Comensoli’s Expectations and Assumptions

Am I venturing way out for this restaurant review of Comensoli’s Italian Bistro and Bar. I know that I am a self-proclaimed vegan based on my dietary restrictions, but I am going to be adventurous and try some meat. Also, as I have looked over the menu, I noticed a lot of dishes filled with butter and cream, but thank goodness for lactaid and forgiving roommates.

First thoughts about this restaurant are nothing but good. I have heard rave reviews about their garlic soup and pasta. I’m pretty sure it won’t be any different than any other Italian restaurant I have been too. I am guessing the ambiance will include Italian music, colors of red, green and white, as well as vines and such around the dining room. The only reason I say this is because the sign has vines on it and it seems like it will have a Roman sort of feel.

Cheese will probably be a main staple in the dishes and carbs will be plentiful. I’m hoping for marinara sauce that is tasteful with lots of spices. A lot of the Italian restaurants that I have been to seem to have the same tasting sauce and I feel like that needs to be different. It should be the one thing that sets each Italian restaurant apart. Hopefully there will be a lot of garlic in the food. It seems as though most of these restaurants seem to value that ingredient. I am going to assume that the food itself will be very heavy and the plates will be large. For some reason, it seems like every Italian restaurant I go to, I leave and need to be rolled out. I can never seem to eat enough to be satisfied, but not stuffed.

After our discussion of authenticity today, I am interested to see if Comensoli’s has any items on the menu that don’t scream normal. I am hoping that some of the dishes are a little different than what you get at most American Italian restaurants and have a bit of mother country flair to them. I would like to say more authentic, but I now know that this word is a bit vague and really depends on the relationship and viewpoint of the person encountering the food.

As for the service, I am a little wary. When I called to ask what the attire was, the lady who answered seemed to be annoyed with me calling. In general, this is not a good sign when it comes to service. Since the hostess is the first person that one encounters when they come to any restaurant, normally this person is the most friendly and enthusiastic about the food, but this lady didn’t not seem to be enjoying her job.

All in all, I’m just hoping that this dining experience will be a good one. Not that I have had bad Italian restaurant experiences, but it has been so long since I have gone to one because of my aversion to dairy that I just hope that the food is worth the discomfort that will follow.