| rev:text
| - I didn't really know what to expect from Lidia's, but in all it was the perfect meal for us travelers.
The experience started off a little rocky, but at every progression of the meal, the experience got better and better.
. The Strip was a ghost town on a Saturday night (during the Kenny Chesney concert). Upon opening the doors to Lidia's, the interior was bustling... with old people! While the decor seemed modern and edgy, the clientele was decked out in rinestone-encrusted tshirts and argyle. Yikes!
We kept changing our reservation number throughout the day, and by the time we arrived, our party was officially a party of four instead of six. I'm not unsympathetic to needing to do some table switching to accommodate us, but it appeared as if the hostess meant to solve the problem and then forgot about us once another problem arose. After a fairly long wait off to the side, one of our party went to the podium to ask about our table. Apparently, they had forgotten about us, but we were seated quickly after the mistake was realized. (Sidenote: the hostess' outfit was really unintentionally inappropriate. Part of her top was sheer, and would have been tastefully so if she didn't have her bra and underwear sticking out in awkward places, unbeknownst to her.)
Anyway! I guess I can see how people think Lidia's is too much like an Olive Garden, but once you look at the ingredients and the preparation methods, it really isn't at all. I guess people see "unlimited pasta" and their minds go somewhere a little less sophisticated. Don't fall into this trap! Everything was expertly prepared with balanced flavors and appropriate portioning.
I had the pasta trio (like everyone else, amirite!?) and indeed, the beginning portions of the pasta were small. The point is to sample, and then get more of what you prefer, even if it's all of them. I wouldn't want huge globs of pasta on my plate (getting cold, cheese and sauces congealing), so I appreciated this approach. Your followup portions come by with waiters carrying large metal pans of small-batch prepped pasta. All of the pasta tasted freshly made (not dried) and with exceptionally light and balanced sauces. Perfect.
I feel like you have to get the pasta trio at least once. The other entrees looked amazing as well. If I lived in the neighborhood, I would focus my ordering on the rotating seasonal entrees.
My Cesar salad was a little overdressed for my tastes, but still very flavorful and fresh. The bread basket was above-average, with at least three different warm options and two spreads (an olive and pesto spread).
Dessert was inventive, a lemon cake with a basil layer and poppyseed ice cream. The other elements escape me, but it was nice that my table mate gave me a bite.
Service was great, if a little slow towards the end. I enjoyed their wine selections, though one of the reds was much better alone (not with food), and probably shouldn't have been on the menu. Though the wine list is quite extensive, there's a smaller, curated list of bottles for $28. It kept our choices (and bill) a little more manageable. So glad I got to try Lidia's!
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