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Tucci
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
11 reviews for Tucci
Ever so hesitant to provide 4 stars instead of 3. In the spirit of the olympics, let's give it 3.5. Tucci is like a passionate relationship (like the kind you have in your 20s): love 'em and hate 'em at the same time. So let me start with the o'so positive:
1. cuisine (when it's done right) is amazing, flavors are reminiscent of European 4 star dining. The creative sauces chef prepares are seriously to die for....
2. happening place: decor and design
3. wine list (italian, regional)
Now on to why they are 3.5 stars:
1. inconsistency (have been to Tucci more than a dozen times and we either get great service or service that doesn't give a damn served with a side of bad attitude.)
2. food can also be inconsistent (still very tasty, but under or over cooked and a few times served "cold").
3. wine served too freaking warm. and when I request an ice bucket for my red wine (which should be served at approx 65 degrees/cellar temp) I don't want attitude. 75 degrees for a 2001 Brunello is like drinking cold coffee. It's against the grain!! So, bring me the bucket and make your annoyed faces in the back of the establishment.
4. over priced (especially the wines 300-400% mark-up from retail) food is priced about right because it's awesome (WHEN IT's prepared properly)!
*So, after dining at Tucci, we loved it and hated it, depending upon the evening. Which makes me think after all the years they've been around that it's poorly managed. Master chef and owner should continue to create cuisine that sends your mind and senses to a higher level. But hire a management consultant to over see the sloppy service, inconsistencies and PLEASE put some of that money into a wine cooling system and if your patrons still want ice...let them have it, with a smile!
Preface:
Tucci is falling victim to a pet peeve of mine: out of date advertising, details to follow. I probably would lean more towards 4*s than 3 without the peeve factor.
This place is date 3 central...expensive but not too expensive, mood lighting, somewhat dressy (though you could easily wear jeans).
Surprisingly, the outside is nondescript - I walked right past it and had to double back. Not a knock on the place, necessarily, it's just understated.
Service was excellent, water glass always full, old plates promptly removed, deep knowledge of the menu, polite and available without hover. There was one exception to this, but more on that with the food...
Speaking of!
We had :
Insalata di Asparagi
Insaata di Spinachi
The Asparagus was salad was decent. The Spinach salad was supposed to be "crispy" pancetta, but was otherwise nice
Arancini: Risotto fritters. Two problems here. The first is that this dish was ordered as an appetiser, but in the one counter example to the excellent service, it was forgotten until after the main meal arrived. the second is that there was supposed to be all kinds of veggies in the fritter, and none were apparent in either the flavor or the look
Rigatoni con Prosciutto - Wonderful. Pasta was cooked well, and I had asked for a little extra cream to create a 'pink sauce" like experience, and that's how it came.
Pappardelle al Ragu di Agnello: lamb. I've never had lamb so creamy before, while preserving the flavor of the meat. Don't expect a leg of lamb as the dish description implies. Still well worth ordering.
Details on the bad advertising: I have tried to go to Tucci twice now, and both times have been mislead by fliers claiming they were open, when in fact, they were not. I can't tell you how annoying it is when you drive out of your way to check it out a place for lunch...and it is closed.
My other pet peeve: There is a wonderful Prix Fixe menu, 4 courses, that is very very reasonable ($26, I believe). If you don't select this, you are in for a much larger bill. Think $65 vs $100. And as you get into the $100 range, (my) expectations go WAY up.
fairly good food, but really quite expensive for a neighborhood eatery
(even in tony Lake Oswego)
I had the Crab Spaghettini which was good, but not $22 good.
It was maybe...$15 good
Quiet and cute ambience
Most of my restaurant meals tend to be downtown PDX. Tucci's is a regular of mine for personal fine dining. It is pricey but they deliver the goods consistently and I have never been disappointed. To call the offerings Italian food those is a disservice to the menu and misleading to the uninitiated. I often eat the fish which is uncompromisingly cooked and attractively presented unlike many NW Portland eateries that claim to be "seafood" specialists. Tucci's halibut is as good as it gets. The warm spinach salad and crab bruschetta are ideal accompaniments. The service has been consistently good and helpful without being overbearing. Enjoy. My only reservation (four stars vs. five stars) is price/value as it is close to the top in extracting bucks per item.
I am new to Lake Oswego, but Tucci gets five stars. Impeccable service and amazing food. I recommend sitting at the bar as Wes and Brian are awesome bartenders. The menu is a little bit pricey, but stop in for Happy Hour and it's a perfect bite!
Food has always been pretty good, although on the expensive side for what you get.
The one thing that bothered me as a younger diner, is I was treated like crap for no reason. They try so hard to create such a fine dining experience, and be so fancy, that they are almost rude.
Overall, food and ambiance good, service - awful.
Beautiful atmosphere, magnificent wines, great food and dessert. Tip: all afternoon and evening happy hour on Monday is ny favorite. Also Thursdays an Fridays they have a great piano bar. I went there one night and the guy was playing rachmaninov! Incredible.
Prices are a little higher here, but the atmosphere and food are worth it if your wallet can comply. The fish I had last time I visited was fantastic, cooked perfectly.
Walking into the restaurant I was immersed in the feeling of stepping into a villa in the Mediteranean. The ochre colored walls, black wrought iron, the rustic looking tables and huge unusual light fixture were a feast for the eyes.
My friend and I were seated quickly (we had called ahead for reservations) and were given food menues, a wine menu, and a cocktail menu. That was my only complaint for the evening. We had these four large menues and not enough room on the table for all of them.
We started off with martinis - I had the key lime and it was absolute perfection. Neither of us were extremely hungry so we ordered salads and my friend also ordered the squash soup. We were entertained by what I can only assume was live guitar music. It was nice and just the right volume to be background music.
While waiting for our salads, we munched on the wonderful rustic bread the waiter had placed on our table earlier. The olive oil and pepper/salt containers were really cute little rustic looking ceramic vessels with a small wooden spoon used to sprinkle the pepper and salt. The only thing missing was a little parmesan.
Our salads and soup arrived and I just want to express how fabulous the Ahi tuna salad was. The tuna virtually melted in my mouth while the vegetables and greens were artfully arranged on the plate. My mouth virtually sang in satisfaction once they arrived on my tastebuds. My friend raved about the soup as well.
This was definitely the kind of place to come for a special occasion. The dining experience was fabulous and the food was amazing. The prices were a bit out of my normal range so I can't see myself frequenting the place. But I will remember it the next time I'm celebrating a special occasion.
Great food, awesome Italian wines and excellent service! What else you want?? The only challenge is, if you are a vegetarian (like me), your choice is very limited. Still it is worth going for the wine!! If you are looking for a formal business dinner then you should consider this restaurant.
Bacchus Wine Nights and fine Italian dining in the heart of Lake Oswego.
Last night I went here for the first time to enjoy dinner for eight and four others joined us for dessert and drinks. It was a fantastic night and although it was my first time in the restaurant, I will definitely be back.
I love dining with a large group because then you get to sample a little bit of everything.
Antipasti dishes:
**Cozze al Vapore--a large plate of steamed mussels in a roasted tomato sauce with Pinot Grigio and grilled Ciabatta
**Calamari Fritti--a basket of lightly fried calamari with tomato and lemon aioli dipping sauces on the side
**Mozzarella in Carrozza--fried mozzarella and tomato with arugula pesto and a balsamic reduction served in a tower.
All three were delicious and I went back for seconds of the calamari and mussels.
Everyone in our party skipped the soups and salad and went right into the main course.
Secondi:
**Sea Bass di Chile--pan seared with a thin layer of prosciutto, asparagus, olive oil whipped potatoes and a light pesto. I had this and actually meant to ask for a substitution of seasonal veggies for the asparagus (since I am not usually a fan due to flashbacks of how it was cooked beyond recognition in my childhood), but this was delicious. I think it is a sign of a great dining experience when you add a food that previously you avoided to your "I'll have that" list.
**Filetto Arrosto--pan roasted filet atop a Tuscan potato cake with seasonal veggies and a port reduction. Four in my party had this and raved about it. It was beautifully plated.
**Cappi Santi al Finocchio--seared sea scallops with faro and arugula. The woman next to me had this (she had ordered it on a previous visit as well) and raved about it. Her father was a fisherman, so I think she has a higher standard then average for the quality of the dish.
And to finish off this decadent meal...
Dessert/Wine:
**Tiramisu Classico--I chose this and it was beautifully presented with swirls of chocolate on a simple white plate, but it wasn't the best I've ever had. Next time, I'll have the....
**Torta Calda del Polenta Ciocolato--warm chocolate polenta cake with fudge and caramel sauce, a honey tuile and gelato. I tasted this and it was out of this world. A really interesting texture and version of a molten chocolate lava cake.
**Trio di Gelato--how you can go wrong with three flavors of their house-made ice cream and biscotti?
**Selection of digestivos--limoncello and orangecello
We had wonderful service throughout and our group was relatively demanding. Most of us were sampling white and red wine, had cocktails, and asked a ton of questions. The waiter had worked in the restaurant as a wine steward for two years, so he had complete command of both the food and wine lists. He recommended some wonderful red and white wines to accompany the meal.
I had a raspberry lemon drop cocktail to start, but I wouldn't recommend it in particular. Others enjoyed the house martinis.
The decor is lush Italian with lots of golds, ambers and reds. Very interesting light fixtures and you eat on carved wood tables and the chairs were very comfortable. Even the fixtures in the unisex bathrooms were out of the ordinary. The kitchen is open to the dining room and at first it was a little disconcerting to have the chefs about six feet away from our table, but I loved looking at the fire brick oven. They have a few stools at the kitchen counter and I saw a mother and her children eating pizza and watching the chefs work. That would be really cool for the little ones.
This place is both restaurant and wine bar and they advertised all wine bottles (red, white, or sparkling) at 20% off the menu price throughout the entire restaurant - bar and dining room on Monday evenings. The evening hours vary, but most of the week they offer a late night happy hour after 9:00p. The Lido Bar is a cool area and they had a baby grand piano, so they offer live music on occasion. There is a patio for outdoor seating in the summertime.
This was a spendy restaurant and would fall in my special occasion category. It has a great wine list, so I think my next trip might be for some wine tasting and a light meal. Our party closed out the restaurant around 10:30p and I see from the website, they are only open until 9:00p on Monday, so it was gracious of them to stay open as long as they did.
