almost smacked one of my guests to grab a little more of theirs.
I had the pork. Our waitress, who was top-notch (Tiara) sold me on this and a tough sell it wasn't. The dish was plentiful and delish. I could not have another bite.
The portions are big, juicy and good. Atmosphere is very nice with cool wall art. I'd ask for a table away from the bar as that does good service as well whist patrons either wait for service or drink. If you're in Boston - I highly recommend. It's a bit pricey but the food is worth it.
I'm starting off with their lovely bathrooms which are hidden behind curtains just by the reception area - they have TWO individual Women's bathrooms to ONE Men's room PLUS an additional Men's/Women's individual bathroom... they know their numbers! =)
Despite it being Restaurant Week, the staff were all welcoming and smiling as we arrived, and bore us a fond farewell as we made our way out after our meal. The meal began with a warm loaf of bread served with a ball of melting butter that had been sprinkled with sea salt.
The corn soup was served cold (purposely) with a mini pile of crab in the center and a drizzle of basil oil - it was full of wonderful natural corn sweetness and I enjoyed it a lot.
My duck was crispy and tender and a half duck in two pieces - I couldn't finish it all. The bite of the swordfish I had was meaty and moist. The vegetables that came with the fish dish were also well prepared - still toothsome and well colored.
The panna cotta was served in a custard cup under a pile of fresh berries. The texture was perfectly smooth and creamy, but it was a touch melty/soft. My friend was erroneously served the almond cake at first, but once we pointed it out, we were allowed to keep the cake (YES!) while waiting for the vanilla ice cream with espresso...
The cake was moist and very almond meally with large juicy chunks of cherries in the gelato that topped it. My friend, however, preferred the parfait looking dessert with its cool sweetness and coffee flavors.
Fantastic. Great location, reasonable prices, beautiful place!
My boyfriend and I have a set table. Truffle fries, Kobe meatballs, and that chocolate cake thing in a tiny pot are amaaaazinnnng.
Wine list is quite good-- you can also pre-order wine for your table that is not on the list, through Diderot (details on Sorellina's website). We've used this a few times, also at Moo, another Jamie Mammano masterpiece.
This is something of a hidden jewel in the Back Bay-- it is right in between the library and the Westin entrance.
Love love love.
Had an amazing meal last night for the husband's birthday. The wait staff was great, the food was amazing and the decor was lovely. Worth every penny.
The food's delicious, the atmosphere pretentious, and the staff are a bit snide. It's a huge open room with too many tables and the generic "cocktail music" turned up loud; busboys prowl amidst the tables because the place is too big check on diners' status with any subtlety. It's like a big cafeteria modeled after the jarring black-and-white netherworld that the main couple in that Tim Burton movie fall into when they try to step out of their house, before they realize they're dead.
But the food is great. Especially the beet ravioli. I'll call for takeout in the near future.
Lordy was this place good. Sorellina is one of those places that just oozes with class. From the stunning black decor, to the knowledgeable waiters, to the rich, succulent food. You just can't go wrong.
The star of the show here is the truffle fries. Oh. My. God. I was at a loss for words when I tasted them. It was as if they were presented to me from gods hands. And the chocolate cake served in a iron pot. How good can it get! Sorellina is a stunning, unforgettable restaurant destination but keep in mind: it WILL break the bank.
One word: WOW!
A friend took my co-worker and me out to dinner when we were in town working and I loved it so much, I wanted to take our client to dinner here a few days later (in secret hopes I could sneak in one more visit).
I started with some butternut squash ravioli and a glass of wine. Pure heaven. However, there were so many enticing items on the menu that it was difficult to narrow it down.
For a main entree, I went with the filet mignon which was beautifully medium rare, just as I requested. Even in some of the better restaurants, I've found they have a tendency to occasionally overcook it, but not here. Melt-in-your-mouth perfection!
And since everyone has raved out their truffled fries with Parmesan, we all split an order to satisfy our curiosities. I can happily say we also nicely satisfied our taste buds, too! Yum!
The food should be the star at any great restaurant (which it was, without a doubt, at Sorelina), but the atmosphere came in a very respectable second. Once in the door, we were embraced in the elegant, minimalistic, and nearly-all-white beauty illuminated by soft, dim lighting and candlelight. For those planning a first trip, attire is definitely dressy. Anything less and the restaurant itself will upstage and shame you.
Prices were high, but I would expect that here. Thankfully, for the quality of the meal and the stylish ambiance, it's worth the price. Fortunately, at the end of *my* meal, it was my very generous friend who picked up the tab.
I'm not sure what happened between my first, mostly uninspired, *** star visit here over a year ago and last weekend, but serious kudos are deserved! On this outing, my salmon was cooked perfectly, the tuna tartar messed with my tastebuds, and the wine brought me back to Sonoma. Seriously.
I LOVE a good piece of fish so you better believe I ate every bite of salmon, skin and all. The orange demi-glaze was perfect, not syrup-y or sacharine at all. The tuna primi was served with a corn tortilla, but what seems like an odd pairing makes for two amazing tastes. Sans tortilla, you've got hints of spice and wasabi; avec tortilla, you've got something bordering on a fishy version of salsa. It's nice not having to choose. We paired this with a nice Riesling that was everything a Riesling should be; dry and sharp but really easy going down. Just how I love'em.
The decor is nice; I'm always a fan of booth seating, but they've got straight up couches to get cozy at your table! Combined with high ceilings and a back wall racked with wine bottles begging to be used as a photo backdrop, and there's not much room for improvement.
Shit yeah, I've got a new go-to spot in the Back Bay!
One word: Yum! Excellent food, wine and service! Everything was fresh and delicious and we all left For the first course we loved the tuna and also the kobe meatballs. Then I had the sirloin with the gorgonzola potatoes (OMG!) and others had veal, salmon and scallops and everyone was happy. Dessert: the cookie plate and the sugared donuts....OMG, OMG, OMG!!!
Rarely is the cost of an expensive meal worth it in my opinion. I had tuna tartar and kobe meatballs. We touched on everything. The decor is top-notch. The reason this isn't a 5 star is the wait. I guess lots of people like good food.
Expected a lot more for the price point.
We didn't find out there were specials until we overheard another waiter explaining them to another table, and this was after we had ordered. Our appetizers were a solid 'good.' I had the Polpo, which was good, and my dining partner enjoyed the minestrone soup. w. We split a half order of the macharoncelli. The meatball itself was good if not a bit underwhelming. The noodles, however, were excellent. I had the double pork rib chop as an entree and it was above average but not anything out of the ordinary. My partner's veal milanese was well-fried but lacked any deep flavor. We had a side of the truffle fries, which, for french fries, were very good.
Our desserts were also just okay. I had the crostada with basil gelato. The gelato was definitely the highlight of the dish, clean and very refreshing, but the crostada was a bit overcooked, not terrible though. My partner's sorbets were about average, not great but certainly not the worst I've ever had.
If we had not paid as much as we had for this dinner, I would be giving this a higher rating. At this price point, I expected great, not just good or average. I will say that, considering the quality of the macharoncelli, that the pasta dishes are probably the way to go.
Sorellina is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. The food here is absolutely delicious, and never fails to blow my mind. The appetizers here are almost all spectacular -- I loved the raw oysters with lime granita, the beef tartare, but I think I'll always remember the prawns -- best prawns I've had in my life! The pasta here is always so delightful as well. I cannot stop drooling over the deserts either. It is too easy to overstuff myself and overspend in this place with such an amazing menu! I've been back a few times, and will go back more.
The one thing I do not like as much about Sorellina is the setting -- while it is beautiful, the tables for two can certainly get VERY cramped and close to each other and it becomes far too easy to eavesdrop. Service is solid, but not the best I've had. The food, however, will always steal the show.
Parmesan truffle fries...nuff said!!
I've been to Sorellina a few times, and I have always been amazed. I love the ambiance, the food is indulgent and delicious! I've been to all of their sister restaurants as well and have not been disappointed yet.
Always great service, always a fantastic dining experience.
Last night was my second visit to Sorellina - my boyfriend took me for my anniversary, because he remembered I raved about it a year ago. It was much less busy (for a Thursday night) than I remember it being; sign of the times, perhaps.
We started with some cocktails - a regular and a pear martini. My boyfriend's martini was strong but mine was over-sweet and lacked the punch of alcohol.
For apps, we split the tuna tartare and then had a side of truffle fries. The kitchen was kind enough to portion out the tuna into 2 servings without our asking, which was very thoughtful. The tuna was good and it was served with some wasabi-like mayo that packed a punch, but it was packed so tightly into a square and a bit more shredded than I would like. It was pretty good, but for my money, I still prefer the Bristol Lounge's tartare. Truffle fries were very good shoestring potatoes with a dusting of parmesan.
For mains, I had the linguine with shrimp, and he had the tortellini stuffed with marscapone and maine lobster. The server told us that the dinner-priced tortellini would be OK for an entree, but hungry diners beware - the plate came with 4 tortellini on it and a pool of sauce. These weren't jumbo toretellini, they were the normal size. Not an adequate portion for a hungry man, so we ended up having to load up on bread to satisfy hunger and sop up the sweet sauce in the plate. My entree was actually very good and a right-sized portion. The shrimp was cooked to perfection, and the linguine was seasoned delightfully with herbs and some sort of tomato sauce-like drizzle. The linguine, I'd say, was the hilight of our meal.
Overall, 4 stars for the attentiveness of the waitstaff, the beautiful ambience, and delicious linguine that, despite some shortcomings, made for a good anniversary celebration.
I have to echo the sentiments of the yelpers who went during restaurant week... disappointing! I had been wanting to try Sorellina sooo badly. A group of friends and I got together for restaurant week and scored a week night reservation. The place was packed. Good sign! Sat at the bar while we waiting for our table to be ready.. fantastic cocktails. Once we were seated, our waitress came over - she was pleasant, took our drink order and brought us bread right away. I really thought we were off to a good start! I had the lentil soup with pork shoulder which was so amazing that I wanted to lick the bowl. I might have, actually.
Then the evening started to go downhill. From this point on, the busboys were the highlight of the evening (hilarious!). Our waitress completely disappeared. My entree (I had the steak) was not impressive at all. It was a steak. Not cooked medium rare like I had asked. I could have done a better job at home. Then our waitress disappeared again and our plates seriously sat on our table for 30 minutes after we had finished eating. Now, I get it.. leisurely dinner, chit chat, that's great. But one thing that REALLY irks me is when clean plates sit on the table for longer than they're supposed to. Come on!!
Dessert was also pretty dull.. I had something with apples in it - I think it was cake - bleh. The chocolate pudding was pretty good, but that's all it was - chocolate pudding. Who is impressed with chocolate pudding??
Once our waitress came back to the table she was very snooty. I was really unimpressed with the service and, interestingly, looking around you could tell that the people who were there for restaurant week were getting bad service and the people there for the normal menu were getting great service. I think this is horrible. The point of restaurant week is to entice people to come back to your restaurant and spend the big bucks on the real food!! Not make them sorry they came.
I would love to go back to Sorellina and have a regular meal - I truly believe the 5 star reviews that rave about this restaurant. But it might take me a little while to get over my first experience...
I came here for restaurant week and had an ok time. I got the salad with pear (decent) , the steak (cooked perfectly and was a nice sized portion) with unmemorable sides, and the chocolate pudding with whipped cream and pistachio biscotti (this tasted like some awesome pudding that I made from scratch recently!). The decor is awesome, I absolutely loved the black and white.
I get the feeling that their restaurant week food is sup-par and I would recommend that you not come if you are participating in restaurant week. You will be dissapointed. However, if you are eating of the regular menu - it looks fabulous. The other thing that put a damper on things was the service..I don't know what it was, the waitress was helpful and timely..but there was this air of snootyness that just made me feel unwelcome. Is it because we came for restaurant week? Or is always like that? Or did I imagine it? I don't know, but there was something. If they don't like RW, they should just not participate.
I was hesitant at first because of all the hype I was preparing myself for dissapointment. But it lived up to the reputation and then some.
The fettucine, with wild mushrooms is dripping with a black truffle butter that is so simple in flavors but tastes different with every bite.
With high windows, hostesses immaculately clad in black and an interior swathed in white - Sorrelina runs the risk of looking "miami" or "new york" but somehow pulls off down-to-earth elegance in a way that is perfectly Boston.
Amazing restaurant! It is beautiful and clean inside.
Great menu with a very good selection of dishes to chose from. The food is absolutely fabulous and served hot.
Our server exceeded my expectations. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. He even offered me a black napkin for my black outfit. The best service I have ever had and will dine here again.
You can valet park for $15.00
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I went to Sorellina with my family for my birthday dinner. I loved it. The inside is adorable/chic/pleasing, comfy seats, tables not on top of each other. Even the bathrooms are chic, if that is possible.
The service was great, the waiter was very attentive. The guys in charge of keeping our water glasses full were SO attentive they were almost annoying, but this is not something I would complain about, really!
The food is different, nothing totally ordinary/every day on the menu, but it was great. The tuna tartar was amazing, and was a generous serving. I had the carpaccio, which I was kind of hoping would be meat like it traditionally is. It wasn't, it was tuna, I believe. This dish itself I would give only 3 stars, as I am not really sure what was going on on the plate, and it seemed to have random blobs of what tasted like mayonnaise.. but this was the only flaw of the evening. Brother and dad had the oysters, which was only a serving of 4 each, but was presented beautifully.
Dinner... I had the filet, cooked beautifully, simple, tasty. The scallops were also amazing, and covered in bacon. For dessert, 3 of us had the chocolate souffle type dish, which was to die for, and my dad had the cheesecake type thingy, which he said was delicious. SOrry for not knowing what they are named on the menu. ANYWAY, I loved it here and I cannot wait to go back.. although if you are on any kind of budget, be careful. Dinner for 4 last night was damn near the $500 range.
I really wanted to like Sorellina. I will preface my review with the fact that I went during restaurant week and actually ordered off the restaurant week menu, which I normally don't like to do. Thus, my review may not be representative of the typical dining experience here; yet, I don't feel a restaurant should lower the quality of its food simply because there's an inconvenient promotion going on.
I love the ambiance - it's a very clean and sleek space with dark structures lightened by white and beige seating. It's very elegant but not too fancy. The place was filled on a Monday night, and where we sat, the tables were very close together, so conversations of adjacent parties were a bit too audible.
Bread to start was crusty on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside. I was a little surprised we were given butter rather than olive oil, given it's an Italian restaurant, but no complaints.
We had a Viognier, which was light and crisp, and the server kept a close watch on our glasses, refilling them very appropriately.
I started with the mixed greens with thinly sliced pears, dried cranberries, and what was like a giant Indian papadum. It was a nice and light combination but really nothing different from a salad I could order anywhere else. My friend had the salumi plate.
For my entree, I had what was like a sweet and sour Asian salmon. It was cooked medium rare, which made it very tender, but it was very oily. The sauce was too strong, and the salmon tasted like it had been marinating in sugar for hours. The sweet and sour glaze was overpowering and very one dimensional. The accompanying vegetables included green beans, shaved fennel, and brussels sprouts, which were too heavily dressed, and the freshness of the vegetables was masked. My friend's duck was very fatty, but the savory reduction was very good with the creamy polenta that sat underneath the duck.
For desserts, the crema was like a dark chocolate pudding, which was bittersweet, chilled, and almost reminiscent of a heavier, darker mousse. I liked it, but it wasn't as unique as I'd hoped. The apple torta was more like an apple cake, with a nice crust around the edges, but there wasn't as much apple as I would've liked. The apple cider reduction and salted caramel were an interesting topping, but I wasn't a huge fan of the salted caramel sauce.
I wish I could give it 2.5 stars. No complaints about service, especially given the hectic nature of Restaurant Week. However, I had expected way more from the food. Like I said, I set my expectations much lower for Restaurant Week, and I knew better than to order off the RW menu, but I really was disappointed. I've read so much praise about the dishes at Sorellina and really hoped for more polished food. I'm still on the search for something wonderful in Back Bay.
I took my friend here for her birthday the other night, and I have to give a lot of credit to Yelp for pointing me in the right direction. Several days of research, helped me narrow down my choice to Sorellina. It was total quality on all fronts. Great atmosphere, great service (very attentive to detail), and great food.
We started with the Tuna app and a Beet Ravioli dish. The Tuna was top-notch and the beets did not taste like dirt (which is what I was told beets taste like). I would recommend both. Followed that with the Kobe Beef meatballs and truffle fries. If you read other reviews, you'll know why I had that as the entree. I concur with everything good that has been said about those dishes.
The only drawback was the d-bag that was seated next to us toward the end of the evening. If Sorellina could create a d-bag and non-d-bag section (similar to smoking and non-smoking sections) that would be much appreciated. But I can't blame Sorellina for the d-bag, so I'll still give it plenty of love.
I came here for restaurant week with a friend, and we'd been both looking forward to it (especially me). We were seated promptly even though we were a couple of minutes early, but we weren't feeling our table. I hate being stuck in the back corner! It's easy for the waiter to miss you.
Still, the service was very good. Our glasses were always full and our plates were removed as soon as we were done, but we never felt rushed. As for the food, I had the bruschetta to start off. They come as a pair, with some zucchini and squash and tiny tomatoes that were sweet yet a little acidic. Totally perfect and they whetted my appetite quite nicely; I was looking forward to the rest of the meal. For the second course, I had the bistecca, which came with a wine sauce and some onions and a butter sauce on top. It was a huge hunk of steak, again cooked perfectly (I had it medium rare), very tender and juicy and turned to nothing in my mouth. Hands down, best steak I've had in a while. It was so big, I could only eat half of it, and I had the other half packed up so I can eat it when the mood strikes in a bit. We'd also ordered the eggplant gratinata and the waiter forgot about it, but when we pointed it out, he promptly went to the kitchen to get us one and didn't charge us for it, which I thought was a nice gesture.
Before our dessert, we ordered some coffee, a cappuccino for me and an espresso for my friend. They were both nice, and the foam on my cappuccino was so good and thick! For dessert, I had the panna cotta, which in my opinion was a big portion-- not that I complained, obviously. It was nice and creamy but I wish it had been a bit richer. However, it was complemented very well by the fresh berries on top. I enjoyed it but didn't finish it because I found the portion to be a bit big.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience and a place that I'd love to go to on a date. The ambiance was very nice, the place is elegant and simple and sexy, if one could say that about a place. Very solid experience!
Pre Fixe Menu
Neighborhood: Back Bay
3 Course Prix-fixe Dinner
Somerville, MA
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: French
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: French
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: American (New)
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