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| - To be fair, I've been to this restaurant once before and had a decent time of it. In fact, I went back because of some very dirty dreams I'd been having of their Shrimp Provencal appetizer.
Much to my chagrin, I learned that some things are better left to the dark recesses of my wilting memory.
We got there early, and despite the plethora of empty tables, we were shown one right by the open kitchen. Fine, I say, the better to serve me at. The wine list was adequate, and the prodigal (to my belly) Shrimp Provencal was fine, but will be staying out of my REM sleep in the future.
Somewhere between the appetizer and the slow-to-arrive main course, the kitchen's exhaust fan stopped working. Now, this would be less troublesome in the summer when the windows are open. But on that, the coldest day of the year thus far, we were treated to an aromatherapy session few can forget. You haven't experienced Italian food until you've done so with your nose running and your eyes watering. And may you never do so.
Then my main course arrived. I'd ordered the Zebra Linguine with Seafood or somesuch, and was to include mussels, shrimp, fish and lobster meat, and a salad. The salad arrived ON the pasta, which wilted it without delay. And as my nose was fully occupied trying to make a run for the exit, I had to rely on naught but my eager taste buds to salvage what was turning into a dinner from Dr. Mengele's Pasta Heaven. They tried valiantly but were unsuccessful.
Between the wilty (and by then, fraught with bitter disappointment) salad leaves, mediocre tomato sauce and... the worst ... overcooked seafood, the whole meal was an exercise in cutting one's losses. I could have borne all the misery and sensory smacks-in-the-face if the lobster had been cooked to succulent perfection, but it was overcooked and tasted tougher than chicken.
We didn't even bother to finish half our meals, just paid the bill and hurried out. On the plus side, once outside, we could breathe again. Worst meal I've had in a long time.
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