When I entered La Bocca for Thursday night happy hour and it was nearly empty, I knew its 3 star rating wasn't a fluke. I normally wouldn't choose to try a place with such average reviews, but my friends wanted to try something in Chandler.
I got there first thinking I would need time to snag a table, but that was unnecessary. I made an executive decision for our group of 3 to go with the date night menu since it seemed like the best deal. The date night special is a bruschetta, board, pizza and dessert plus a bottle of wine. I was excited about the Seghesio Arneis (a white) initially until I saw they were serving a vintage that was a little past its prime.
The bruschetta was cut into halves instead of fourths like Postino which we prefer for sharing. The Spanish with manchego and olives was decent, but the brie and marmalade was downright disgusting. The menu touts the marmalade as homemade. What kind of sadist is sending out something so bitter? Blech! The pizza was ok. Not as big as I hoped, and the toppings (garlic and tomatoes) sounded delicious but all tasted pretty average. We got a brownie for dessert, and it was definitely from a mix. Not a good mix either. Go for the Ghiradhelli's at least! The mint chip gelato was even worse. I could taste all the artificial flavors and color.
While the date night special was a good deal, I'd happily pay double the price for food that I enjoyed.