Luv2Roam
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2000
- Messages
- 15,479
First timers at Portobello. Since we were out 'n about, we thought it was a great time to try Portobello.
2 adults
Arrived around noon. The place was nearly empty. We were not quite sure at first because when we arrived in the (then non attended) desk entrance, there was a party of 3 in front of us that apparently had been waiting awhile just to be acknowledged.
And there was another party at the entrance to the main dining area who had asked for a manager to complain about their wait time. (We thought they were waiting to be seated. But apparently had eaten and were not pleased at all about their wait time during their meal. One person softly and VERY briefly spoke to the manager and quickly took the manager's business card. I got the impression there had been a previous discussion.)
So -- not a good first impression. We did not leave since we were not in a hurry.
We were seated probably within 5 minutes of entering the main door. (No ADR.) And there was hardly any other guests there that we saw then. More did trickle in. However they never were even remotely near busy. Many, many more empty tables than filled.
The table we were seated had one side of seating as a booth padded type seat. Looked like an overly tight space to me, and I sat in a chair on the other side of the table. The tables next to us were very close. (Where you walk in sideways and hope you don't pull the tablecloth with you. Made Chefs de France table layout look spacious!
)
DH squeezed back there, which usually does not bother him. But he even remarked there was almost no room to get back there.
Shortly after we were seated anther party was seated at the table next to us. They were not loud at all, luckily. Because the seating was so close, I could often hear their conversation over DH's across the table from me. Luckily they were very nice. But I sure heard a lot about their personal lives.
It was just too bad when the restaurant is nearly empty and they crowded some of us together. Sure it was easier for the servers.
The food we had was excellent.
DH just had ice tea to drink. I had some sort of strawberry drink. It was good. But too sweet. Glad I also had water to drink.
After ordering food, the server brought out a large roasted garlic clove, with olive oil and fresh bread.
I have not had that since a family owned Italian restaurant from years ago. mmmmm good
Shared an appy -- Sicilian Eggplant Fries - tomato basil sauce. VERY good. Very thinly cut, lightly breaded, not greasy. Think they had sea salt and parm cheese sprinkled on top. (Asked for the recipe as we were leaving. But they apparently don't have it.)
Took quite awhile for all the food to come out. And the main meal especially. (Again, glad we were not in a hurry. And glad we had the delicious appy.) It was worth the wait for the food.
DH - Black Linguine with Florida Rock Shrimp - Garlic, tomatoes, asparagus. He LOVED it, and kept saying during and after the meal how top notch it was.
Me - I ordered a brisket sandwich. It came with a VERY good side salad, and another side I was too full to even try. (Looked like carrots, onions, cauliflower, peppers -- think.) The sandwich also had cheese. Fresh bread, again. And really the most tender brisket I have ever had. And it was not dried out either.
Couldn't even eat half the sandwich, and did not even finish the (house) salad. Even though it was good.
The eggplant appy was pretty large and yummy -- as was the roasted garlic. I even spread some of the garlic on the sandwich.)
The waiter and a manager asked us a few times during the meal how everything was.
Now afterwards -- waiting for the bill....
That took probably just as long as it did waiting for the main course. Again, GLAD we were not in a hurry. It was ridiculous...
And then a few miles down the road, realized I was charged for an entree we did not order nor receive.
We were mistakenly charged for an additional $14 entree, rather than the ice tea for DH.
Note to self -- Look at receipt AT the table, not LATER.
So back we went. Hopefully all is well. I have not checked my account yet. But I did get a new receipt. (But no longer had my original, which did not give me a warm fuzzy feeling.)
They did not charge me for the ice tea. But I sure would hope so to make up for the time and effort on my part.
Anyway -- the food is a big thumbs up, and we would return without hesitation. But I would
1) Go only where we had plenty of time
2) Check my receipt before signing (Which I should do at any place anyway.)
2 adults
Arrived around noon. The place was nearly empty. We were not quite sure at first because when we arrived in the (then non attended) desk entrance, there was a party of 3 in front of us that apparently had been waiting awhile just to be acknowledged.
And there was another party at the entrance to the main dining area who had asked for a manager to complain about their wait time. (We thought they were waiting to be seated. But apparently had eaten and were not pleased at all about their wait time during their meal. One person softly and VERY briefly spoke to the manager and quickly took the manager's business card. I got the impression there had been a previous discussion.)
So -- not a good first impression. We did not leave since we were not in a hurry.
We were seated probably within 5 minutes of entering the main door. (No ADR.) And there was hardly any other guests there that we saw then. More did trickle in. However they never were even remotely near busy. Many, many more empty tables than filled.
The table we were seated had one side of seating as a booth padded type seat. Looked like an overly tight space to me, and I sat in a chair on the other side of the table. The tables next to us were very close. (Where you walk in sideways and hope you don't pull the tablecloth with you. Made Chefs de France table layout look spacious!
)DH squeezed back there, which usually does not bother him. But he even remarked there was almost no room to get back there.
Shortly after we were seated anther party was seated at the table next to us. They were not loud at all, luckily. Because the seating was so close, I could often hear their conversation over DH's across the table from me. Luckily they were very nice. But I sure heard a lot about their personal lives.
It was just too bad when the restaurant is nearly empty and they crowded some of us together. Sure it was easier for the servers.
The food we had was excellent.
DH just had ice tea to drink. I had some sort of strawberry drink. It was good. But too sweet. Glad I also had water to drink.
After ordering food, the server brought out a large roasted garlic clove, with olive oil and fresh bread.
I have not had that since a family owned Italian restaurant from years ago. mmmmm goodShared an appy -- Sicilian Eggplant Fries - tomato basil sauce.
VERY good. Very thinly cut, lightly breaded, not greasy. Think they had sea salt and parm cheese sprinkled on top. (Asked for the recipe as we were leaving. But they apparently don't have it.)Took quite awhile for all the food to come out. And the main meal especially. (Again, glad we were not in a hurry. And glad we had the delicious appy.) It was worth the wait for the food.
DH - Black Linguine with Florida Rock Shrimp - Garlic, tomatoes, asparagus. He LOVED it, and kept saying during and after the meal how top notch it was.
Me - I ordered a brisket sandwich. It came with a VERY good side salad, and another side I was too full to even try. (Looked like carrots, onions, cauliflower, peppers -- think.) The sandwich also had cheese. Fresh bread, again. And really the most tender brisket I have ever had. And it was not dried out either.
Couldn't even eat half the sandwich, and did not even finish the (house) salad. Even though it was good.
The eggplant appy was pretty large and yummy -- as was the roasted garlic. I even spread some of the garlic on the sandwich.)
The waiter and a manager asked us a few times during the meal how everything was.
Now afterwards -- waiting for the bill....
That took probably just as long as it did waiting for the main course. Again, GLAD we were not in a hurry. It was ridiculous...And then a few miles down the road, realized I was charged for an entree we did not order nor receive.
We were mistakenly charged for an additional $14 entree, rather than the ice tea for DH.Note to self -- Look at receipt AT the table, not LATER.
So back we went. Hopefully all is well. I have not checked my account yet. But I did get a new receipt. (But no longer had my original, which did not give me a warm fuzzy feeling.)
They did not charge me for the ice tea. But I sure would hope so to make up for the time and effort on my part.
Anyway -- the food is a big thumbs up, and we would return without hesitation. But I would
1) Go only where we had plenty of time
2) Check my receipt before signing (Which I should do at any place anyway.)
