| rev:text
| - Wanted: atmosphere, good wine and decent food for Sunday -early dinner.
Received: expensive place, mediocre wine and salty, processed food in a place that looked like it had seen better days.
I will start out and say we had the nicest staff! No complaints at all on our service! I feel bad that they have to serve this food in this place and try to do it with a smile. I don't think I could (and I have worked food for years)
We called on the off chance Chianti's would be open on a Sunday- and they were (though they will be closing Sun and Mon for "the season" starting next week. I didn't realize there was a season for eating....but we decided to try it based on the reviews.
We enter, and it is dark and empty Greeted and seated by lovely Mary who explained it was happy hour and gave us a moment to look over the menus. I had a few questions, ordered a glass of their house cab and my partner ordered chianti on her suggestion. We also ordered the Mozzerella Fritta.
The wine came and the cab was so sweet it tasted like fortified wine. I questioned the bartendress (also lovely) and she tried it and said yes, it was sweeter than normal, would I like something else? I ended up with my bf's chianti (which wasn't amazing, but definitely better). The Fritta came and it was essentially two very large triangles of breaded, frozen moz that were barely cooked through, VERY salty and had chunky tomato sauce on them. Edible, but not fresh.
After looking through the menu and a few more questions, (Only the Lobster Ravioli are handmade (why not the cheese?) I decided on the manicoti (which I was told was prepared there) in bechemel sauce with fresh spinach and my bf got the orange roughy special (artichoke hearts, capers and sun dried tomatoes).
We asked about how busy the place was, (Friday night is hopping apparently!) and who the main clientele is (Older people from Sun City) but they get a mix. We were told it dies down in the Summer, which is why they were closing Sun/Mon.
I have now run out of wine, and so started looking through the dirty menus (all four of them were stuck with old food) to select another. I chose a 9/glass McManis cab- and after searching for it- two other opened bottle were brought out because they were "in the process of drastically cutting down the list". Neither were great and both had been open at least a day and recorked. I asked them how long each had been open and was told no more than a day on one and 2 at the MOST on the second bottle. If you are going to have wine open at all for more than a day- vacuum seal it.
Plates come and are as hot as Mary tells us they would be (which means mine has been sitting under some heat lamp for awhile after being microwaved).
The plates look ok- I can do without all the parsley garnish on EVERY plate- but whatever.
The manicoti does have fresh spinach on top, but it is not in a bechemel sauce- it tastes like a who jar of Ragu Alfredo was poured over 3 frozen manicoti and nuked for 4-5 minutes. I understand you have to make things ahead and heat them up sometimes- but at least bake the items! No fresh cheese bubbling- only a thin layer of film from having sat for a minute too long under the lamps while the fish was cooked.
Speaking of the fish- it wasn't bad. Not amazing, and kinda fishy smelling- but edible and nicely presented. Like everything, it was salty and plenty of frozen items were used to concoct it- but edible.
There are now 2 other tables, one of which came just after us and they heard the same thing we did - Fridays are hopping, the chianti is great and Mary recommends the lobster ravioli (at $22, I can see why).
The next table is much more interesting.....having driven all the way across town to be here (really?) but then I hear why. Our bartender's martinis are among the best in town- and probably what we should have ordered to wash the rest of our meal down with! Doh!
End of meal comes- leftovers wrapped and my bf now wants an espresso or capp.- do they have amachine? Yes. He asks- will I hear the milk froth? No- it comes in a "pod". He gets espresso anyhow. No bueno, and has 3 sugars in the espresso cup to just gulp it down. For $3?
We could not be tempted with the "Homemade Tiramisu" so sat and finished our wine while pondering the place.
Our conclusion is that Chianti Cafe needs to contact Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and get a facelift. There is NO REASON why this place couldn't make it, but there is a WHOLE list of things that need to change. You can tell the owners are feeling the pinch, so have cut as many corners as they can. Sad really- LV doesn't have enough of these small, community spots.
Despite the nice staff, we will not go back (but will check out the new Chronic Tacos that opened next door!)
As for giving Nora's a run? Not a chance! Even at their worst- they use fresh food and have properly stored wine.
We are disappointed, but know where to go for a martini!
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