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| - If you're looking for swanky restaurant with a cool vibe to take someone for a special occasion, put Dante on your list. It will not disappoint, in fact, it will really impress!
Jason and I had a wonderful experience at Dante for our 1 year anniversary! I would give it a 4.5 rating if I could. There were only a few things that seemed a little off, but overall, a fantastic night that makes me want to come back for more!
Jason had made reservations for Dante on a Friday evening, unknowingly the same night as the monthly Tremont Art Walk. This was perfect for an after dinner stroll through the neighborhood galleries, but bad for parking. We're not opposed to walking at all, but it was near impossible to find a spot within a mile radius of this place. Finally, we spotted a space in a sneaky spot and headed over. I honestly didn't mind the walk either, especially since we got to see everyone out enjoying the gorgeous weather and neighborhood. :-D (If it were the dead of winter, this might be a different story LOL)
We walked in and Dante was a buzzing with people and staff! It seemed a little disorganized at first, but I soon realized it was just the bar that was giving off that vibe. The hostess took our names and told us our table would be up soon and to grab a drink at the bar. Well, the bar was a bit of a zoo...which is cool. I'm used to that. But, it just seemed a little strange for a nice restaurant. The clientele at the bar was a little "old" too. Not to be rude by any means, it was just odd to see it getting taken over by 60-65 year olds, wasted. Maybe it's because none of my grandparents drank.
After waiting for about 15 minutes for our table, we were taken over to a very special, private table in the "safe". For those of you who haven't been to Dante, they renovated an old bank and remodeled the inside. Although you can't see many signs of it, they did leave the safe door on! This was awesome, to say the least. It was a private, little space with a lot less noise than the rest of Dante. Very intimate. Perfect for our anniversary. Just a side note: Jason made the reservation online and told them it was our anniversary. They handpicked that table for us and that's why there was a little wait when we came in. Worth it.
Now to the food. I have to admit, I don't do well with a lot of choices because I tend to be a little indecisive. Literally, everything on the menu looked divine. I wanted to try everything! Luckily Dante offers tastings of just about half the menu, and these aren't little bites. They bring over a pretty big sample. We usually order things that we both want to try and share them, but this time was really difficult to choose!
We finally decided on the Braised Artichoke Gratin and a tasting of the Brown Arborio Risotto to start. Both dishes were delicious, but the artichokes were notably better than the risotto. Not that it was bad, it just wasn't as different and memorable as the creamy, goat cheese filled artichokes...yum. For entrees, Jason chose the Pappardelle Bolognese handmade pasta dish, and I had the Sea Scallops with Potato Strudel. Again, both dishes were fantastic, but mine was a lot better. Jason said the pasta was OK, but it seemed likes something he could make at home with the right ingredients. I tasted it and agreed. The scallops were tender, perfectly cooked and although I was wondering how the chorizo vinaigrette was going to pair, it blew me away. I ended up sharing half of my entree with Jason because I know how much he loves scallops, and I was FULL!
Besides my company and the food, what made this meal for me was our waiter. I don't remember having that great of service in a long time. He was attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, funny and cool! He left us just the right amount of time to eat and chat, but didn't ignore us. Perfect timing. Jason and I both also loved that the check wasn't outrageous! (Even though he wouldn't let me pay for anything, I snuck a peak) We skipped on dessert because we were both too full, but we didn't skip on cocktails and that racks up the bill more than anything. But still, very reasonable for such a nice restaurant!
Overall, I love the decor, the vibe, setting and lingering signs that the building used to be a bank. Loved the service, the food was great and the experience overall was fantastic. I'd come back for sure. Down side was a bit of a wait (although for good reason), the bar was a little crazy and loud, and the clientele was a bit odd.
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