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| - Probably the most disappointing $500 meal we (a group of 6) have ever had.
1). There were FIVE girls at the hostess station when we approached, and it somehow still took them a while to find our reservation. They asked my friend whose name it was under to spell out her last name at least 2 or 3 times. Whatever.
2). The steaks, which are supposed to be their star offering (CARNEvino) were a let down. First, they were OVERCOOKED, which is even more atrocious given that the waiter, when we ordered, emphasized that their temperatures are a grade or two cooler than normal. Both guys who ordered steaks ordered them medium rare, which, according to the waiter, is like a rare at other places. FALSE. Both steaks were on the well side of medium. Although dry aged, the steaks did didn't have enough flavor to stand on their own, and they weren't seasoned at all. If you're going to charge $50-$85 per person for a piece of beef, it better be top quality and perfectly cooked. This was neither. I've had $35 steak in a strip mall in Fresno that was much better (see, Cracked Pepper Bistro).
3). The pasta - another disappointment. Four of us got pasta. Another girl and I both had the pasta with lamb ragu, one had the frutti di mare, and one got a lobster ravioli. The lamb ragu was good, but a touch too salty, and definitely NOT $35 quality. I could probably make something similar at home. The lobster ravioli- it was so bad that my friend had the rest of us taste it just to experience how bad it was. It had like 0.01 ounce of stringy, fishy lobster in it and was somehow bland and over-salted at the same time. The manager was nice enough to take it off our bill. My friend who had the frutti de mare seemed to love his entree. Sadly, he was the only one.
4). We had a late dinner reservation - 10pm. Obviously they were not busy. Somehow the meal still took 3 HOURS. How? Why?
Probably the only better-than-meh part of this meal of the steak tar tar that my friend got as an appetizer. It was delicious. It was the quality of food one would expect to get while paying these prices.
In summary, either Mario Batali has never set foot in this restaurant, or he doesn't deserve to be an Iron Chef.
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