Summary: Too much salt. Every dish had a problem.
The service was excellent and the decor is satisfactory. The servers were prompt and courteous. Each time water was refilled, they would cover the lip of the glass with napkin to keep the water from splashing onto you. I thought the tables were a little close to each other, but whatever.
On to the food:
Octopus - I couldn't taste the octopus. All I tasted was salty carbon because the meat was so burnt and they used so much salt. I mentioned this to the waiter and he said that's the way it is supposed to be. I was thinking that it is too bad it is supposed to suck. He graciously offered to take it back and bring something else. He recommended:
Cheese custard with shitake mushrooms - This one was a winner, had they not sprinkled coarse salt at the bottom of the dish. The dish didn't need any salt! Nonetheless, the custard was outstanding. This was the only remarkable dish.
Some fried pork patty with salad - Whose idea was it to grind up some pork and fry it into a patty? The presentation was poor and it was soaked through with oil. We thought that the dish might be redeemed through its flavor, but alas, it was no good.
Oxtail with pasta (the one on their tasting menu) - The best part of this dish was the pasta. It was well cooked and springy. The oxtail was plain. The way they were cut into little cubes reminded me of dog food.
Quail - The quail was perfectly cooked, slightly rare and delicious. The presentation was good on this one. Then, they ruin it by adding this small red pasta at the bottom of the dish with a very salty sauce. Why?
The food was bad for $100+/person. I've lost a lot of respect for Mario.