Mixed Berry Tart
La Lanterna Cafe Grill

La Lanterna Cafe Grill

29 W Ridgewood Ave, 07450, Ridgewood, US, United States

Pizza • Cafés • Tuscan • Italian


"My girlfriend and I were being spontaneous in Ridgewood trying to find places to eat for date night. She was in the mood for some Italian food and the first place we went to had rejected us because we didn’t have a reservation. So we googled other restaurants nearby and ended up walking over to La Lanterna. I did not realize they also required a reservation but understandably, it was a busy Friday night. So as we got ready to walk away from our second restaurant of the night, the owner (I think) Ms. Joanne (I hope I spelled your name correctly) said, “Actually, we can seat you guys at one of the reserved tables but you just need to be done by 7-7:15 before the reserved party comes.” That gave us almost 2 hours to sit and eat so I took her up on her offer because I did not want to walk back outside in the cold again. The vibe of the restaurant threw me off because I didn’t realize it was a “fancy” restaurant. However, she and her crew really gave us great service and made us feel cozy. I got the linguini which was super creamy and delicious. My girlfriend got the salmon. Both meals were spectacular. We made sure to be out by 6:30 so they could prepare our table for the reserved party coming in. On my way out I made sure to thank the hostess/owner Joanne who was super kind to us for letting us sit and eat when she could have easily turned us down like the previous restaurant. The food, the workers, and the ambiance were fantastic. I also noticed how Ms. Joanne knew all the customers names who came in and greeted them so nicely like they were real life friends who were regulars at her restaurant. I shared a short conversation with her at the end before leaving and she gave off mother/grandma vibes, she is an awesome lady and I will be back at this excellent restaurant. Thank you for the night!"

Parker's

Parker's

60 School Street Boston, MA 02108, 02108-4198, United States

Steak • French • Seafood • American


"For such an iconic restaurant, the experience fell short of expectations. My wife an I dined there on Valentine's Day at Making a reservation through Open Table was easy. We started out with two appetizers: my wife had the Clam Chowder and I had the Lump Crab Cake. The Clam Chowder was average, could have used more seasoning and could have been a little thicker with a bit more clams and bacon. The Lump Crab Cake was OK too, nothing to write home about. Surprisingly, the bar does not have ANY beers on tap...had to order a bottled beer The famous Parker House Rolls tasted no better than heat and serve rolls you can find in any supermarket For the entrees, my wife had the Schrod and I had the rib eye steak (medium). My wife thought the Schrod was ok, but could have been better seasoned My steak was a little overcooked and was not tender like a rib eye should be We split a Boston Creme Pie and honestly, was not that impressed by it. Nothing really wrong with it, just expecting a little more flavor Finally, we ordered coffee and it was brought out in a carafe. The coffee cooled down quite quickly, another disappointment The total for appetizers, drinks, entrees, dessert and coffees came out to dollars. For about more we could have had a better dinner at Abe Louie's (the best steak we've had in Boston, so far). For the price and the iconic nature of the restaurant, the experience was disappointing"