Sorrentino

11/20/09

So bad it was comical.

by seadoc at Citysearch

Ok. I'm a person who eats out a lot, and therefore have seen a lot. But I think I'm a tolerant sort, and allow for some variation in service, etc. at a restaurant. I have also never written a bad review (or much of any review, for that matter) before.

However, based on my dining experience at Sorrentino tonight, I would advise you to avoid this place like it was a festering incubus of viral plague. Not kidding.

Setting: Friday night, 9 PM. Maybe 5 tables with diners. Jazz quartet playing way too loud to chat. Seated immediately; menus take 10 minutes to arrive. Waitress has alcohol on breath as she leans in close to (slurringly) ask us for our order. This is a joke, right?

Simple light meal order - 3 lasagnes, 1 plate of spaghetti. No big deal, right?

Bread basket comes. 4 half slices of what appears to be Wonder Bread for 4 people. We have a chance to polish this off fairly quickly, since we wait 30 minutes for any food to arrive. During this time, our waitress is wandering around the room, conversing loudly, sitting on guests' laps, etc. The older woman behind the hot line counter has to ring a bell (also a rather amateurish touch) 2-3 times to attract her attention to pick up orders.

Our order finally arrives. Small square of lasagne. Cool throughout; frankly cold in the middle. 15 bucks. Spaghetti sauce tastes like it comes from a can. Menu said sauce had basil as ingredient - no green in there, mate. 14 bucks.

We ask for some more Wonder bread as the plates arrive; basket taken, never comes back.

Frustrating and disappointing. Like that bread basket, we won't be coming back.

10/27/09

No more pizza, but live music instead

by RonaldHolden at Citysearch

Three times a week live music is on tap, starting end of October. Meantime, the lasagna is killed, all the pastas are homemade, homemade desserts, too. All from the hands of Enza Sorrentino, a real Sicilian mamma, and served by her daughter, Sofana. Don't listen to the know-nothings whose standard is Olive Garden, or to the trendy spots which give an Italian name to something they've invented; this is the real deal, the most authentic Italian restaurant in Seattle.

• Pros: Live music and lovely lasagna
• Cons: Some people still don't get it

05/06/09

Don't bother with happy hour

by Carolinseattle at Citysearch

I can't comment on the regular meals, because I went to happy hour 5/6/2009 and won't be back.

Portions were skimpy and the food tasteless. I had a Caprese salad with little rounds of mozzarella that looked and tasted like they came from either Trader Joe's or Safeway next door. It was four bites at the most for $5. Same with the caponata - two little half-dollar sized rounds of crostini when even the skimpy, tasteless portion of caponata called for at least four.

The place sounded like a day care center with some of the owners' friends taking up one big table with screaming babies. I've never been compelled to write a negative review about a restaurant before, especially an Italian restaurant where some of the customers were actually speaking Italian, but this place is a disaster.

The waiter didn't bother to ask me how "everything was.'' Otherwise, I would have told him.

• Pros: Smells good
• Cons: Poor service, skimpy portions at happy hour

02/06/09

Far away from a decent italian restaurant

by marcover at Citysearch

We had dinner there this week with other 30 Italians guys and the restaurant was a big disappointment. We had a good appetizer (prosciutto), two different dishes of pasta (one was with tomato sauce, mushroom, peas, the other dish was seafood pasta), and a dessert. The pasta was overcooked and no taste and the tiramisu was too sweet. It doesn?t worth the price; in general most of the dishes are overpriced for what you get. I really hope to find a decent Italian restaurant in Seattle one day...

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: too expensive for what you get

11/20/08

Get your meal from Safeway, pay for it at Sorrentino!

by dimilaverita at Citysearch

Last week, in the checkout stand at Safeway, I noticed a woman in an apron buying a bunch of baguettes. Didn't think much of it, until I heard the clerk say, "Thank you, Mrs. Sorrentino." REALLY? Yes. It was obviously the owner running next door to buy some more baguettes. (Probably 3 days old, knowing Safeway.) Maybe she doesn't always buy them there, but even so, you have to question the quality of the food considering their prices now!

I have dined there once before. This confirms my original impression: overpriced and overrated!