Volterra
Categories:
Catering Companies, Restaurants, Italian Restaurants
Details:
$$$, Brunch, Dine At The Bar, Family-Friendly Dining, Fine Dining, Group Dining, Late Night Dining, Notable Wine List, Outdoor Dining, Romantic Dining
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Catering Companies, Restaurants, Italian Restaurants
$$$, Brunch, Dine At The Bar, Family-Friendly Dining, Fine Dining, Group Dining, Late Night Dining, Notable Wine List, Outdoor Dining, Romantic Dining
Inspired by the warm, traditional Tuscan hilltop town by the same name, Volterra features the bold-flavored, Tuscan-inspired menu of award-winning Chef Don Curtiss. Chef Curtiss has a long history and following in the Northwest. He received acclaim as "One of America's Most Innovative Chefs", from Wine Spectator while serving as the opening chef of Andaluca. He was also named "One of America's Top 26 Chefs" by Italian Cooking and Living. Volterra's dining room is inviting with rich red walls; chocolate-brown leather and textiles; and dark woods offset by alabaster light fixtures hand-carved in Volterra, Italy. "Don Curtiss' lush, imaganitive eats bring a breath of fresh air to the local Italian restaurant scene." Zagat America's Top Restaurants 2006 "That fine tuned quality is part of the welcome suprise that is Volterra." Nancy Leson, Seattle Times
I went to Volterra with my boyfriend and we LOVED it! Everything a patron could want in a nice restaurant- yummy creative entrees, friendly servers, and a delightful ambience! I had the eggplant pasta and my boyfriend had the wild boar. Every dish delighted our tastebuds and the attentive waitsatff made the meal all the more pleasureable! A little pricey but worth every penny! As many others have mentioned, reservations at dinner are a must to guarantee yourself a table and the street parking in Ballard will leave you searching and walking a little distance to the actual restaurant. Very romantic, not too noisy. We purchased a bottle of their house olive oil/dipping salt because it was SO good! Great date or cocktail place, as well!
Pros: ambience, service, food
Cons: parking
Posted 09/05/06
Consistently excellent food, great service, creative drinks, delicious fennel salt and olive oil for the bread. Tried the chef's choice appetizer plate for 2 last time and despite a slightly higher price, found it to be totally worth every penny. There were 8 or 9 small bites beautifully arranged on the plate showcasing the fresh ingredients that day. Had the boar as a main course and was amazed at how tender it was - and flavorful. Great drink list. It's a little too pricey for me to go everyday, but if I could, I would.
Pros: Amazing food
Cons: Not cheap
Posted 09/05/06
We went there for our anniversary. We arrived just after 5:00 on a weekday, and were seated immediately in their large, and almost empty, dining room. The service was fast and polite, and our waiter was quite possibly the cutest Italian man you've ever seen. The food was A+ and the ambiance was nice - not loud or obnoxious, which was helped by the location of the bar (in a separate room). Overall, we had a lovely romantic evening.
Pros: Interesting dishes, fantastic service
Cons: Parking in Ballard is awful
Posted 09/04/06
The patio at Voltarra is a urban oasis. It feels like an outdoor dining room with nice chairs / tables, sheltered by a large overhanging tree with white lights, and thoughtfully designed pots with small trees and flowing greenery. The vibe is lively and a little more casual than indoors. Sun brunch after the farmers market is a regular habit of mine. Love the peach bellini with tyme. But, you can't go wrong with any of the pastas, wild boar or beef tenderloin at dinner.
Pros: food, patio, staff
Cons: parking
Posted 08/24/06
What a suprise to find Chingiale on the menu --we haven't had Wild Boar in years and it was worth the wait. The pastas were delicious and perfect aldente but the Wild Boar was our favorite. We couldnt' get enough of the silky gorgonzola sauce. The chestnut panna cotta was really unique and the coffee service came on a silver tray with a silver creamer and an Italian cookie. The busboys were adorable and our server and the wine guy very helpful. I only wish that we couldve scored a seat on the patio.
Pros: Wild Boar, Menu, Wine List
Cons: Hard to get reservations on the same day, Parking
Posted 08/23/06
Based on all the buzz about Volterra, I went here for a fancy dinner... and I hate to say it, but I didn't see what all the fuss is about. Our polenta appetizer WAS completely tasty and they have nice cocktails (though some are much too sweet), but I found the rest of the meal wanting something. My husband's wild boar was cooked perfectly but doused in a cream sauce which I thought was bizarre, and my pesto fettucine tasted mostly like cream. We didn't have wine with dinner, but our server kept trying to push it every chance he got, to the point of being annoying. For the price, I'd rather satisfy my Italian cravings elsewhere.
Pros: Nice outdoor patio, some tasty cocktails
Cons: Expensive, overbearing waitstaff
Posted 08/23/06
Delicious restaurant in a quaint, boutiquey neighborhood of Ballard. You can't find Banana Republic here but there is a Tully's near by. Definitely make a reservation before heading here. It's very popular among the locals and is rated the best Italian restaurant of Seattle. So with that said, you question ... is it really that good? Well, I'm not a snobby food connisseur but I found the food to be absolutely delicious. Although I heard they're known for their pork medallions but my friend ordered it and it was really dry (maybe it was a bad night?). The lamb was absolutely fabulous. The meat fell off the bone and was so tenderized and full of juice. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants for the moment and I'll definitely return once ... twice ... thrice? One thing that bothered me was they couldn't bring me any hot water for my tea. It was lukewarm and the server returned to the kitchen several times and kept bringing me lukewarm water. It was weird but I did enjoy the small bowl of almond cookies they brought complimentary with my lukewarm tea.
Pros: friendly staff, clean, great food!!!
Cons: parking is horrible!
Posted 08/13/06
The manager and wait staff are great! We find many Seattle restaurants are challenged in this area. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and level of service. Oh, yes! The food is good also! We have been back twice - very unusual for us lately. Ask the manager for wines that he would recommend - they might not even be on the list! This is a lovely recasting of the old Burke's.
Pros: excellent food and service
Cons: a bit noisy
Posted 08/01/06
My wife and I were at the Ballard Seafood Festival this last weekend and stumbled across this fantastic place. The decor was warm and inviting, the food was delicious and the staff very friendly. Didn't know we had such a great restaurant in Ballard! We will be back!
Pros: Food, Service, Decor
Cons: Parking
Posted 08/01/06
After battling a serious flu and existing on bland food for a week, dinner at Volterra was just what I needed. The flavorful wild mushroom ragu on the polenta custard was like nothing I've ever tasted and the house pastas we tried were all superb. Perfectly cooked, light and airy. The lamb ragu with tagliatelle was the favorite at our table. The busboys were the best it was a hot night and our waters were never empty. Anthony our server took excellent care of us. The food is primarily Tuscan and Northern Italian so don't expect alot of red sauce or the typical fare seen at most Italian restaurants.
Pros: Food & Service & Authenticity & Patio
Cons: Parking
Posted 08/01/06
went with a friend and the service was a bit stand-off-ish, our server seeming to have better things to do than to provide us with specials or reccomendations (even when asked!) The food was good but seemed to be not very traditional Italian. Sophisticated-yes, but yummy comfort food-no. The seating was less than private and after looking for parking for over a half an hour I was hoping for something better.
Posted 07/31/06
Volterras patio is my new fave spot to spend a summer evening. The patio doesn't get too hot cuz it's shaded by big trees and it's a great place to relax and people watch. Start off with a Cherry Mojito. This drink is made with fresh cherries and rocks! The wine is list is huge and the prices are great. The wine steward taught us alot and made some really good suggestions. The menu has alot to choose from and everything is delicious. I could eat the panzanella salad and wild boar tenderloin everyday. You have to get there when they open to get a spot on the patio without waiting.
Pros: food, patio, atmosphere
Posted 07/21/06
I read the reviews and decided to check it out for a low key but romantic anniversary. We peeked in and it looked packed, so we decided to grab a drink at the Matador down the street before hand (excellent sangria!) Once at the Matador we called Volterra to put our name in. They said they weren't taking anyone until 9. It was a Weds. around 7... wow. We decided to just walk over when we were done and take our chances. They sat us immediately and about 1/3 of the tables were empty! Weird.
Once seated, they had an amazing wine list and we picked out a delicious bottle with the help of our waiter. We started with a beautifully presented and delicious antipasto dish. The only problem was that we had no idea what we were eating; the waiter didn't take the time to provide an explanation, which would have enhanced the dish quite a bit. The meal was very nice. Like another reviewer, my husband was talked into the special and ended up thinking he would have preferred what he initially wanted to order. That said, it was delicious. The only other complaint I can think of is that when we paid, the waiter took the tab and we never saw him again. We finished and left without anyone saying goodbye! Oh and I had to tell them they were out of TP in the women's room. Not too classy.
All that said, there were a lot of up sides. The atmosphere was cozy/romantic, nice music, great menu, and it was excellent service despite the nitpicky things I mentioned. I appreciated that he didn't press us... we took our time ordering and he didn't sweep one plate away to plunk down our meals. We were really able to take our time. Also, the price (around 150), was reasonable for a very special evening. The patio is another great plus. So although it didn't leap to my new #1 favorite restaurant, I would certainly recommend it.
Posted 07/20/06
I am a chef in New York and on a recent trip to seattle I visited Volterra after reading the reviews on Citysearch. What a great addition to Seattle's lackluster restaurant scene. The ambience was invitng and warm. The service was impeccable and friendly. The food however was the highlight. The polenta appetizer was amazing. The house salad was the best I've had. The boar was unbelievable. My partner had the veal chop and I couldn't keep my fork out of it. WOW! I loved the small details like the coffee service and the cocktail menu. The cherry almond tart we had for dessert with a glass of housemade limoncello was the perfect finish to one of the best meals I have had in Seattle since dining at The Other Place in the late eighties.
Great Job!!!
Pros: Ambience, FOOD!, Value
Cons: None Found
Posted 07/20/06
I agree with a previous review: the gushing raves are a bit overdone. It is almost like friends of the owners are peppering this site on purpose. Simply put, Volterra is just another restaurant in a city oversaturated with concept restaurants. Yawn. The owners are not even Italian, from what I can tell. Even Olive Garden cooks spend time in Italy and call themselves authentic.
Pros: Location, patio
Cons: Concept-du-jour, hype
Posted 07/17/06
Love love love this restaurant. To start: the service was more than great. the waiter and even the busser were so frikkin' funny -- we were friends by the end of the meal! The sommolier lacked any sort of snobbery and made an excellent budget recommendation. The food: !!! The best of all was the incredible custardy polenta with fontina and mushrooms. We savored this for as long as possible. The panna cotta was equally amazing. The only bad thing: we were persuaded into ordering a bowtie pasta with chicken and artichoke hearts -- and it was extremely bad. Really dry and the chicken was tough -- and my dining partner ate two bites and quit. the exact opposite of everything else we tried. The paparadelle with lamb ragu is also delicious. As was the citrusy octopus salad.
Pros: Polenta, Panna Cotta, Service
Cons: bow Tie Pasta -- Applebee-esque !!
Posted 07/15/06
Hands down the best italian around. Now I understand why everyone raves about Volterra. We were lucky to be seated at a table in the corner which was perfect for people watching. Thankfully we had the forsight to make reservations well in advance because this is one popular spot. I haven't had pasta so good since the summer I spent travelling in Italy. The ribbons of papardelle were cooked perfectly al dente with just the right amount of lamb ragu. To me, acheiving the right pasta to sauce ratio is an art. My friends tagliolini with fresh fava beans, english peas and truffle butter felt like summer exploding in our mouths. The service and atmosphere were welcoming and attentive even on such a very busy night. They are doing all the right things here. If you want to eat like they eat in Italy, go to Volterra.
Pros: Authenticity, High Quality Ingredients, Atmosphere
Cons: None found
Posted 06/24/06
It's a Perfect "10" Volterra is a must do!!!
If you want a want a quick trip to Italy Go To Volterra
Ricky D Sadler
Posted 06/22/06
My boyfriend and I dined at Volterra and our experience was unsurpassable. I recommend sitting on the patio if the weather cooperates. We happened to be there on a warm evening and between the candle light and the white lights in the overhanging tree the ambiance was sublime. The sommelier recommended a perfect bottle of wine to go with our lamb skewers and beef tenderloin and educated us on Italian wines. The service was attentive and the food delicious.
Posted 06/14/06
The food, space and staff are amazing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and made it a fun evening. It's hard to get a reservation since they have received so much press but it's definitely worth all the buzz that it's received. Don't believe the nay sayers. Definitely try the Wild Boar Tenderloin and the Lobster Raviolli. If you're really hungry, the Delmonico steak or Veal Chop. They are enormous! Volterra is going to be at the top of the scene for a long time. Do try the famous Fennel Salt with your Olive Oil! I loved it so much I bought a jar at Metropolitan Market and really enjoy using it.
Pros: food, service, atmosphere
Cons: parking
Posted 05/29/06
We wanted to go here for our anniversary but I was worried about the negative reviews posted. No problems with reservations. We arrived and were promptly seated. The wine steward helped me find a red, and my wife with a white. Brought her a sample to try because she was unsure, nice touch. Started with the Polenta/Wild Mushrooms and a Beet Salad. Both were excellent. I had the Wild Boar and it was unlike any meat dish I've ever experienced. Tender, flavorful and wondeful! My wife, a vegetarian, had the Egplant Pouches. She thought it was some of the best pasta she has ever had. Tiramisu and coffee for dessert...even the coffee was extraordinary. Prices were reasonable, service was great. It was a little loud, but I listened in on the surrounding conversations. Everyone was raving about their food and having a wonderful time. Thats noise I can live with!
Pros: Amazing food, Great staff, Wine list
Cons: I wish I lived closer, Parking
Posted 05/26/06
Three of us dined at Volterra on Saturday evening and it was wonderful! The entire staff (host, sommelier, waiter and bus staff) was very friendly, professional and unobtrusive. Our food was fabulous. Two of us shared a beet salad, which was fresh and flavorful. The eggplant-stuffed pasta had a wonderful, spicy red sauce and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The linguini with porcinis was amazing and the sautéed jumbo prawns were delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and will be returning to Volterra often!returning to Volterra often!
Pros: Employees, Food, Wine Selection
Posted 05/07/06
It was my birthday last weekend and my husband made reservations several weeks ago to get a few of my closest friends together. I'm pleased to report that our dining experience exceeded our expectations.
The restaurant is beautiful with rich wine colored walls, dark wood and a gorgeous stainless steel bartop. Our server, Anthony, provided impeccable service and the wine steward helped us pick a reasonably priced Brunello from the wine list. He was very knowledgable and professional.
We started with the Bruschetta, Wild Mushroom Tart, and Mussels with Sausage. All of the appetizers were delicious but the tart was my favorite and simply sinful. For entrees, we had a variety of dishes. Everyone devoured their meals. I think the favorites at the table were the Wild Boar Tenderloin, Kobe Beef Sirloin, Tagliolini with Wild Mushrooms and the Veal Chop.
I will definitely recommend Volterra to all my friends.
Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere
Cons: Tight Parking
Posted 04/27/06
My husband & I chose to try Volterra to celebrate a special occasion and was highly disappointed. My entree was the evening's special of juniper rubbed pork tenderloin with huckleberry chutney. The pork was dried out, overdone and overwhelmingly salted. Both of our meat preference were ignored. The tables are so close together that our neighbors conversation was as present as our own. And the service was unattentive. In the end for the price, we were very underwhelmed with the quality of our dining experience.
Posted 04/22/06
My fiance and I decided to check this highly hyped spot out, and were pleased to be able to make a reservation with short notice on a Friday night. The ambience is great, we got a perfect corner table. The service was exceptional, and the wine list impressive. I made the mistake of ordering the halibut. I envisioned something nw in nature (ie fresh), but instead was served an over-salted apparently fried filet of halibut. It could have been a Denny's or your local Elk's lodge halibut night. My fiance's smoked chicken pasta was quite good, but that halibut truly disappointed me.
Posted 04/19/06
Just got home from having an exceptional dinner at Volterra. The food was spectacular with wonderful subtle flavors. We had the wild mushroom and polenta for an appetizer, the wild boar (highly recommended) and eggplant stuffed pasta for dinner, and the best tiramisu we're ever had for desert. Overall it was a great choice to spend our anniversary.
Pros: wine list, service, menu
Cons: small space
Posted 04/19/06
Best pasta ever! the tagolini dish is incredible! Waiter said they buy only organic eggs from Rickman Gulch Farms. That's quality! Service friendly and very helpful with a long wine list. Glass pours excellent and affordable. Portions great, prices great too! The touch of an owner on premises really goes a long way. CHEERS!
Pros: Pasta, Service, Wine List
Cons: Parking
Posted 04/18/06
I have been to Volterra on several occasions. I have to say, it just keeps getting better. The addition of the Wine Steward (David?) was a nice touch because he is always able to recommend a great wine in my price range. Even after my first visit they recognized me when I returned and now greet me by name and I've been there less than 6 times.
I love the diverse crowd at Volterra: young, old, people dressed in jeans to business suits to those dressed for a night on the town. My company had our holiday party at Volterra in Dec and everyone said it was the best party we've had.
The food is spectacular (Wild Boar, Pasta with Truffles, Kobe Beef Sirloin, Wild Mushroom Polenta are favorites) and service friendly, skilled and efficient. They deserve all of the kudos they've received.
Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere
Cons: None
Posted 04/15/06
What a great place! Really delicious food, great wine list, beautiful decor at a good value. The pappardelle with duck sauce and the chestnut panna cotta were to die for. Super experience.
Pros: food, wine
Posted 03/22/06
Volterra transported us right back to Tuscany. The dining room is so warm it feels like your in someones home. Our server was fantastic and explained the background of the dishes in addtion to the ingredients. I can't believe they have Trampetti olive oil on the tables. I only use it at home for special occassions because it costs a fortune. I'm in love with the Wild Boar. Perfectly prepared and the sauce- oh the sauce. The venison ragu and chestut fettucine that my wife had was perfect for a rainy seattle night. I hope they open another location in West Seattle!
Posted 03/20/06
There aren't alot of restaurants that make me say "WOW" but Volterra is one of those places. I can't believe it took me a year to find them but I'm so glad that I did. We had a superb server who made good recommendations and friendly personalit really enhanced our dining experience. I highly recommend the Baby Octapus and Calamari Salad, Lamb Shank, WIld Boar, and Meat filled Raviolis. Aside from the great food and service, another highlight of the night was that we were seated right next to Dale Chihuly. I'm a big fan of his and I said hello and shook his hand on my way out.
Pros: Food, Ambiance, Service
Posted 03/19/06
From the time we were greeted to the time we left the service was excellent. We loved our meal and even our 5 yr old ate every bite of her pasta. The owners came over and talked to us which made it really fun. The prices are great and there is a large selection wine by the glass. Panforte was delicious. I raved about the panforte so much, they suprised me and put an extra piece in my to go bag. We'll be back.
Pros: food, service
Cons: parking
Posted 03/17/06
I've never been treated so RUDELY! They don't care about you as a customer, they just want your money. I made reservations to meet friends there this past Friday night for dinner at 6:30pm and we were all stunned when our waiter told us that we had to leave the table at 8:00pm b/c they had people waiting for our table. He tells us this at 7:45pm and we hadn't even finished our meal nor seen a dessert menu yet. I've never been to a restaurant that tells you when you have to leave! On top of that the waiter was just plain rude from the minute we sat down. I would be ordering and he would walk away as I was talking. Then, the bus boy was wiping the table, he cleared everything including our water glasses. That was our cue to leave and never return!
Cons: service, parking
Posted 03/12/06
Our server was great - very charming. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The menu offered a ton of great-sounding stuff. But...the food was not good! Very bland. My friend's duck was so tough, he could barely cut through it, let alone chew it. The "oil soup" was tasteless. And the pasta was nothing special. I was expecting something more. And while we waited for our table, we had to crunch in a corner behind the hostess stand. There's no place else to go (besides the sidewalk) if the bar is full.
Pros: Ambience, Friendly owners, Selection
Cons: Bland, Crowded seating, No place to wait
Posted 01/24/06
I was really let down after a dinner at this highly (by other citysearch reviewers) rated restaurant. Volterra served decent food. The service was perfectly fine, not exceptional. I'm sure I will eat here again as Ballard is my 'stomping ground'. I just wanted to even out the reviews that are gushing about this place. Give it a try, but be ready for just another restaurant.
Pros: organic menu items, attentive staff
Cons: hype
Posted 01/15/06
This was truly the best dining experience we've had in a long time. The service was outstanding, the food was impeccable and the atmosphere was warm and very personal. Our server was friendly, made excellent menu suggestions and told us the story of the restaurant. From the black and white wedding photos of the chef and his wife to the alabaster to the beautiful coffee presentation, the details are what makes this place special. In addition, the chef himself came to our table to see how everything was. The menu offered a great variety and there were also numerous specials. The roasted eggplant pouches with spicy tomato sauce was delicious and the chestnut panacotta with strawberries was a light, creamy dessert that topped off our perfect meal. We plan to visit this restaurant regularly as we love everything about it. It's just like being in Italy.
Pros: food, service, attention to detail
Posted 01/09/06
We highly recommend a trip to Volterra. Not only is the food fantastic, but also the service! Our waiter was very attentive even though it was a busy night and he was very knowledgeable of each dish. The ingredients are high quality and fresh - starting with the olive oil they place at each table. One of the best restaurants I have been to in quite some time. The food tasted awesome and I cant wait to go back to Volterra.
Posted 01/09/06
People don't often take the time to say "Thank You" when they've had a memorable dining experience. I want to express my gratitude to the staff of Volterra for providing my family with an amazing experience on Christmas Eve. We felt like we were guests invited into the owners home for dinner. It is a meal that won't be forgotten and was the beginning of a new tradition. The raviolis were as light as pillows and the rack of lamb with mint pesto was unbelivable.
Posted 01/08/06
My husband and I have dined in fine restaurants all over the world and our dinner at Volterra was hands down one of the best meals of my life. You can tell that alot of thought and passion went into creating the menu. The dishes are authentic, interesting and unique. I am still thinking about the Chestnut Pasta with the Venison Ragu. I typically do not order game but I am so happy that I did. The service was friendly, polished and educated. I give Volterra the highest of recommendations.
Pros: Food, Menu, Service
Cons: Parking
Posted 01/08/06
I've visited Volterra twice and was satisfied both times. I'm surprised to read that others have experienced poor service, as both visits I experienced exceptional service. I appreciate that the variety of menu options, and I adore the coffee service I've had with desert both times.
Pros: Service, Menu, Beverages
Cons: Bar is Loud
Posted 01/05/06
Our experience at Volterra was atrocious. 25 minutes after being seated and we didn't even know who our server was because no one but the busboy had even stopped by our table. The table behind us had consumed an entire bottle of wine by the time we decided to eat elsewhere. On the way out the hostess had the nerve to thank us for coming by which struck me as odd since we were seated right next the her podium and she clearly should have known that we neither ordered anything nor paid a dime. In hindsight we should have tipped the busboy since he was the only one at the restaurant who seemed to have any idea how to treat a customer. Our water glasses remained full the whole time.
Find someplace else to go, volterra is a waste of your time.
Posted 01/04/06
We had our company holiday party at Volterra and it was the best we've ever had! Kudos to the staff for putting together such a memorable event. Our 5 course meal was executed perfectly. We could not believe how delicious every item was. I am in love with the Wild Boar. The staff was great. Since there were about 50 of us, it was not an easy task but they exceeded our expectations and I hope this will be an annual event.
Pros: Outstanding Food, Service
Posted 12/14/05
I seldom drive to Ballard, but Volterra makes the drive worthwhile. Since first eating there several months ago, it has become my favorite place not only for an excellent menu and unequivocally wonderful food, but knock-down impeccable service.
Pros: Menu, Food, Service
Cons: none, none, none
Posted 12/02/05
I was excited about eating at Volterra, but was sadly dissappointed. The food was okay, some even good, but I have had better. The service. Atrocious. If you want people to return to your restaurant, then make them want to return. Don't treat your customers like numbers and faceless cash spending machines.
Posted 11/23/05
Although we didn't enjoy our dinner we still managed to have a fun time at Volterra. Good company pays off! The wild boar was very flavorless, even the creamy sauce on it was blend. Italian food is usually much more flavorfull that that. I hope that the owners don't find this offensive; we are just giving our humble opinion.
Pros: Crowded, Dark
Cons: Expansive, Slow service, Parking
Posted 11/23/05
I've been to the restaurant five times now. The experience starts with the horrid parking situation--there is absolutely NO parking within a five block radius. That's fine in the summer, but in winter, in the rain, the absence of valet parking will keep me away. The food and the service aren't worth slogging blocks in the rain for. While there are some standouts on the menu, the service is extremely slow, almost remarkably slow. The restaurant feels cramped with tables too close together and it's loud--definitely not a romantic restaurant. None of that matters if you can't get to the place. I recently had reservations for six and we had to give up and go elsewhere because we gave up on the parking situation.
Pros: Some good food
Cons: Slow service, lack of parking, crowded atmosphere
Posted 11/18/05
My husband and I are excited to have found a "real" Italian restaurant close to our home. The parking was a challenge but as soon as we bit into the delightful antipasti "palatte" we forgot all about it. The lobster ravioli was sensational and the rabbit special was the best rabbit i've had. The chocolate cake was gooey and topped with a rich chocolate mousse. Never knew it could be this good.
Pros: Delicious Food, Authenticity, Service
Cons: Parking
Posted 11/17/05
Food was just not good! $18 for an antipasto for two that had a bunch af french little things on it at a restaurant that claims to be 'authentic' Italian but there are no Italians there to be found?? Super salty pasta....I could keep going. The bussers kept trying to take our food when we weren't done eating, I finally told them to stay away from our table.
Posted 11/17/05
we stopped by on sat night during art walk and the restaurant was fully booked for the evening but the tables in the bar area were left for people who walked in. the hostess was friendly and quoted us an hour wait but took our cell phone number and to our suprise called us in 30 minutes to let us know our table was ready. our waiter was from spain and made the night fun. the food was delicious, great wine list and really good energy.
Pros: food, drinks
Posted 11/13/05
Stopped in for dinner before a movie and had a great time. Got us in and out with a four course meal with plenty of time to spare. Surprising since they were packed. The entire experience was perfect from the food to the service. I especially liked the coffee service on a little silver tray with a cookie. We will be back very soon. Try the boar it rocks!
Pros: Service, Food, Location
Cons: parking
Posted 11/12/05