This is right around the block from us and we have been there many times. Â We love the food and have had only good experiences. Â We have had several of their salads and they are very fresh. Â I almost always get the chicken parmigiana. Â It is the best I have ever had. It is so good that I am reluctant to try other dishes.. Reasonable prices. Â Good service. BYOB. Â Great spaghetti too- perfectly cooked.
Review Source:We frequent Westfield restaurants a bit and wanted to try this one, based on a recommendation. Â We're sorry we did. Â We were a party of 10 last night, and this was everyone's first visit. Â We were seated quickly and it was downhill from there. Â Our order was taken a while after we were all seated, but we needed to ask for bread for the table, which came after 30 minutes. Â Although the bread was good, half our table never received appetizer plates or silverware and needed to ask for those. Â We had to repeatedly ask for water, even though it would have been simpler if they just left two carafes on the table. Â To say our party was neglected is putting it mildly. Â I think a table of 10 is just too difficult for this restaurant.
Salads came and I specifically asked for dressing on the side. Â Instead, the salad was drenched. Â When I asked the owner about dressing on the side, he said it couldn't be done without waiting for a long while and suggested I take the salad as is. Â Since when is dressing on the side a special request at a restaurant? Â And if the kitchen cannot handle that, there are serious problems in service. There were many other mix-ups in our salads, and the owner explained that because we weren't regular customers, the kitchen was having a difficult time with the orders. Â Say what? Â This was our fault?
The food, except for the drenched salads, was surprisingly good considering the chaos I witnessed at the pick-up window between our waitress and the chefs. Â (By the way, our waitress was great -- I could see her battling on our behalf, but later learned she was reprimanded by the owner because "they don't do special orders.") Â I got the veal marsala, and although lacking a a truly superior marsala sauce, was a tasty, good-sized selection nonetheless. Â The veal parmigiana eaten by several others was well-prepared and hearty, with a rich tomato sauce. Â The special tilapia with calamari, clams and mussels was also good, in a tomato broth and a nice amount of fresh seafood. Â However, the special menu for the evening listed Coconut Shrimp as an appetizer. Â Unfortunately they were out of that by the time we ordered it at 7:30. Â Poor planning, I'd say.
So the lowdown is, good food, good menu, crappy service (obviously not well trained although kudos to our waitress who did her best) and a disconnected owner who could use a bit of customer service training. Â If you go as a couple, you're probably OK. Â And if you are regular, not a problem. Â As for us, there are plenty of better Italian restaurants in Westfield.
3.5 stars rounded to a 4.
The food was very good and the service excellent. Â It's a very casual place and despite the name that would indicate otherwise, it's an Italian restaurant all the way. Â Prices were reasonable and being a BYO, like most places in Westfield, is an added bonus as long as wine as opposed to cocktails is your drink of choice.
I'm assuming that the gentleman in the front of the restaurant transfixed on watching TV is the manager that others have complained about. Â Fortunately we had no such problem with him as everything went very well. Â However, he really should be more focused on the guests. Â Little things like greeting diners as they entered, a friendly goodbye as they leave, and even some table hopping during dinner are all nice touches, possibly even a requirement, especially in a small place like this. Â That must have been some fascinating show on the tube.
This did not detract from an enjoyable evening of good food served in a friendly and efficient manner but by the same token, a little touch like that could help set this place apart from from many of the other good Italian restaurants around here. Â
It is definitely a place I'd go back to.
we are pretty regular at this place as it is close, great food, and nice atmosphere; especially in the warm weather when we can sit outside. love the local neighborhood feel. recently, we did small catering for a holiday party and we were incredibly happy with the food, ease with ordering and service. our guests raved about the penne vodka and chicken francaise............!
I think the owner is a personable nice guy as well.
Maureen
I don't know where these other reviews are coming from! My husband and I have been going here since it opened and haven't had a bad meal yet! Everyone that I have spoken to has loved it as well. Service has been great, very attentive, and the owner couldn't be nicer to us. Plus, he buys us coffee at the end of the meal. Â Excellent value for your dollar!
Review Source:After my wife observed one of the cooking staff pick their nose and continue working, she went to speak with the owner/manager, taking him aside to tell him about the matter, and his response was, "well, what do you want me to do about it?". She returned to our table where we were finishing our salads and told me about his response.
We decided to leave and on our way out I informed him we had left 20$ on the table for the salads and that he should be more concerned over his customers care, to which he resumed his hostile nature. Â I responded with some additional snarky comments while allowing other customers to know why we were leaving.
After getting outside, the overweight owner/manager followed me out and threatened to "rip my head off."
I have had enjoyable meals here before, but after this experience and now what I see on Yelp from other patrons, maybe this owner/manager should look for a job as a union boss rather than restrauteur!
One visit is enough after the experience I had at this restaurant!
It started with the sad bread at the beginning of the night, continued with the overwhelmed waiter and ended with the owner screaming at customers - in front of the whole restaurant! And when I say screaming...I mean like a five year old and calling them names - I have never in my life seen anything like this and I worked in the restaurant business for over 10 years! Forget the food - the menu is disjointed and offers traditional faux Italian fare.
I just moved to the area but I won't return to this uncomfortable environment again - there are lots of other Westfield places I look forward to trying!
These reviews seemed sort of old, so I need to leave a "fresh" one. Â Whatever kinks they may have had at the start, they have definitely worked out. Â I went there a few Saturday nights ago with a friend - no reservations, just taking a chance on getting a table for 2 at 8pm. Â We had to wait about 15 minutes, but didn't mind. Â The owner (?) kept checking on us every few minutes assuring us we would be next for a table (and we were). Â Standard Italian fare, and by the looks of the menu, very typical. Â My foodie self usually orders the simplest thing on the menu - if a restaurant can't get that right, then you can't get ANYTHING right. Â Spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. Â Delicious. Â Absolutely delicious. Â The flavor from the meat sauce was unbelieveable. Â And the basil that was on our bruchetta tasted as if it had just been picked. Â My only complaint was that our server seemed a little "blah" - I always appreciate a server with a sparkly personality (and at least one that gives us her name). Â Nevertheless, we tipped well for good service. Â For 1 app, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, a coffee and a cappuccino it was $55. Â Not bad at all! Â Don't forget your favorite wine - it is a BYOB!
Review Source:My aunt, uncle and I came here - we weren't that impressed. Â There seem to be a few kinks to work out in the service department. Â The food was passable - I had cavatelli and broccoli and it was pretty good. Â There are better Italian restaurants in the area. Â This is BYOB though, which is a plus.
Review Source:Ive only eaten here once but my experience was very well. The atmosphere is very nice with jazzy music and some modern touches. The food was very good but nothing amazing. I had penne vodka and brucshetta. Both were good but didnt blow me away. The staff is friendly and were fine during our meal. For the prices the food is good but I would recommend going to Ferraro's or Cosimos's as those are better Italian restaurants and only about a 2 minute walk away.
Review Source:We were seated near the open kitchen door listening to the kitchen music and kitchen conversation. The waitress came out and told us the kitchen was mad at her for taking the olives & peppers off my seafood salad. I was afraid they may have spit in it. I wish I could speak Spanish... The salad was good. My wife had salad with chicken. It was also good.
Review Source:2.5 stars Standard Jersey Italian fair. Bring your 6.99 bottle of yellowtail and enjoy culinary highs such as fried calamari with spicy red sauce a.k.a house marinera topped with red pepper flakes, and bruschetta as well as penne vodka. Â
All jokes aside this place has your basic italian menu and In all honesty im not a huge fan of Italian food but did not know this was italian spot till i sat down. Â The fried calamari was good as was the bruschetta, i like how they add a little balsamic to the mixture for a little spin on the classic. Â Entree was good chicken with shrimp and artichokes in a white wine sauce although it was tough find my shrimp as they were tiny. Also unfortunately found a hair in my bread ahh not a big deal happens. Meet your wife for dinner with your 2.5 kids after you get off the train from work.
Don't piss on my head and say it's rain. These bunch of idiots have no idea how to cater to customers. I ordered chicken franchise and asked that the pasta on the side be incorporated in the dish. They said sure but that would be five dollars more because they only give u a little pasta on the side. If they put it over your meal they would use more pasta and hence the additional charge. Go fluff yourselves!!
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