So today we went to celebrate a friend’s much belated birthday, but really not our fault since she was away on another continent for the last 3 weeks! Vacation n’est pas?
Anyway, so we were looking to accomodate schedules and looked at restaurants in the Richmond Hill area. I suggested Tutto Bene. I’ve been there in the past with my family and had fond memories, so figured it was worth a try.
We walked into the restaurant and noticed the couple in front of us was greeted warmly and shown to their table. Excellent, Italian hospitality! I’ve been to many Italian restaurants and have many Italian friends, perhaps setting the bar hire than should be expected from Tutto. Apparently customer service is reserved for his friends. The maitre’d came back, walked right past us and proceeded to greet the folks behind us. He had to walk around me to do this and it was an obvious slap in the face. He turned around to show them to a table, and then noticed that I was standing right beside him. Perhaps I was in his way? He spluttered and quickly showed us to our table, literally pointing us to the table and then moving back to his friends. How rude! He didn’t even bother to put down the menus he had in his hands, which he did for other guests. Instead, he went to cater to other customers. We were 2 seconds from leaving, when our other friends showed up. Our waiter showed up and proceeded to bring us menus, water, and bread. It’s a start. No point punishing the waiting staff at this point.
We started with the lobster bisque, goat cheese salad. Not bad, though the heavy dousing of balsamic on the goat cheese actually hid a lot of the flavor. The lobster bisque was not very flavorful either, surprising for a bisque. We tried the specials, Ossobuco with risotto, and gnocchi with a meat sauce. The gnocchi was weak and soft, with a salty meat sauce. It was edible enough. The ossobuco was much worse, bland and tasteless beefshank stewed in water. The meat was tender, but what happened to the flavour? There certainly was no love in that stew. We closed off with some desert, being time limited and still wanting a sweet finish. The tiramisu was decent enough, better than most places. But alas, it didn’t make up for the poorly made entres and terrible start.
Other guests were laughing and getting the full attention of the owner/manager?? (only guy wearing different coloured clothes from the rest of the waiting staff and walking around greeting most of the guests) though I observed to be a selective group. So like any bad Chinese restaurant, this little Italian osteria is better for the ‘friends’ who go often, those who care more for recognition from the staff than for the quality of the food.
Bad customer service from the front man for the restaurant is hard to take, especially when it’s so blatantly obvious; I’ve had less snooty service from the notorious restauranteurs of Paris and New York. Throw in some mediocre food and you’ll never see us there again. tutto orribile!
