trufflesniffer

so we decided to try Estadio for the first time last night and walked in at 8:00 w/o reservations. the place was already packed with the young and the beautiful. we enjoyed the very tasty white sangria and a delicious cured meat assortment while we waited the hour or so for a table. our dishes were quite tasty and the place, on the whole, was charming and warm even for the confused hostess stand, spotty service and inconsistent pacing. so what am i going to remember about the restaurant? the fact that they charge $2 for bread! Is this something that is becoming more prevalent around town? in my experience it is only the case in Indian restaurants and always has been. for me its not about the $2, its about hospitality (or the lack thereof) and leaving with the feeling that this restaurant is just piling on. we spent well over $100 for two people on a handful of small plates and some garden variety Spanish wine. i'm ok with that; at the same time recognizing that their margins are most likely very healthy. I understand that some restaurants waste a ton of bread and that it costs money. i wouldn't have a problem with requiring patrons to request bread specifically to cut down on the waste. but to charge 2 bucks? seems petty and inhospitable. Is this just another Larry David moment for me or do others feel the same?

That's f...ing funny!! As for the earlier post about how well Cold Stone Creamery is doing in Cleveland Park...it's been closed for months.!

wow. didn't think my post would elicit this much response. been offline for a couple of days. Truth is, we did say something and they did take the pasta back and they didn't charge us for it. If you read my post i said the service was good as well as some other aspects of Dino. Just can't "drink the kool-aid" over this restaurant if you know what i mean. and yeah, i'm anonymous. but my name might as well be Joe Smith. it would mean just about as much. Just another guy who loves food and wine.

had dinner for the first time at Dino a couple of weeks ago. Wine list and wine were outstanding. service very good. problem entered when you ask this kitchen to cook something! I agree with a previous post about Dino being like someone's home only the part about the cooking? slicing prosciutto and salami and cheese does not a kitchen make. Calamari was just ok, a bit overcooked and on the soggy, overbattered side. sauteed greens cooked beyond recognition with tons of oil. and the whole wheat pasta with anchovies and capers...oy! Insipid oil saturated and inedible. If you want to have nice wine and a few small plates of antipasto. great. but a skilled Italian kitchen? I don't think so.