We went here for restaurant week and were pleased with the quality of the food. My date was jealous he did not order the mussels, and I did not want to share - the feta and fennel sausage were perfectly postitvely pungent in the broth. Entree pasta portions were large. Will return for mussels, sweet corn carbonara and wine!
Review Source:*3.5
A group of friends and I came during Restaurant Week 2013 for someone's birthday, hoping that it would be a fine dining experience to remember.
Although the night did start off wonderfully, with great service and a modern but intimate atmosphere, the meal did not quite live up to my expectations.
The mussels and lump crab salad were delicious appetizers, though the mussels were a bit on the salty side (and should have come with more bread IMO) and the lump crab salad was an additional $3 to the restaurant week price. It did taste fresh, citrusy and sweet at the same time (from the giant lumps of crab meat)!
The meal really dipped down at the entree, even though it should have kept progressing. The spinach gnocchi was flavorless, the pork belly a little too seared/cooked on the edges, and the chicken was definitely not "the best chicken you'll ever have" (as promised by our server). I got the bronzini, which is a Mediterranean sea bass. While it WAS very well cooked, and the sauce and calamari under it were also flavorful, I didn't find a WOW factor. It didn't completely tickle my taste buds and delight them in a way that I expected it to.
Desserts were delicious, though it's probably hard to mess up Tiramisu, pot de creme, lemon cake and pana cotta. I will say that even though the chicken was not the best I've ever head, the tiramisu here IS!
Also, the bottle of red wine that we got to go with the meal was NOT worth the price tag, nor did it live up to the expectation of a "complex" wine. I've had better from the supermarket.
All in all, I was disappointed by this lackluster meal.
One of the best eateries in Charlottesville, next to Mas and Bodos. Came here for Restaurant Week, so this review is only for that menu (though if you sign up for their mailing list during RW, you get a little certificate for access to the RW menu all throughout February).
PEI mussels: huge portion for an appetizer. Mussels were juicy and substantial, with just the right hint of lemon and brine, and chunks of feta and fennel sausage - it's always good to see landlocked places shell out the good seafood.
Pork belly: I absolutely loved this dish, though the combination of charred chunks of delicious fatty pork and potato gnocchi in spinach butter makes it extremely rich, meaning that I ate half of it and felt like I was coming apart at the seams. I also tried the organic Faroe Island salmon and the fish was cooked to the point of buttery goodness - prod it with the tines of your fork and it comes apart on its own.
Panna cotta: not a desserts person (I know. I KNOW.) but I liked the little fried sesame cookie on top and the salty caramel sauce. Friend's tiramisu was the best she ever had.
Service: runs like a well-oiled machine; the entire staff was seriously on top of their shit. We never had to wait more than a few minutes in between the appetizer and the entree, and the entree and the dessert. Also: complimentary bread with hummus! I'd come here anytime over Bluegrass.
My husband and I have been to orzo a lot over the past six years and I can't think of a single time that we had anything less than a good experience. Occasionally the food has taken a little longer than expected but its always delicious and in those few and far between instances we've been blessed with great servers who kept he wine glasses full. Good stuff Orzo!
Review Source:I have been to Orzo at least four times in a little over a year. It is on the decline, and I don't expect to be back.
First, the service. Orzo has always been consistent in this category--bad at best, terrible at worst. Expect to wait--to get seated, to get bread, to get each course, etc.
Second, the food. The food used to be good. It was never amazing, inventive, or any other adjective used to praise a restaurant highly. It certainly was good, though--a comfort food in a contemporary style. The portions were also generous and you never left feeling hungry. If you had room for dessert, you must have a big appetite. These days, however, the portions have gotten smaller and the restaurant is attempting to get closer to a contemporary American restaurant with Italian flavors but is failing at it. The service also doesn't help as dishes that might have looked and tasted good when first plated look dull and old and taste bland and uninspired when they eventually reach your table.
I would give this restaurant 2.5 stars, but I rounded down for its downward trend.
Everything was going so well... the appetizer, the entree......then bam, a clam full of mud! not just a clam with mud in it, a clam FULL of mud! I don't think I ordered a special of Mississippi mud slide with my linguini?! Then the servers told me they would have took the dish off of my check except they couldn't. I'm sorry, what? The manager never came to apologize, for how traumatic my pod of mud was. The open kitchen allowed me to see how careless the chef was when my dish was brought back to him. He didn't even flinch! Must be a common thing with Orzo? The Mississippi mud pod?
I was offered a complimentary glass of wine, but I wonder how much that could have made up for my $20 entree and leaving with a still empty stomach?
Have been here a few times before. Â The bar used to have a tapas type menu that was unfortunately limited to bar patrons only, but now the tapas are gone. Â Had the prosciutto starter and the special ravioli served on a slightly warmed square plate, but spread out, so it got cold quickly. Â The ravioli was cooked well, so I cannot complain too much.
Review Source:I feel about Orzo how I used to feel about The Local. The restaurant feels warm, busy, and noisy enough that you feel like you're out, but not so loud that you can't have a conversation. This is my new favorite place in Cville. They worked with me so that I could have a vegetarian meal, and the food, service, ambiance were all great. I would go back here in an instant.
Review Source:Truly Exceptional!
Food - A+
Service - A+
Ambiance - A
Great place for a date or family celebration dinner. Â Menu is very creative and the food is prepared with exceptional attention to detail. Â Connected to a high end market and coffee shop so you can do more than just dinner. Â Expensive but well worth the price. Â Highly recommended!!
I've been here many times over the years and have generally been happy with the food. Â However, the other day we stopped in for lunch and did not leave happy; more like we left hungry. Â The menu has been changed, or at least been down sized. Â They no longer have the fried onions on the apps list (one of the main reasons we used to lunch here). Â Also, the fresh mozz, tomato and basil sandwich is gone! Â Which seems like a crime to take off the menu, especially in the summer when local tomatoes are bursting with flavor. Â
Bummed about the disappearance of some of our favorite items we got the Gazpacho, Caesar salad and hummus. Â The gazpacho we had liked so much from last summer's menu was not nearly as tasty, way too much cucumber and not enough spice. Â We each took one bite and didn't take another. Â The Caesar salad also didn't resemble anything that I had been served in the past. Â What used to be tasty torn bits of chicken, usually dark meat, was replaced with a cold dry breast. Â Hummus was all right, although a little heavy handed on the cinnamon; tasted more like a dessert course.
We left wondering if the place had a switched hands or something.
We loved this restaurant!! The food was excellent and the martinis were stiff! We had a very friendly waitress that took her time explaining what was in each dish. We all were very pleased with our entrees and would go back again and again if we lived there. I love the open kitchen/bistro feel. You must try the carmelized Brussel sprouts-we got two orders and ate them all~!
Review Source:A group of four of us went to Orzo on a Saturday to enjoy a birthday dinner. We went all out ordering cocktails, appetizers, wine, and entrees and then dessert. Â Spending well over $200. Â The food was outstanding and we were having a really nice time. Service was ok. A bit slow and not the most friendly. Â We noticed the server stopped refilling our water after dessert. Â We still had the dessert plate on our table when I would assume the manager came over to our table since he was not our server and rudely chased us out of the restaurant saying he needed the table and could we go"buy" a drink at the bar if we wanted to stay. Â Now we all were stunned at how unprofessional the way he spoke to us. Especially since we had spent lot of money and were enjoying a celebration. Â It seems that the management and servers only care about flipping the table and making their money. If I was the owner I would look into finding a more professional staff and management!
So instead of having 4 people walking out of the restaurant recommending it there are four people who will do the opposite.
Spend your money somewhere will your server will treat you with a bit more respect, and you are not seen as a dollar sign.
I came here for restaurant week and did not have to wait too long because I had reservations. Â We sat upstairs and thought that the food was decent, the wine selection was nice, and the service was friendly. Â However, the prices were a little high for the quality of food and nothing stood out as amazing to me.
Review Source:We have been going to Orzo pretty regularly and lately, it seems that the service level has gone down. When we went in January, they had run out of the two things I ordered and our server did not bother to tell us until I ordered. Servers should always let diners know what items are out when they introduce the specials.
Another time, we watched as 4-5 people walked by the open kitchen, ignoring our meals that were ready to bring to the table. I would say about ten minutes and multiple people went by, including our server, and no one bothered to run the dishes to our table. If you're going to have an open kitchen, servers and food runners need to be on the ball when food is ready.
Last night was particularly disappointing. I ordered the hanger steak and asked for it to be cooked medium. The server told me the chef recommends it as medium rare, but I told her I wanted it to be medium. When the steak was brought to me, it was obviously rare/medium rare. It appeared the chef cooked it exactly how he thought it should be cooked, regardless of my order. I sent it back and it was obvious the cook was not happy about it. If you're going to have an open kitchen, the cooks should not be cursing when diners send back their food. In fact, they need to behave professionally at all times. A few minutes later, the steak was brought out again and it looked exactly the same. So I sent it back. Again. Shortly after that, the manager came over to me and explained that "my boys have a hard time cooking the steak past medium rare" so I should give them a break. Not sure what his intentions were, but it basically sounded to me like he was telling me that it was my fault I wanted the steak cooked medium and implying that I didn't know how to appreciate a good steak.
The third time it came out, the steak was cooked to medium. However, it was obvious the cooks simply threw the individual sliced pieces of steak onto the grill. Isn't that some sort of health code violation? I'm pretty sure that once food is brought to a table or is eaten, it cannot go back on the grill. In any case, the steak was fine, but the potato-fennel gratin -- which had been sitting on the plate since the very first time it was brought out -- was now cold. I decided I was too annoyed to send it back a fourth time.
So... while I love the food and ambiance of Orzo, I think the service needs to improve.
-Servers need to tell diners when dishes are out or running low
-Cooks need to make things how the diner wants it, now how they prefer to cook it
-When food is sent back to the kitchen, the cooks need to control their anger/frustration/annoyance, etc. Diners can clearly see what is going on back there.
-When food is out, whoever is closest should run it to the appropriate table. Work as a team. Don't just take care of your own tables.
-If diners are unhappy, apologize and fix it; don't make excuses and don't make customers feel like they contributed to the problem.
I think Orzo really has a lot of potential. The food is excellent. Now if they could just get the service level to match it.
Had a pleasure to visit this place for a friday night dinner. When we arrived the restaurant looked rather empty which seemed suspicious, since I was expecting the place to be busy... for some reason... you know - the place had decent reviews, it was friday night and a very nice weather outside.
After we were seated and the waitress described the specials and we got our water... 5 minutes later, another waitress came up to us and we had a round 2 of "what_we_have_for_specials_tonight", though this time she was out of one of the specials. I thought it was kinda funny - they either ran out of food in less than 5 minutes or "one hand doesn't know what the other hand does". Anyways, we ordered and continued our conversation sipping some wine. By the way, I was very pleased with selection of wine, even though that night we just got a bottle of Tempranillo off their "house" wine list, which was good and inexpensive. And I'm glad I ordered that appetizer, considering that it took them nearly an hour to cook our meals. And the place wasn't even that busy! I usually don't mind waiting, especially when we were pre-occupied with talking anyways, but I was hungry!
For an appetizer I ordered "oven-roasted" mussels, which were decent. I definitely had better... but I had much worse too. I still don't understand what they meant by "oven-roasted"?
Finally, when the food arrived, I thought for a second that presentation could be a little bit better, but - ah well - I was hungry and it looked delicious anyways. I ordered pork belly and I must say it was spectacular. It came with roasted brussels spouts, polenta and some shrimp... and every little piece of that meal I quickly consumed. The wait was definitely worth it! I was very unimpressed with their desert menu though, so I just ordered some chocolate mouse, which was OK, but I still couldn't forget that pork belly, I guess... so I enjoyed that mouse a lot less than the pork belly.
Overall, I was quite happy about picking Orzo that night. It's a very intimiate place with very pleasing decor and diverse crowd. Service needs some work, but I'm willing to wait and listen about specials million times in a row, just so I can have some of that pork belly again. I'm definitely coming back... maybe I should try something else next time?
Okay, so much has already been reviewed about this place, so I won't prattle on.
Orzo is very nice, the interiors are really beautiful with terra cotta walls, amber light fixtures and with an arced window reminiscent of being inside a refurbished airplane hangar. Â The dress: Â I saw everything from guys dressed in what I call 'Margaritaville wear', Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts with leather sandals, to business types still in their best work wear. Â I would recommend casual to dress casual, I think it would be the most appropriate.
I won't regurgitate what others have said about this place, it's okay, it definitely has its fans (my parents namely being of that group). Â For me, I wasn't overly thrilled. Â I had the gazpacho that night, and it was decent. Â Then I had the Italian Mac and Cheese, how I would have loved it if it had lobster (since I don't eat pork). Â It was too rich, bland and I didn't finish it. Â Let me reiterate and say that my parents are enormous fans of this place. Â It's taken me six months to even complete this review, so I suppose for me, not so much. Â But I fully intend on giving them a second try, especially since my parents are such good benchmarks for a good restaurant. Â I look forward to being proved wrong!
Lovely meal at Orzo. Â Also just learned that they were voted runner-up for the Best of Cville list for Best Mediterranean and I'm not surprised. Â Prices are standard for dine-in causal (entrees at $17-25) but the portions are huge! Â You will be full here. Â Menu changes/seasonal though they should at least maintain an orzo dish in the menu year round. Â Will be back next time I'm in town. Â Our group all enjoyed their food too (all 15+). Â Â Â Â
Bf ordered three courses:
Hollumi Cheese Appetizer (4 stars)
Like a deconstructed pizza; strong on the oregano and zing of lemon but combined together with the toasted bread and fried cheese it was a tasty plate of goodness. Â Â Â
Mac & Cheese Entree  (3.0 stars)
If you do not like the salty and distinct flavor of Parmigiano Reggiano then do not order this dish. Â Despite the fact that the mac & cheese comes with a trio of cheeses (the others being Asiago and Ricotta, both a mild cheese) the strong flavor of the Parmigiano overpowers the dish. Â For the most part we enjoyed the dish but it's best to share. Â The tiny specks of Prosciutto di Parma doesn't lend much flavor or presence in the entree. Â
Tiramisu (4 stars)
We love Tiramisu and this was served nicely layered with coffee and soft mounds of masrcapone; a nice dusting of chocolate curls tops the dish. Â
I ordered:
Beef Bolognese (3.5 stars)
Very meaty, hearty and had body that made for a thick sauce to accompany the spaghetti. Â Appreciated the fact that the pasta was tossed with a light tomato sauce before it was topped with the meat sauce. Â
Coffee (3.0 stars)
Even the coffees are huge! Â Just wanted a small cuppa to end the meal with the dessert and a huge mug came to the table. Â It really was a little much and not necessary.
This is a personal favorite place to eat. Â Like a previous reviewer, the hazelnut, ricotta and honey bruschetta is yummy, and it's hard not to ask for seconds! Â The complimentary hummus is perfectly salty and creamy, and the grilled pita is it's best friend. Â My best friend and I often ask for more because we will often scarf it up! Â
On our last visit we ordered the flight of white wine, and what a treat! Â There was only one wine I wasn't wild about, but I am not a big viognier fan already, so it wasn't unexpected. Â
The only negative about the place can be the noise level. Â When the place is hopping, the metal ceiling can create quite a din, making a pleasant evening out a little uncomfortable. Â
The waitstaff is typically quite helpful, and will offer the advice of a favorite dish when asked, and seem very knowledgeable about the menu choices, in general.
This was a nice little date spot. Â The wine was of Spanish origin and the salmon dish was delicious. Â We also ordered the whole fish - very nice and flaky. Â The atmosphere is really good and perfect for a cozy first date, or second for that matter.
The cookie dessert was delicious too.
What a great place in C-Ville to eat!
My husband and I ate lunch here, at about 2pm on a Saturday it was just quiet enough.
I spotted an appetizer and dessert I couldn't turn down; the ricotta, hazelnut and honey bruschetta was amazing and the citrus cake lasted approximately 2 min on the table.
My husband got a rotisserie chicken sandwich he claimed not to be impressed by (but it disappeared quickly) and the orzo it came with was fantastic. I think his only problem with the sandwich is that he expected it to be warm but ended up being a cold dish.
We will definitely be back.
I came here for my friend's bachlorette party dinner and it was meh. 8 people, 8:00 p.m. reservation on a Saturday, didnt get seated until 8:35. I understand that its a busy night, but they kept telling us our table was ALMOST ready...and it never really was. Liars!
Anyways, the food was alright. I got the ahi tuna and it was kind of bland. I really liked the potato thing it came with though. My friends got the shrimp scampi and the bolognase and both were just fine. The mussels were good. The wine was great - they have a cheap wine list with a bunch of bottles under $25.
I like the atmosphere and the artwork. One of the owner's wives does a bunch of the oil paintings that are in there and they are all very interesting.
Went to this place on a Saturday night with RSVP for 6:30 dinner party of 3. Â Seated promptly and greeted immediately by very nice server. Â
Appetizers: Â
mussels - wine, parsley, garlic, crusty bread - VERY good!
saganaki - no flaming "OPA!" presentation you usually get at other Greek places BUT you get two slices of haloumi cheese, crusty bread, and sprinkling of diced tomatoes and lemon - EXCELLENT
greek salad - no greens, traditional greek (tomatoes, cukes, onions), twist is they add aged balsamic vinegar - DELICIOUS rendition
Entrees: Â
Italian Mac and Cheese - plenty of carb and cheese, smooth, rich, coma inducing (in good way) - DELICIOUS
Hangar Steak - healhty sliced portions cooked to temperature, rich demi glace, fresh haricot vert and mashed potatoes - FULFILLING
Shrimp Scampi - large shrimp, good level spice, heavy on EVOO - ABOVE AVERAGE but did not finish b/c of heavy oil
Apps came out really fast. Â Dinner came out a bit later. Â Ambiance, warm, relaxing, not stuffy, not too loud, low lighting. Â Would def return again.
A friend and I went to Orzo as a part of Charlottesville's Restaurant Week. Â Here's a quick rundown:
Ambiance: Â Orzo's overall vibe is very nice. Â Good mood lighting, nice decorations with paintings and wine bottles, and (what I like most of all) an open view of the kitchen! Â However, the tables are a little bit too close together, making it really easy to eaves drop on your neighbors conversation. Â Additionally, the noise level is a little high.
Appetizer: Â Prior to the meal, Orzo gives a complimentary pita bread and hummus which was a nice and unique touch - make sure to ask for additional pita bread though. Â For an appetizer, I got the roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella. Â The red peppers were tasty but the mozzarella could have used a lot more flavor. Â My friend ordered the salmon, crab cake which he devoured.
Entree: Â On the advice of my waitress, I ordered the Italian Mac & Cheese. Â It's certainly not your typical mac n' cheese but it was delicious. Â Rather than being stiff like usual, the noodles were in more of a cream sauce - I highly recommend if you're looking for a comfort food meal. Â My friend ordered sirloin steak which was decent but was not anything special.
Dessert: By this time, both my friend and I were quite full but we made room for dessert. Â Upon reading the reviews from <a href="http://yelp.com">http://yelp.com</a>, I ordered Pot de Creme which lived up to its high reputation. Â My friend ordered the cookie and ice cream which, again, was not anything special.
Overall, I would say Orzo was a hit. Â My advice is to ask your waiter/waitress what he/she recommends.
We went to Orzo for restaurant week, so things were definitely crazier than normal. The food was good (i had the fried artichokes for an app... yum!). Our service was fine but I noticed that because we were sitting in the atrium, the service for everyone else kind of sucked. It appeared as though the wait staff didn't know the table numbers out there. We were brought food that belonged to like 3 different tables. So yes, I will go again but I'm hoping for better service for everyone next time.
Review Source:I wouldn't say this is a bad restaurant, but to be honest it's not really a memorable one either.
Located at the Main Street Market, home of some great quality meats, seafood, and host of of the delicious Albemarle Bakery, Orzo doesn't disappoint its neighbors by using fresh ingredients. The food is refreshing and interesting, definitely some new stuff i haven't tried before.
The only issue I have with this place is that it doesn't really go above or beyond. The flavors really emphasize the ingredients, but outside of that there is a serious lack of complements, and the flavors themselves aren't outstanding. In other words, there was nothing this restaurant offered that would make me crave it.
I would definitely suggest people to try it though, seeing as how I can see how some people would enjoy it as comfort food, but if you're looking for some serious flavor and boldness I'd look into somewhere else.
Greek small plates and Italian goodness.... Who could ask for a better combination?
Charlottesville Virginia has a WIDE variety of cuisine to suit just about any palette. Mexican, Indian, Vegan, or Italian this beautiful college town has it all! Â The ambiance at Orzo was delightful, great for a date, one on one with the winetender, or a hangout for someone such as myself a few years post college looking to jazz up my taste buds in a college town. Â
Wineflights are always a must in my book, its a great opportunity to "taste the rainbow" and Orzo had one each red and white. Â I feel in love.......... HARD for their Volpetti, Cesanese del Piglio from Rome Italy, talk about heaven in a glass! Â Since they have a small bottle shop as part of the restaurant I was able to buy a bottle to go. Â (Major up-sell!) Â Accompanying the wine I had the organic baby green salad with dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, goat cheese finished with a fig-balsamic vinaigrette which was bursting with great flavor in every bite. Â For the main course I took a gamble with the salmon cake tapas with lemon aoili which turned out fabulous! Â Full of flavor and not the fishy kind, it was served alongside spinach with small touches of lemon aoili around the dish. Â
Orzo has been my hidden gem when visiting C'ville and wish they had another closer to my home. Â Check out the Tapas menu located only behind the bar (however served throughout the restaurant), it has great full flavored dishes for smaller prices that will still make your taste buds dance across the bar. Â Right down to the complementary fire roasted pita bread and house made hummus it's a great restaurant that leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Atmosphere : Â Warm and inviting
Service: Good
Food: Great combo of Greek & Italian
Price:Great options for small or large budgets without neglecting flavor
Overall experience: Definitely recommend to anyone in the area
I recently visited Orzo on a date, and we left with mixed feelings about the place. Â Here's the rundown:
Pros:
-Food was delicious
-No problems with the service
-We were seated quickly on a busy night
Cons:
-Food was delicious mainly because of tons of oil and salt. Â Somehow, that seemed a bit like cheating. Â The flavors were less complex than at similarly priced restaurants around town.
-We were seated in the atrium- the hallway between Feast, Hedge, and the cooking store. Â It was chilly, the chairs were hard, and there was glare from the cooking store lights. Â Not the kind of romantic ambience you hope for on a date.
In the end, it was a nice dinner, but we couldn't help but feel we could have had a better dinner and experience somewhere else at the same price point. Â If Orzo's entrees were about $3 less than they are, I would say that it's a great deal. Â As it is, though, we'll probably go elsewhere in the future.
I'd been wanting to try this place for quite awhile. They were able to fit two people in for a last-minute reservation on a Friday night, which was nice.
The service was friendly and generally competent, but slow. After being seated, we waited at least 10 minutes to speak to our server, despite the fact that the place was little more than half-full (it filled up later). We shared a mussel appetizer that was tasty, but small - and a couple of the shells had no meat in them.
We didn't get our entrees for almost 90 minutes. The sirloin was presented beautifully, but was much too salty; the Bolognese was pretty solid. Both portion sizes were good.
We probably would have stayed for desert, but were already running so late that we decided to skip it. I may be back in case it was just an off night, but there are better dining experiences in C'ville for the money.
Definitely the best Caesar salad in C'ville. Â I totally crave it, and at $7 for a giant bowl it's a deal. Â The falafel-crusted artichoke heart appetizer is also awesome, with quartered artichoke hearts dipped in a falafel-spiced chickpea flour batter that's light as air and fried crisp.
One night when I ordered the pumpkin ravioli, they were out, so they offered me spinach ravioli in tomato cream sauce instead. Â They were so delicious that I wish they were on the menu regularly. Â I actually swooned. Â The only dessert I've tried is the chocolate pot de creme, which is perfect. Â I'd like to try the others sometime.
The service is friendly and my servers have always been able to answer all of my questions about both the food and the wine. Â I'm no wine connoisseur, but the wines I've tried have all been great.
I really like this place. Â I wouldn't hesitate to bring anybody here, whether it be a family member, a date, or a colleague. Â In fact, I'd have a hard time resisting crashing my friends' dinners if I heard they were going to Orzo.
I was here for a rehearsal dinner in the back area for around fifty people. The wines kept pouring and the food came in waves. We had the most complimented and amazing salmon, layered over a rice/pasta accompaniment. It was then followed by a mama-said-knock-ya-out fried chicken. The crust was lightly flaked and the meat was moist and tender. Rumor had it that the fried chicken was a recipe of the owners' grandma.
To finish the party off, they served an apple pie that just blew me away in its simplistic perfection.
All in all, I'll be back.
I lucked out finding Orzo and getting a table on a very busy Friday night.  The dinner started out great because I was able to bounce around the "wines by the glass" menu and sample a Tempranillo, try a glass of  Tinta Roriz, Douro, of Portugal and then enjoy a glass of Argentinian Malbec with my entree.  What could be better than that?  To make things even better, the price per glass is reasonable and allows you to move outside of your comfort zone and try something.  My co-worker tried the Greek Cab (2000 Fragou)... which impressed me because when I think of Greece, I don't think cabs.
Our waitress was brand new, seemed a little nervous, but it was obvious she was trying very hard and we think she did a great job. Â Hopefully she survived her first Friday night.
The food was delicious! Â The ranch steak was like butter. Â I was even happy with my Cesar salad (very fresh, crisp romaine). Â Orzo put together a great dinner and I hope I can get a reservation the next time I am in town.
I have incredibly mixed feelings about Orzo, but let's start with the positive. The simple olive appetizer is soaked in a marinade that after three separate attempts I'm still not what sure is in it. But they're the most delicious olives I've had in a very long time, frankly since Spain, and it might be worth the visit to Orzo just for those olives. And the lunch menu has a number of options, all tasty and down to earth. This next part deserves its own paragraph.
You have no idea how hard it is roast a chicken.
Orzo knows how to roast a chicken.
It was succulent, moist, with a crispy skin. I can't even start to explain it. It's so unfortunate that the housewives of today (led by Rachel Ray) have gravitated towards the boneless, skinless, tasteless white meat chicken breast. Because now, when it comes time to roast a chicken - I mean really roast a chicken - they, well, *really* roast the hell out of it. Made paranoid by talk of salmonella most stay-at-home-moms produce a roasted chicken drier than the Sahara.
Orzo is on top of its game, and for that, I applaud them.
So why mixed feelings? Well, it's mostly false advertising. Orzo bills itself as a Mediterranean wine bar, and it's frankly neither. When the best thing on the menu is an All-American Roasted Chicken, and lunch consists of a series of paninis, it's not really the Spanish-style eating Orzo was going for. And the restaurants namesake, served as a side with nearly every entree, tastes like it comes from a serving line - the orzo has been soaking in onions so long that nothing else can be tasted. In fact, putting aside the olives, Orzo is better billed as Nouveau-Continental/American rather than Nouveau-Spanish/Mediterranean.
Nor does the restaurant know how to serve wine. All 3 times have involved some kind of spillage, big or small. Orzo was my chance in Charlottesville to try a glass of the Beaujolais Nouveau before deciding on a purchase. It was good, but the great thing about Nouveau is that it's, well, new. It's fresh, young, bright. And that means you need to serve it chilled. It is a sin to serve a red with such crispness and minerality at room temperature.
Finally, Orzo's website and blackboard advertise "Tapas and Wifi, with $5 glasses of wine." The only truthful part of that is the price of wine. I went with a laptop to study for finals. No one else had computers out, I was sitting at a dinner table and not something like a bar, so I felt incredibly awkward. But bound and determined to work (a 1L doesn't need that much more incentive) I set up shop. Except there was no WiFi provided. The tapas menu? The lunch menu, with a few items removed. Sandwiches are not tapas, no matter how hard you try.
So all in all, maybe Orzo should keep the food and change the image. Every time I go, I expect one thing and am sorely disappointed, but get something else good instead. The only problem is, the taste of soured expectations is incredibly overpowering.
This my favorite evening spot for any dinner occassion in C'Ville. Â The location is three blocks west of the downtown mall housed in an organic market on West Main. Â Come here to appreciate the bountiful selection of the Shenandoah Valley's Organically raised vegetables and meats. Â The service and presentation are met with attention to detail that makes for an excellent, fair priced experience.
I chose this spot for a Graduation Dinner in May 07 with my folks.
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