Aliza Siddiqui
This review is long overdue and it’s a positive one!
This was my second visit to Flair Taverna. My waiter was Hannah and her service was absolutely flawless and magnificent! I loved having her as our server and she was phenomenal in her duties and performance. I will always remember her name, her face, and her smile in serving us today. She even drew a beautiful smiley face on our receipt, which was the icing on the cake for me. Thank you so much, Hannah! Management, please give Hannah a raise!
I came in on a Saturday evening at around 8.35 PM, with no reservations booked beforehand. I was worried I might not be accommodated because I had a feeling others might have reserved a spot but people were walking in on a whim.
I ordered the margherita pizza (specifically requesting for minimal cheese)and the gluten free penne arrabiata. Both were fresh and hot. While our pizza did have reduced cheese, as requested, the only problem was that it was overcooked. The center of the pizza was burnt black and, going outwards, the pizza crust was burnt and crispier than needed. The burnt flavor definitely came through in the taste - you could tell. We even checked the bottom and saw that the bread had been overdone. It was an honest mistake but it did indelibly disappoint me.
The pasta, however, was still good. My only point for constructive criticism would be that there should be more pasta than sauce; there’s always way too much sauce than pasta. The pasta should be the base and substance of the dish, instead of the sauce. Still, all the flavors were coming through well. The shrimps were well-done and huge. The presentation was exquisite - the dishes were garnished with expert attention. I appreciated the effort given to appearance. Still, I would have appreciated a larger portion of pasta overall. This pasta dish alone costs $26 and it is, in all honesty, not worth that pricetag - the portions are simply too small for the price.
Hannah, my brilliant server, checked in on me frequently to offer refills on my Diet Coke or anything else I needed. She was so friendly and such a help. Her smile was very warm and welcoming. I was so glad to have her as my server this evening! For our drinks, she forgot to ask if we wanted ice or not, but no worries._
Upon eating the savory, I then moved on to the sweet: the dessert menu. Flair Taverna has a separate dessert menu - isn’t that amazing? You have to ask for it! I requested it and perused through the options. I’m a dessert person, right to my core. I ordered the Tiramisu and the Chocolate Lava. I even ordered a special request for custom messaging on my desserts for a family member who came with me. Hannah happily obliged to my request and even admitted to me that she loved doing such things. Both dishes that arrived had the custom messaging that I requested; I was elated! I was so surprised that we were able to eat and even have dessert within one hour of their closing time. The ending was perfect.
Hannah was the person who put me and my guest in such a good mood. She was attentive, caring, and kind. I hope her smile doesn’t lose its genuineness with time.
To all those at this restaurant, I am thankful to you for working here. You mean so much more than you think you do, and I’m sorry more guests don’t express their gratitude to you outright. You are appreciated - at least by me. Thank you for all you do.