Ciro & Sal's

10/11/09

Rome has truly fallen

by jedward30 at Citysearch

We should have paid attention to the first red flag when they took our reservation for 8 p.m. about an hour before we arrived. It was a busy Saturday night and we couldn't get into any other restaurant of note. The red flags continued, as this alleged Northern Italian restaurant featured such 70's Italian classics as Chicken Parmagiana and Spaghetti and Meatballs for the ridiculous price of $17.95. Completely understaffed, the waitress finally came to our table, apologizing for the delay. She was either on some form of medication or was completely resigned to the fact the restaurant simply didn't have enough people to cover the tables. On a positive note, we ordered a bottle of wine and she opened it faster than Jesse James drew his six-shooter. If only the kitchen could operate with such efficiency.

The food, which is the crux of this well-deserved rating, left us feeling the cook - and I use that term generously - simply took a jar of sauce they bought from Sysco and warmed it up on a defective burner. The pesto sauce, which undoubtedly was the salad dressing warmed up in a sauce pan, was pasty and might have been better used as glue for a second grader's construction paper project. Note to cook: basil is a primary ingredient in pesto. The fish was barely cooked and lacked presentation, as there was no starch and the side dish included some cut peppers. The Veal Milanese was deep fried and overcooked, served with pasta and butter, which was cold.

Of final note is the state of the bathroom. I went into the men's room to find the urinal was out of order; there were papers all over the floor; and a slow leak from the toilet left a smelly mess in the back of the restroom. My only conclusion is that the cook was also in charge of the bathroom.

So, if you like this sort of environment or eating cold Chef Boy'Ardee Ravioli off a chipped plate, I would recommend eat at Ciro & Sal's.

• Pros: Charming Late 70's Interior
• Cons: Limited by character input

02/19/08

Luke-warm pasta

by obrie at Citysearch

If you don't mind luke warm pasta, Ciro & Sal's is your place. Nice atmosphere. Superb cocktails - the barman was a real pro. However, when we visited on a recent Saturday night, Ciro's was understaffed (2 waitpersons for a large dining area). Consequently my wife's pasta dish was served late and barely warm. Since that was her main dish, she was less than impressed. She ate two spoonfuls. The waitperson knew that the entree had been sitting for too long because she gave out with the inevitable "the dish is very hot." Of course, it was not. I had chicken parmigian which was good and was also hot. My side dish order of pasta was not.

If the meal had been served properly (that means hot), Ciro's would have been a commendable experience. Unfortunately it was not. Maybe we will try again. On a scale of 10 Ciro & Sal's deserved a 5.

01/01/07

I will always come back here!

by ricsilver at Citysearch

If you're looking for the traditional italian taste, you found the place. They have a selections of wine, antipasto, main courses, desserts, etc. Good service, lots of seats, lower level, upper level........ romantic ambiance.......see you there.