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| - We made a reservation for a birthday celebration, just the two of us, and were seated in a spacious booth which I appreciated. Looking around the restaurant, most of the other patrons were squished at small tables for two so it was nice to have room to relax and enjoy our time. The décor, apart from the food, was probably my favorite part. It's kind of a rustic/industrial feel with over-sized chandeliers and wood tones and they have an indoor/outdoor setting on the far side of the restaurant with large garage doors for when the weather is cooler. We started with the meat and cheese board. It had a variety of cheeses and cured meats, olives, jams and mustards and nuts. It was the perfect, albeit rich, start to a great meal. Honestly that could have been my meal in and of itself because it is so rich, but we ordered entrees as well. I ordered RICOTTA & MASCARPONE GNUDI lobster and guanciale ragu. He ordered the PASTA al POMODORO chef's signature. Best way to describe the gnudi: salty, cheesy pillows enveloped in the world's thinnest pasta. Then there are delicate little bite-sized pieces of lobster underneath and crispy guanciale on top with micro greens. Don't let the small portion fool you- I was stuffed after one bite. The Pomodoro was hands down the best "simple" pasta I've ever tasted. At first glance- nothing special. Fresh pasta with a tomato sauce with fresh basil. We also got 2 meatballs on the side, which I didn't taste but the dude approves. The pasta was so buttery and the basil was extremely floral and bright- I've never tasted basil that much in a pasta and it was amazing. We also enjoyed a variety of their wines, our favorite was the Viognier blend but they had a really interesting full-bodied red "SCHIOPPETINO" that had a peppery flavor to it and was quite good. The grand finale was a complimentary piece of their coconut & lime cake which was moist and not too sweet. The best part was the key lime filling it was tart and refreshing after such a heavy meal. All in all an excellent dining experience. My one complaint was that while the ambience was beautiful, I definitely could have done without the constant, headache-provoking, loud, booming bass blasting on their speakers. It made the restaurant feel like I was standing in the middle of a dance club rather than enjoying a fine dining experience.
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