Just Dinner [Closed]
This entry was posted on 6/24/2007 10:42 AM and is filed under New Openings, Italian, Hidden Gems, Casual Chic - Jeans Allowed, closed.
You wouldn't know this small house on Dunlavy was a restaurant if you hadn't heard about it, likely through word of mouth. There's no name on the door, only a neon sign with the house number. The former owner of Tutto Bene, which went the way of urban renewal, has opened this small dinner only venue. Make a reservation as there are only about a dozen tables. And bring wine, which is encouraged and uncorked for a small fee, since they don't have a liquor license.
The charm of this restaurant is the intimate atmosphere, the genial owner, and the BYOB policy. You feel like you're being welcomed into someone's home, and lingering is fine. Larger groups should probably look elsewhere as the place doesn't appear to accommodate a large table.
The food is very good, but not great. A complimentary hummus style spread with pesto started us off. We shared the country pate, which was very good and clearly homemade, appropriately served with mustard and cornichons. We then moved on to one of the night's specials, Osso Bucco served with parmesan risotto, and pork tenderloin with mango salsa. Both were quite tasty. With all due respect to Osso Bucco, it's basically a marginal cut of meat turned into Italian comfort food. It's frequently a huge portion that looks impressive on the plate. That being said, Tuto Bene's dish was as good as most others we've tried, including Tony's version. The pork tenderloin was a very serviceable dish, nothing troublesome but no real wow factor. We didn't try any desserts, but we appreciated the complimentary cashew brittle that finished the evening.
If you're looking for a different experience in the big city (or have your grandparents in tow), give this place a try.
1915 Dunlavy
713/807-0077
