My heart has been set on having lunch at Caffe Bello for the longest time. Finally… it was about to happen. I arrived a few minutes after my foodie friend. Valet was not happening that day, so I parked on the side and entered the restaurant.
I occasionally dined here when La Strada was in this building. Not much about the décor seems different to me, or maybe I’m just in a bad mood. I’d actually just like to snap my fingers and forget about this place entirely. Really.
I sat down and our server arrived soon thereafter. She was ready to take my drink order, as well as describe the specials for the day. All I remember is hearing about pig cheeks and something about a rabbit with beans and sausage. Yikes!
The service was great from start to finish. Every question we asked came with the answer, plus additional information to help guide us in the right direction. It was time to see if the chef would like to highlight anything on or off the menu.
Manager Alert … Um, about as useful as the managers at Américas and Uni Sushi. Worthless. He was a waste of space at Caffe Bello that day. He wasn’t the least bit busy, as he strolled back & forth from the kitchen to the bar, with the ease of a snail.
I approached the “manager” and he had nothing to say. He found the strength to mutter the words, “No, I think you should just…you know…go with what you think. That would be a good idea. Thanks though.”
Really? I’m sorry, is that what the chef said, or what you are saying… after your last leisurely lap around the restaurant? The manager represents the chef while he/she is behind a wall in the kitchen. By no means do I feel entitled to anything. The point is this: The role of a manager is to represent the chef, as well as the owner, when they are not there to represent themselves. Keep them informed on what is happening in the front of the house. Period.
We decided to start with the Margherita Pizzetta. The super thin crust is crispy and light. This pizza really is excellent. It is not the least bit filling, which is fine with me.
Wait. Where’s the bread? We never received bread while we were at Caffe Bello… An Italian restaurant without bread and a sassy array of olive oil & seasoning on a side plate… should be a felony. Maybe there is bread and we just weren’t a part of the chosen few. Or maybe… the manager has our bread.
For my entrée, I ordered the Cernia. This roasted red snapper is served with Tomato-Shrimp Ragu.
The snapper is served with the skin… The silver was shining in my face. The last time I was frightened by my fish was at Willie G’s… I ordered the snapper and it came out with the face and tail attached.
Obviously, I realize this is not something that should surprise me, although it has been a while. It’s just not something I prefer, so I took a few moments to gross myself out and scrape the fish skin on to a side plate. Moving right along…
My foodie friend ordered the Rigatoni Bolognese. It was a double order due to the fact our server said a single order isn’t enough food. Small portions are not a shocker, but when your server tells you to order a double because you will be unhappy with the serving size, well, it is surprising. No picture. Yada.
A short time later, a dessert appeared from the kitchen. Still have no idea what it was, and do not care. Describing it would be great, or maybe figuring it out… Nothing to write home about here.
The bad news is this was only visit #1.
On to visit #2…
After a couple of weeks, I entered the restaurant and sat down for brunch in the bar. The bartender approached me to take a drink order. He suggested the bottomless mimosa.
This decision based on whether the mimosa is made upon ordering, or pulled from a mini fridge, possibly made the night before. No thanks. He assured me the mimosas are made fresh to order. Perfect!
My first drink was made to order, but the second one did not come as smoothly. It actually began to stress me out… After ordering the second mimosa, two bartenders began holding what appeared to be two carafes of backwash level orange juice. Um, maybe about two inches high…
It appeared they couldn’t decide which one to use to make the new pre-made mimosas. I looked at them both and said, “Um, I’ll make the decision for you… NEITHER!” How about the fresh mimosa you assured me would not be a problem? Jeez Louise, this place is killing me.
Time to order… gulp … Ordering the entrée during brunch was the easiest part of the visit. I couldn’t stop from ordering Shrimp & Tobasco Grits.
After ordering the Shrimp & Tobasco Grits, it arrived halfway “dried up.” It appeared the grits were going to be cement in just a couple of minutes.
Although I have the highest respect for Tony Vallone, Caffe Bello is overrated. After two visits, I will never return. Why should anyone? Don’t stick a name with a restaurant and think it is always golden, because it’s not.
Almost Veggie Houston gives this restaurant a Full Blown Wouch!
FIVE: High 5!
FOUR: Please & Thank You
THREE: Yada
TWO: Double Wow
ONE: Wow + Ouch = Wouch
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Who are you? Nobody wanted to tell the chef that Almost Veggie was in the house? No body cares. Really. You walk in the door with a self identified bad attitude and then cry that nobody will make food choices for you. You are a food aficionado, right? Hmm I can’t decide.. peach or orange mimosa. The stress is crushing me down. Tell me more about the flavors. What is this peach of which you speak? Do they both have the bubbles? Why are you looking at me that way?
Um, Juan… You are Super Duper Angry.
I bet if we had a cup of hot cocoa this yuletide season, you would find a way, somehow, to adore me. I think I know where this anger stems from…
You are a… Manager.
Wait! I know… You are a part of the Manager’s Union, aren’t you? You stopped by Almost Veggie to let me have it. Ouch. On behalf of all managers, you have taken a stand… I’m going to go ahead and give you a Double Defender Wow.
Yikes.
I have given Cafe Bello a try and agree, way overrated. Small portions and below average food. Not up to
tony’s standards in any way shape or form
I was one of the first employees trained at this joint, however, I was only one of many to find the people who run the place so full of it that I walked out of training before it even opened, my husband stayed through a week of opening, and then promptly followed. They promoted insider servers and bartenders to managers, Breaux “Bro”, the manager couldn’t have been more ridiculous. He uses the word funky in every sentence, and these losers spent 3 days on rules such as “no speaking in spanish in front of guests” and “smile” … REALLY? Waste of anyone’s time. Its hard not to project below mediocrity with a management team full of monkeys.
And even knowing all this, reading through this, who are you?! I agree with Juan on the self importance issue, nobody cares, the only reason I know who you are is because I was in the mood to laugh at Cafe Bello.
It is not my intention for anyone to perceive my view of any restaurant as a result of a self importance issue. It was never about the manager suggesting or ordering for me. Managers represent the owner, as well as the chef. Even though you & Juan think “nobody cares,” well, speak for yourself. There happen to be many chefs that do care, but with inadequate managers, like Caffé Bello, those chefs have no choice.
Maybe you, Juan, and myself can meet for that cup of hot cocoa one day & try to turn those frowns upside down. Heart.
First visit, mid-afternoon (3:20 p.m., approximately), three customers at bar, dining room empty.
Tiny portions, prices way too high. Food not good. Ordered a shellfish soup (cup) which consisted of some salty, gooey semi-liquid something with a mussel, a clam and three shrimp…..bit into one shrimp, it was tough, so I ate the mussel and the clam (both excellent) and left the rest, which was a mere 3-4 tablespoonfuls of liquid, for $8, plus, it was lukewarm. Unprofessional staff……bar dude being juvenile and stupid, carrying on with waitstaff. Looked from time to time like he was running back and forth to and from his boss’s vehicle retrieving some orange-looking liquid in a plastic container…..perhaps the mimosa mix? Appeared employees and perhaps owner(?) were carrying in assortments of wine(?) from nearby store to restock bar. Waitress hovered over me as I perused the menu and kept asking me if I was sure I didn’t want to order this or that, didn’t I want a pizza ($7) but free at the bar, as I later discovered!? Excuse me, miss, but you obviously did not heed your mother’s training, if you had any.
When I asked what the difference was between the bar and the table food and drink items, she stated everything is the same, except that the lunch menu is not available at the bar. That was a lie, since the wine, for one, was forty to fifty per cent less at the bar and there was free pizza, “but only from 4-6″ as the bartender repeatedly pronounced. Husband suggested we move to the bar, which pissed off waitress. I think that’s when she decided to overcharge me for the wine.
Husband ordered hot tea, which cost $4 for a cup and a shellfish pasta, which consisted of three mussels, two clams and several pieces of squid atop a few spoonfuls of spaghetti, for $21!!! He said it was not good and a total rip-off for $21. (This was a lunch menu item, by the way.)
Waitress (who, by the way, had a couple rings through one side of her nose….totally disgusting, especially from a person serving food) overcharged me for one of the two glasses of wine I ordered and when I paid my $49.32 bill with a $100 note, she asked me if I needed change and returned with $50 in $5 and $1 bills!
I will not return.
Footnote to my recent review:-
Blaring rapper-like “music” overhead, in an “Italian” restaurant??!
Waitress, despite it being obvious that my table was engaged in conversation, decided to stand there and then interrupt to inquire if I was ready to order an entree, was I sure?