VIBE
So I had no idea there were all of these levels to Bar Centrale. It was a surprise to walk upstairs and see this big, huge room. It was great! I love the eclectic mix of chairs and different table set ups in the room from booths to circular tables in the corner to many deuces. It really adds to the buzz of this place. Service was okay - just in the background for our main server but our other servers were great and they let us stay for a while even after our meal was done. The perfect place to come with a girlfriend , small group or for a first or second date. I would come here for a birthday dinner.
Note: Bar Centrale and Terroni have the same owner but are two separate establishments. Confusing! That's why the website's menu isn't the same.
WE ATE
I don't like that the menu online doesn't reflect the actual menu in the restaurant. So I can't tell you the Italiano name for the salad we had. Suffice to say, it was fried mushroom on arugula. For $13, I don't know if I'd get it again but it was good.
I moved onto the fettuccine bolognese. The noodles were perfectly a la dente and the sauce was meaty. Ideal for breezy transitional fall weather. We drank coke, in the bottle of course! I like the food here. It's simple and reliable. My meal has confirmed my doubts about previous complaints on the chain about their lack of substitutions.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
I think this will be on my top ten 2012 restaurant lists. It's definitely one of those "regular" spots.