Cheri Strickland
I absolutely cannot say enough about this fabulous little Italia restaurant! Amazing! Outstanding! Exquisite! They all describe this restaurant, but not to its true Italian taste and authenticity. It’s a little hidden gem but well worth the effort; GPS took us right to it. Bread and an olive oil with spices & wine vinegar was oh my goodness, out of this world! Tons of options are available for drinks, but the Tuscano Italian bottled water was clear and crisp, just wonderful. My hubby got the spaghetti with homemade seasoned meatballs & sauce, which he described as very good. he’s incredibly easy to please no matter where we eat. I ordered the “special,” Ravioli con Brasato E Tartufo with homemade ravioli stuffed with braised short rib & cheese tortellini, wild mushrooms with truffle cream sauce. Listen, this was, by far the most true Italian meal I have ever had from the taste, to the softness of the ravioli, the short ribs and that sauce. Oh goodness! I’ve eaten at other Italian restaurants claiming to be “authentic,” but now I highly doubt that. And, I’m not talking about the common establishment we all know in every town. I do not really care for a lot of mushrooms, but I am so glad I did not have them omitted; they were exquisite! They were tasty, soft and not mushy or musky like the store bought mushrooms. Even if the ravioli was not in this meal, I would have loved it anyway; literally, those mushrooms were good. The restaurant was inviting from the moment we walked in with staff greeting us and explaining the menu with the “specials,” and knowledgeable about everything on there with all ingredients. The vibe was quaint and quiet with changeable white to color table lamps, fine linens and a perfect place for a couple, a group or a party. The decor was true to the cuisine, very clean and well maintained. The two staff members we met, Ricardo & Sean, we’re beyond incredible. They provided the most excellent customer service, which for me, is an absolute must. It was such a pleasure to meet them both. The pricing was comparable to the quality of the meal, service, vibe and all attributes. We loved everything about this restaurant. I’ve already saved its location on my GPS. We will definitely be back the next time we are in town!
… moreMarcella Vetencourt
I rarely write negative reviews, but when an experience is this bad, I feel the need to share it so others don’t go through the same.
From the start, the food was not good. The pasta had a rancid cheese flavor, the salad wasn’t fresh, and the shrimp tasted strange and not fresh at all. On top of that, the prices are high and the quality doesn’t justify them.
The worst part was that I found a hair in my salad. When I informed the waiter, he took the plate away but then came back to the table holding the hair in his hand, telling me that no one in the kitchen had long hair because they were all men. It was an extremely unpleasant, disrespectful, and unnecessary situation. I found his behavior very unprofessional and it left me feeling really uncomfortable.
I went there excited after reading so many good reviews, but unfortunately, the experience was completely disappointing. The food, the service, and the attitude of the staff made it a night I’d rather not repeat.
… moreElizabeth Kressler
Don’t Go For The Meatballs
First let me say. The evening was not a total loss despite the meatballs. They seated our large party within 10 minutes without a reservation…and they were busy. The service was very good and our waiter was attentive and engaging. Others in our party had good meals. There were 4 people who ordered the veal and one other who had the chicken. All served hot and they were enjoyed. My spaghetti was cold to warm and my meatballs were rubbery and somewhat tasteless. In my opinion, an Italian restaurant should be able to serve this dish with ease. They did not.
Our desserts were fantastic. Limoncello cake was so wonderful.
If I was local I would give them a try again.
… moreMarie O
Salad was delicious. Lobster bisque was flavorful but could have used a few small pieces of lobster. Italian bread was excellent with a crisp crust and soft interior. Veal parmigiana needed to be crisper and the marinara was flavorful enough but very thin. Not my favorite but OK. Large portions. Service was good. Ice tea came in a bottle and so no refills. Looked odd on the table and unusual for Florida. Would not have a problem going back if I was in the area.
… moreJohn Shekian
I made a reservation for 5 people but I did it for the wrong day. However, they made a table for us. I’ll admit that the woman there could’ve been a little nicer but who cares. The service was good and so was the food. You DEFINITELY need a reservation for this place because it’s a small place. The decor is very nice and it feels cozy.
… moreJoe Bell
The service was great, very nice atmosphere but disappointed with meal. Ordered Chicken Marsala. 1 small chicken breast and the chicken was dry. Small portion of pasta as well though the marsala sauce was good. Glad there was bread. Maybe it was just an off evening but even the chains give larger, portion controlled main courses.
… moreSusan Gruner
What a fabulous hidden gem this is! Having just spent a few weeks in Italy, I was skeptical about eating here. I had the Spaghetti Pesto E Burrata and it was fabulous. The pasta and pesto were wonderful and that dollop of Burrata cheese made it even better. The service was great even though the restaurant was very busy.
One of my friends ordered the Limoncello cake for dessert and it was tasty!!
… moreFluid Jiu Jitsu
I was not impressed by anything here. The location was in a strip mall. The service was a bit rude for my taste. The food was mediocre at best. The prices were on the high side. I felt the server was trying to bully me to take my food back to the hotel. I didn’t like it much and I wouldn’t have eaten it since I was flying home the next morning. 4 times he asked if I was sure and left it in front of me when I asked for it to be taken away, and I “was sure”.
… moreLinda Lemma
We are in Orlando and I googled Italian restaurants near me and a few came up. This one caught my eye. We made reservations through open table and upon arrival, we were hit with old world charm. What a welcoming, warm and pleasant environment as well as very attentive staff. We ordered antipaste, calamari (not fried) and lobster bisque to start. Everything was on point and amazing. For our dinners we ordered veal piccata, chicken parm, chicken Scaloppini, and a salad. These entrees did not disappoint. What did disappoint was the fact we were too full for dessert. We will have to come back and try the desserts out another day. Bottom line, I am super picky about my food and I know good food when I taste it. This my friends is amazing. This place will not disappoint! So, if you’re in the mood for some great Italian food, dine at this local establishment and support local restaurants when you can.
… moreBenjamin J
Great Marsala sauce and room for big groups, but the staff did not tell us the rules and the service was slow. I will not go back.
We came as a group of 12. We stood at the host stand for 20 minutes with no one telling us why. When I stopped a waiter and asked, he said we had to wait because a table was in front of us and the whole group must be there to order. No one told us that rule at the start. It felt like we were being ignored.
When service did start it was slow. The servers only came to drop food and then left. We asked to split the bill and the server ran off after leaving it. That made paying hard and made us want to leave.
The Marsala sauce was amazing. It was one of the best I have had. The chicken was small and dry though.
We picked this place because it could take a group of 12 and no other place nearby could. That is a good thing. But the bad talk and slow care made the night bad. I would not go back. Avoid this place if you want good service.
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Suggestions for the Restaurant on Posting Policy and Service
• Post the rule where guests see it at the host stand and on the web page for bookings.
• Tell large groups the rule when they arrive so they do not wait in the dark.
• Put the rule on the menu or a small card at the table for big groups.
… more