Posts Tagged ‘restaurant review’
Good eats+ good service + better company = perfection
As you all know, the Mister and I celebrated Valentine’s Day at home with a classy dinner and indulgent dessert. But we still wanted to go out on the town! So on Saturday night, we treated ourselves to a fancy dinner before we went to see the Broadway touring show, In the Heights (which was amazing, by the way).
We decided to try a spot that has been on my list for AGES. Michaelangelo’s, a fine establishment just across the street from us, has received rave reviews since it opened its doors in 2006. In fact, last year the restaurant was Zagat Rated!
Review highlights:
This romantic retreat offers authentic Northern Italian Cuisine from chef/co-owner Michael Annandoro, along with an extensive selection of wines and a stylish bar area. With a large fireplace for winter and a patio for warmer weather, its an ideal choice for a special night out.
We started with the house multi-grain bread and flavored olive oil.
We ordered our “go-to” Italian appetizer, which is normally any dish that includes mozzarella and prosciutto. As soon as we spotted the “Bufala,” we knew we had to have it. Described on the menu as buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto di parma and roasted red peppers, this dish was the perfect way to kick off our dinner. The mozzarella was rich, creamy and a great match for the salty prosciutto.
Knowing that I’d be ordering an indulgent treat, I thought it would be best to order something light. But light and healthy doesn’t mean flavorless – NO SIREE. This simple arugula salad was packed with incredible flavors! I loved the rich quality of the olive oil and the lemon was such a refreshing touch. You can’t see it in the photo, but the salad contained minced garlic and onion, as well as salty, savory Parmesan cheese. The Mister stole a few bites and proclaimed it to be one of the best salads he’s ever tasted.
For my “dinner” I ordered the Minestrone soup. Without a doubt, this was the heartiest Minestrone I’ve ever had. This thing was chock-full of root vegetables and beans — so filling! It had quite a kick, too (luckily my whimpy taste buds could handle it, though!).
The Mister was kind enough to let me pick from all the decadent dessert offerings. In addition to the standard menu, the serve explained some of the Valentine’s Day features. I heard the words “chocolate bomb” and was sold. The chocolate coating contained rich and creamy chocolate mousse – like a little present from the chocolate Gods! While some chocolate dishes can be too rich and quickly weigh you down, this was the perfect balance. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The Mister and I decided that we’ll be heading back to Michaelangelo’s very soon. But this time we BOTH plan on ordering soup and salad – that way we’ll have room for an extra dessert!
This was such a great evening! The ambiance of the restaurant was very romantic and I loved every minute of chatting with the Mister and enjoying his company. Let’s face it, Valentine’s Day dinners have a pretty bad rep. From noisy and over-crowded restaurants, to poor service and cold food, I’ve heard all the horror stories. But if anything, Michaelangelo’s went above and beyond to make sure our dining experience was special. Our waiter was so helpful and attentive and we never felt rushed (unlike my LAST dining experience). If you live in the Cleveland area, make sure you give Michaelangelo’s a try for your next special occasion — they’ll make sure you leave with some great memories 
This weekend the Mister and I had dinner with two of our two dear friends, Sean and Matty. This dinner was important for two reasons: 1.) we hadn’t made a date with them in AGES; 2.) It had been way too long (almost a year!) since we had eaten at The Grovewood Tavern.
From the Website:
The Grovewood Tavern & Wine Bar offers an atmosphere that is clean, friendly and relaxed. Customers can socialize with friends and new acquaintances in an easy-going atmosphere while choosing from our wide selection of fine wines; domestic, imported and micro-brewed beer; and select liquors. The patrons of the Grovewood Tavern & Wine bar are a diverse and friendly bunch, who come to enjoy fine beverages, fine food, and, of course, fine company.
Our menu features “familiar-exotic” foods from around the world at down-to-Earth prices. We present weekly specials along with customer favorites, so you’re sure to find something to please!
I really love the Grovewood Tavern’s laid-back kitschy look. It’s cozy and inviting, making you want to stay for hours (too bad we couldn’t – but more on that later).
Upon being seated, each table is given a plate of freshly baked bread and garlic dipping oil – check out those whole cloves!
Having a considerable amount of time to scan the menu (I did my research online ), I already knew what I was going to order. Moroccan Mahi-Mahi: Grilled and served with artisinal lemon oil, with roasted spaghetti squash and lentil salad.
Sorry for the poor picture quality – the restaurant was very dark!
This was delicious – exactly what I was hoping for. The Mahi Mahi was cooked quite well and the lemon oil infused the entire fillet with mouth-watering, fresh flavor. The lentil salad was incredibly refreshing. Crisp and tangy, it did a great job of cleansing the palette. But my favorite bites were spent on the spaghetti squash! This was cooked to the perfect consistency and seasoned with something sweet (maple syrup, perhaps?) but balanced with subtle spices.
Everyone else really enjoyed their meals, as well. Great food…better company…fabulous evening!
UNTIL…
Now, let me give you a bit of context. While the Grovewood looks super laid-back and comfortable, the prices are not. The Mister and I spent more than $50 total for just two entrees (no drinks!). That being said, I don’t mind splurging for a good meal and an opportunity to relax and chat with good friends. What I do mind is being PUSHED OUT.
Le me give you the run down. We had just finished our meals and paid the bill. The Mister was in the middle of a story and we were all having a really great conversation. Note: other patrons were doing the same — i.e. enjoying each-other’s company after finishing their meal. But they must have had an “in” with the manager or something, because what happened next was simply not cool. Dear Grovewood Tavern, perhaps KICKING patrons out of your restaurant isn’t the best way of getting them to come back. This is simple customer service, people. I understand if we lingered for an extra 30 minutes…but it had been 5 (tops).
The “manager” (or bus boy with a huge ego) came to our table and said the following: “Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed your meal. As you can see we are kind of busy and I could use the table, so….yea….” —AWKWARD SILENCE —
Dude, are you kidding me? This has never, EVER happened to me before. I was actually a bit in shock – we all were! The thing that REALLY put me over the edge, though, was the fact that I had seen this “manager” making the rounds to other tables to “welcome them” and ask them about their meals. We were never “welcomed,” just “goodbye-d.” And we’re cool people – totally approachable! Grovewood Tavern, I MIGHT give you one more chance, but if you pull these shenanigans again, I might need to add you to my Black List — even if your food is spectacular. Because what’s the point of having an amazing meal if the whole experience leaves a bitter taste in your mouth?
Moral of the story: if you go to Grovewood Tavern — ORDER DESSERT — because $8 is definitely worth being able to enjoy an extra few minutes of conversation with your friends.
Have you ever experienced something similar? How did you handle it?
Hello, friends! First things first…have you entered to win a Gaiam Yoga Mat yet? What about the Manduka bag? OK, good.
So as you all jealously read, the Mister and I had an AMAZING experience at L’Albatros on Friday. We figured we’d continue our state of food-bliss and make the trip down to Vegiterranean (check out trip one & trip two). But this time was a little different. This time we brought VEGGIEGIRL along with us (get the title now? VEGIterranean…VEGGIEGIRL…double VEGS!)
Per VG’s recommendation, I gave the Squash pizza a try. As described on the menu, the Squash Pizza contains “Marsala butternut squash puree topped with wild mushrooms, cippolini onions, baby arugula and soy mozzarella cheese.”
This was AMAZING. That VeggieGirl knows her stuff! I loved that the sweetness and creaminess of the squash balanced so nicely with the mushrooms and onions. I cleaned my plate on this one, SO YUM!
Instead of ordering dessert, I purchased a cupcake from a bake sale Vegiterranean was holding for Haiti — and you’ve all read my stance on supporting that cause in every way we can! This sucker was filled with raspberry goodness – DI-VINE (I was planning on saving it for later, but VeggieGirl said it best– “I dove right in” as soon as we got in the car).
Good food, better company. Can you think of a better way to spend the afternoon?