Soppressata Soppressata

A spicy cured Italian salami with a rich, savory flavor and a hint of black pepper.

The Gander

The Gander

15 W. 18th St., New York 10011, 10011-4612, United States

Wine • Dining • American • Contemporary


"I was a big Jesse Shenker fan. My husband and I both loved the food at Recette, where we dined on a number of occasions. The menu was creative, the presentation outstanding and the food delicious. I was disappointed when Recette closed, but had high hopes for The Gander. I had dinner there a number of months ago, and basically enjoyed it, without being wowed. Last Saturday night my husband and I dined there with a friend. We sat in the Bar Room. We ordered an array of dishes to share among the three of us. The charred cauliflower was delicious, but the anchovies that were to top the dish (which we mercifully asked to be served on the side were awful (and we are anchovy lovers . They were oddly fishy and did nothing to complement the cauliflower. We ordered the salt cod fritters, which we ordered almost every time we ate at Recette, where they were always presented in a small cast iron pot. They were served in a bowl (ok and just weren 't as good as they have been in the past (I had ordered them the last time I ate at The Gander. . Something seemed different about the lamb ragout and it was really disappointing. It wasn 't as flavorful as usual. The beef tartar was tasteless a tremendous disappointment. It seemed to be a jar of chopped meat, with no visible quail egg and no other added seasoning at all, as traditional beef tartar generally has. The fork and knife Caesar was also disappointing kind of flavorless. The bucatini, which I expected to love was not very good the bottarga, which usually adds a slightly salty taste to pasta was fishy tasting rather than salty. The Bronzino was not bad, but again was a rather bland preparation. Our reservation was for 9:30 on a Saturday night. The Bar Room was almost empty and the dining room was only partly filled. Maybe The Gander does better on weekday nights, with an afterwork crowd. If not, it doesn 't look as if it will survive much longer. Jesse needs to be true to his talents. He can do much better than this!"

Portland City Grill

Portland City Grill

111 SW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97204, 97204-3667, United States

Steak • Seafood • American • Steakhouse


"I have been a regular at Portland City Grill for many years, appreciating its ambiance and dining offerings. However, my recent visit for my parents' 48th wedding anniversary was notably disappointing, a stark contrast to previous experiences. Our evening felt uncomfortably rushed. Even as we were still enjoying our meals, the bus staff began clearing our plates, some of which still had food on them. This rushed service detracted significantly from our ability to enjoy our special family occasion at a leisurely pace. Additionally, a major letdown was the temperature of the food. When our dishes arrived, they were cold. I specifically requested that my potatoes be warmed up, and although the staff did provide a new serving, the replacement was, unfortunately, also cold. This was particularly disheartening as the reasonable prices usually reflect not just the quality but also the proper service and presentation of the food. Furthermore, the total bill for our dinner amounted to over $800, which compounded our disappointment given the issues with service and food temperature. For such a significant expenditure, one expects both the food and the service to be impeccable. Overall, this experience did not meet the standard I have come to expect from Portland City Grill, especially given the significance of the occasion. I hope this incident is an anomaly and not indicative of a downward trend in service and quality."

Costantino's Venda Bar & Ristorante

Costantino's Venda Bar & Ristorante

265 Atwells Ave, Providence, RI 02903, 02903-1541, United States

Kebab • Pizza • Mexican • Fast Food


"eating was phenomenal! that said: restaurant was very overbooked. we had kept and sat at a table near the hostess and it was exactly where the house was. the people stood around and waited for their tables it was really full and the restaurant door was open it was 32° outside and windy. this made the contrary around our table other, but above all our really very cold, windy, loud and stuffed. we didn't disturb that. we talked to the server and explained our concern that we were cold! asked to be moved before the arrival of our meal. he scrubbed his shoulders and said, “We have nowhere else to put you. I can't do anything." he was very dismissed. he was obviously busy as they were all. he took our orders and went away. we finished our drinks and waited for him to check for refills. he didn't. we chased someone down to order drinks empty glasses were before us. this happened every time we drink, broth, everything needed. our meals arrived and looked heavenly! we had to throw someone to the bee. had to eat quickly because we were very cold and our food was quickly cold because the door was often opened. they shouldn't be sitting on this table. it ruined our meal. maybe in warmer months, but not in january. we only saw our server again when it was time to order dessert. the “busrs”? actually noticed that we were ignored in the round and ended to check us more for the end of our meal. at least we have appreciated that. eating was amazing, it rushed as it was cold not. service was poor. very disappointing. we will not be back."