03/16/09

Great little place

by moonsshine

This place is great, we got sat right away and its got a very romantic feel to it. Excellent pasta and everything was simple quality. The house dressing is light and satisfying and the gnocci is excellent. Also, recommended the Scaloppine if you are into that sort of thing. Simple fresh and pretty quick. I will go again.

• Pros: Good Food
• Cons: a little pricy.

12/16/08

An unique experience...

by venetia2004

An unique experience. Excellent food and staff. It's one one of the few places were you can feel alive around here. Brings back memories...

• Pros: Ambience and service

07/09/07

Excellent Food.....Great Atmosphere!

by chotivegas

My favorite Italian Restaurant! My wife and I have eaten there many times and we have always left very satisfied and happy. The food is absolutely awesome! Not thrown together like a "Vinces" or "Olive Garden" It looks like they actually put some effort in the recipe. The wait staff was very kind and the atmosphere was quant. I have had a few different dishes there but the Putanesca is my favorite. Also..the Kalamari is exceptional!

• Pros: Food, Atmoshphere

02/28/07

Bread baked in heaven!

by eastsidefoodie

This cozy place has the best bread, and at lunch, the best pizza. I wish they would serve the pizza at dinner. I got them to do it once, but I could see the chef from our table, and I could see he wasnt happy, but he did it. The Pomodoro pasta dish is very fresh and light, as is the Penne Paradiso. We've also had daily fish specials. Once, fantastic; another time, just average. We love the fresh butter, but it might be nice to have an option for some sort of olive oil dipping sauce (with balsamic vinegar, garlic, spices) as so many places have now. However, I hope they never stop making that divine bread! We've always had good luck with wine, but order something they have offered samples of, so we already know we like it. (they sometimes have tasting nights). Service is usually good--bussers keep water topped, bring bread promptly.

• Pros: Cozy ambience, heavenly bread
• Cons: no pizza at dinner!

02/10/07

Excellent food and attentive service

by jkcddd

We have dined here 3 times and each time had a wonderful experience. The restaurant is very romantic with dimmed lighting and cozy tables. The service was top-drawer with excellent recommendations. Each dish was prepared with the freshest of ingredients and is very flavorful. I wish they had a few more choices on the menu, however the selections they offer are wonderful. The bread alone is worth another trip - just like we had on trips to Italy.

• Pros: Thoughtfully prepared dishes with the freshest ingredients
• Cons: Parking and wish they would add a few more selections to the menu

02/06/07

Something is going wrong here...

by melmothra

this used to be one of my favorite places but it's changing for the worse. On my last visit, the glass of wine I ordered was terrible--totally oxidized. The food was way too salty and things I'd ordered many times in the past were prepared differently although the menu was still the same. The sausage in the gnocchi was almost inedible from way too much fennel and it had such an bad, old taste I thought it might be dangerous. My friend had the lasagna which we used to love because it was so different than anywhere else but this time it was nothing special at all. It was very disappointing. The service was good, if you don't count the fact that the server never bothered to ask why I didn't drink my wine.

On the upside, the warm rolls are still delicious. Now, if they would only serve something other than rock hard, cold butter with them.

• Pros: Fresh, warm bread
• Cons: Salty, inconsistent food preparation

12/01/05

good food, poor value

by aa_seattle

I love the food here (lasagna, canninoli, veal, etc...) and salads, but I can't help but feel it's a bit overpriced. We ordered a carafe of the house chianti and were dissapointed to see a half-carafe in any other restaurant being delivered to our table. It was barely enough for 3 people so we had to order another ($30 later...ouch. for cheap wine that is $6 a bottle at QFC). Oh well, I guess that's why I shouldn't drink wine out.

Oh the BREAD is wonderful. It's pillowy and tastes incredible. And they bring refills.

• Pros: food, bread
• Cons: price, parking, wine prices

Editorial Review by Citysearch Editors

by Contributor

Romantic Italian restaurant in downtown Kirkland for lunch or dinner.

04/02/05

A Very Special Place

by charliegooddog

Wonderful food professionally served in a romantic setting. Frenchy and Rita have brought a bit of Sardinia to downtown Kirkland. This is the best place on the Eastside to enjoy a leisurely lunch accompanied with a bottle of fine Italian wine. The owners and staff are experienced, warm, gracious and truly care about the customers. In addition to the regular menu items, the kitchen will prepare special dishes upon request. I enjoy "Chicken Steve's Way" (roasted red peppers, mushrooms, capers and wine sauce) and "Pollo Bascaiola" (mushrooms, artichokes and cream sauce). The bread and olive oil/garlic dip is outstanding. Best spumoni we have ever tasted. In good weather you can dine outside on Park Lane, a narrow european style tree lined street. Parking can be a bit challenging, but space is always available in the Kirkland library lot located two blocks from the restaurant.

• Pros: Excellent Food, Wonderful Staff, European Atmosphere
• Cons: Parking

03/16/05

Very Disappointing!!!

by shawnaf

I have been here a few times more for convenince than anything. It does have a quaint feel so the atmosphere is about the best part. Our food was way to oily. Just swimming. The food was very bland. No flavor. My husband and I both were very unhappy with our food. We would not go back. The server was very slow but nice. There were only 4 tables so we didn't understand why the slow service. Trust me there are great Italian Restaurants in Redmond and Bellevue. Skip this place, the food is just plain BAD!

• Pros: Atmosphere
• Cons: Bad Food, Slow Service