Noah Ryddle
We had a fantastic date night here on 11/5. My husband and I got drinks, appetizers, mains, and dessert (by which I mean we ordered dessert, and I ate most of it). All were amazing! Easily the best restaurant experience I had in recent memory.
First off, Kate was our server, and she was fantastic. She was able to offer specific suggestions about the wine list, and help us pick things that I can safely eat (I have celiac disease, so no gluten for me). She was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and even checked a few questions that I had for a future visit, just so I knew what I could safely eat. She was on top of everything, and so kind and thoughtful. Thank you, Kate, for an amazing experience!
Their house white wine was lovely, and my husband enjoyed his cocktail. I didn't realize until we left that we got a happy hour discount, which was nice. I thought the wine was well priced, and I liked the amount of variety on the menu. Would gladly try some other options next time!
As for the meal, I was pleasantly surprised about the sheer variety of options I could safely eat. Obviously no bread, but the gluten free crackers were a nice touch, and I really appreciated that they carry them. We got the mussels and shrimp as appetizers, and both were amazing. The sauce the shrimp were served in was absolutely divine! I really liked having those crackers to scoop up the sauce, and I bet diners without dietary restrictions could make good use of some bread here.
For entrees, we chose the chicken piccata and beef tips. Both came with a salad, which was nice and simple. I saw other reviews brought up bagged lettuce, but both of ours had a nice amount of mixed greens, so I don't know if they've changed their ingredients, but the lettuce we got was of good quality, and tasted fresh. The house Italian dressing was delicious, with a solid cheesy flavor, but a bit on the salty side. Would still order it again, but I'd be a little conservative with the amount I used (dressing was served on the side, which I like). Chicken piccata was good (love me some capers!), but the beef tips were the real winner here! Great char on the beef, plenty of onions and mushrooms, and so much flavor! We ordered them with the mashed potatoes, which were perfect. The gluten free pasta we got with the chicken was well cooked, but I think I'd go for the potatoes again. They had multiple different sauces that were gluten free -- I can't wait to try them all!
We also got dessert, which was a chocolate cake of some kind. I really liked the caramel drizzle it was served with -- it was a little less sweet, and gave the whole dessert some real dimension. And, I mean, just having any dessert available that's gluten free won my Celiac heart over without a fight.
Basically, my review is so long because I've been thinking about this meal since we've left. We already have plans to come back, and I'm counting the days. Thank you, Marconi's, and thank you, Kate! Can't wait to visit again!
