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| - So Sad. Poor Rao's is really going downhill.
We dined here in 2010 and had a marvelous time. It is pricey, but for a special occasion... the pasta is excellent.
Cut to New Year's Eve 2012. I made an 8 pm reservation 6 months in advance. I called to confirm the reservation 3 days prior to the date. At no time did anyone mention to me that this restaurant does a mandatory prix fixe (price fixed) menu on New Year's. (Important Note: I don't eat meat) So our cute little party of 4 arrives at the restaurant, excited for a stellar meal, and we are informed by a polite hostess of the prix fixe menu. This menu is $140 per person. It does not include wine or drinks. The main course has no vegetarian options and there are no substitutions.
We were pissed and disappointed. We are not cheap, but none of us wanted a four course heavy meal that evening.
Moved our reservation to the next night with no problem (I really just wanted a nice bowl of pasta, Jesus). We show up the next day and are quickly whisked to a TINY booth.
Long story short:
We order from a friendly waiter and receive several appetizers and dishes. The flavors are lovely, my fiance was particularly impressed with the bolognese sauce. Unfortunately for me, my first bite of Linguine and Clams with red sauce was FULL of sand and grit. OWW! My tooth! I should have sent the dish back but figured I just had bad luck and soldiered on stupidly. Again the flavors were great, but when a guest is paying $30 for a plate of pasta, the kitchen better make damn sure there isn't SAND in the clam shells!
As we left, I mentioned my issue to a manager, just to let him know so that he could alert the kitchen. He could not have cared less. He gave me a half-assed, "I'm Sorry," and walked off. Ass.
We will not be back.
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