05/11/09

Worm in my salad!

by diningreviewer1

Remember that episode of Seinfeld where the chef blatently dismisses washing his hands after using the toilet? That's what happened here. Why don't people wash their hands after using the facilities?

In addition, there was a worm, or some kind of grub, in my salad. It was disgusting!

The sauce is just ketchup with garlic!

• Pros: It's Italian!
• Cons: It's nasty Italian!

05/01/09

Too Bad, They Don't Really Care

by SLC1

We tried out this restaurant on the first night of the SLC Dine-O-Round. That is where a selection of downtown restaurants offer special menus for a fixed price. My wife and I tried both of the offerings. First course was a salad. Boring, uninspired, small.

Main was a stuffed chicken breast for my wife and salmon for me. Stuffed chicken breast was decent, good flavor and a creamy pesto sauce. It was served with a pasta with marinara sauce that seemed a little lost on the plate. My salmon was uninspired. It was served on a bed of spinach. Not much salmon, plenty of spinach, topped with a dijon sauce and two shrimp. The salmon didn't shine through and the shrimp were badly overcooked and seemed like an afterthought. The dijon sauce was bland and ill-conceived.

Dessert was Mud Pie. Flavors were off and it was served with some raw peanuts that seemed a little lost in the dish. The ice cream was watery and lacked any flavor.

The main dishes on the normal menu range from $12-$18. It seems that we could have ordered off of the normal menu and spent less money than on the Dine-O-Round menu which was fixed at $30 per person.

What's worse, the specials weren't a good representation of what the restaurant is, an Italian Restaurant. It's not a bad location and the interior is fine, but it really seems to lack any soul or personality. Maybe the normal menu is better, but these events exist to highlight your restaurant and to showcase your vision and passion for food. Given what we experienced, it seems that vision is a little lost and the passion isn't there.

11/13/08

Seems cheap but actually pricey. NOT worth it.

by MissItalian

As a true Italian, I had high hopes when I went to Al Forno's. I was severly disappointed. While it's true the entrees don't appear that expensive, it turns out the place gets pricey. When the waitress asked what salad I'd like with my meal, she neglected to mention that it would be a $10 salad. Also, the deserts don't even have prices listed on the menu--and there's a good reason for it!! Now, I can deal with high prices if the food is worth it, but it wasn't. The portions were small, the sauce was odd, and the pasta was not al dente. Don't waste your time or money!!

• Pros: Atmosphere had potential, but things like cardboard stars hanging from the ceiling ruined it.
• Cons: High prices, small portions, mediocre food.