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| - Stepping into Bonterra for the first time, I was initially struck by how different it was from my expectations.
I had walked past it many times, and from the outside, I was imagining a smaller, more confined space. Maybe a "mom and pop" with a few tables.
Perhaps this is because of the dimensions of the storefront, or just its general location.
However, inside Bonterra is spacious yet warm; and inviting in general.
First impressions?
I like this place. I like the look and feel, and I immediately wanted to spend time here . . .
Our group was larger, a collection of a dozen or so colleagues meeting for lunch.
Most in our group opted for the pasta dishes, or soups / salads. In my case, I tried the braised lamb & proscuitto gnocchi. But under the "Secondi" lunch menu items, there were a number of seafood, veal, and chicken items, that all looked very intriguing to me.
The lighter fare were chosen by us, as we didn't have a lot of time for lunch. As it turns out, though, it took a little longer than expected for our food to arrive.
This may be because of our larger group, or maybe because we jumped the lunch prep a bit with our 11:30 reservation.
That being said, a slower pace wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The ambience is worth enjoying, and in the right context--socializing with friends, or conducting business over a meal--it would be just fine.
Time would have been an issue for the more regimented, "you get an hour for lunch" types. For us, not so much.
The meals were all enjoyed - no complaints by anyone in the group. Only praise.
I did make a note of returning for dinner some time, though, to enjoy more courses than time allowed on this visit. From appetizers, through mains, through desert, there was a lot to be explored.
And next summer is a must: the photos of the patio I have seen online look amazing.
Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 - 19/30
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