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Review content:
The restaurant atmosphere is cute in a low key way -- old plaster walls, cute old kitchen tables with fold down leaves like your grandmother had, little wooden chairs (but ohmygawd, are those seats hard, narrow, and literally hard to walk away from!) The service is pleasant, and the chef wanders in and out in a dirty smock, lending a touch of gritty authenticity The first course was tasty enough -- nice meaty borscht, just the right size. But already I'm noticing a trend. The water is tap water, delivered from empty wine bottles at room temperature, no ice. Okay, very European, but the soup is pretty room temperature, too. Hmm.\r
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The main course comes timely, nicely presented and again, tasty -- and again, lukewarm. The wine is delicious, and, being syrah, is actually supposed to be room temperature. The dessert menu is very brief and may have been the best part -- the ice cream is really frozen when it arrives.\r
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I can see where the hype came from, because this is all very expertly prepared and elegantly presented, without the pretentious snarkiness of Solera. It is full of low key yuppies and an elderly mother or two (it being the day before Mothers Day), but no rowdy children, a nice difference from the Cherry Tomato up 23rd Avenue a ways. But this middle aged, middle income lady will not be returning soon. I prefer a more comfortable chair and a hotter meal. But I have to say, that wine was wonderful!\r
Pros: good service, tasty overall
Cons: almost everything is served lukewarm, from the water to the soup to the main dish
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