| rev:text
| - Cibo tries really hard to be a great little Italian restaurant, but ultimately fails to do so on almost all counts.
My boyfriend and I made a 7:30 Saturday reservation. Upon our arrival, we were seated immediately in the back near the door to the kitchen. The loud squeaking of the kitchen door as servers went in and out was very distracting.
We brought a bottle of wine to share and were charged (as others have complained about) an absurd $7 corkage fee. I can understand charging a large bottle fee if the restaurant serves alcohol, because if one brings their own bottle, then they are taking business away from the restaurant. But Cibo is exclusively BYOB. Why so much?
We ordered the oft-recommended mussels in wine sauce as an appetizer. It arrived a little late, but we dug right in. The mussels were cooked perfectly and were served with a large slice of garlic ciabatta. The garlic was incredibly overpowering. I tasted it for the rest of the night, which is not a good thing.
I ordered the Linguine Vongole (linguine served with clams in a garlic sauce), while my date chose the Atlantic Cod (served with potatoes and asparagus). My linguine was perfectly al dente and the clams gave a flavorful addition to the dish. Boyfriend's cod was extremely bland, however. It is important to note that entrees do not come with any sides except for bread and oil. For the prices that Cibo charges, I think it would be more appropriate for them to include a small side salad or soup.
To finish, we shared tiramisu and espresso for dessert. The tiramisu was some of the worst I'd ever had. The ladyfinger layers were dry and the filling tasted like thick vanilla pudding. It was covered in superfluous amounts of cocoa powder, which made me cough a bit. There was no amaretto or rum flavoring at all.
Our waiter forgot about our coffees, so he comped both of them.
Overall, a rather disappointing dining experience, which is sad because there is a lot of potential in the food Cibo serves. Moreover, the servers are attentive and knowledgeable. With a few changes to the menu (and 86ing the corkage fee), this place could be great. Until then, I will steer clear.
|