Natazu
10-11-2007, 01:02 AM
Il Mulino Dining Review 09OCT07
Located deep inside the Swan hotel, through the lobby and the atrium, past the elevator corridor, the meeting rooms, and 250 computer nerds, we found Il Mulino, a New York Trattoria offering traditional Northern Italian cuisine. The food and the service were excellent. A bit pricey but worth it in spite of the noise level.
Ratings 1-5
Food Quality: 5
Menu Diversity: 4
Wine List: 4
Wine Versatility: 3
Kitchen Timeliness: 3
Server Attentiveness: 5
Staff Friendliness: 5
Atmosphere: 2
Table Placement: 1
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4
Let me preface this section by saying we really liked this restaurant as a whole. I have a couple of gripes with the place and they are outlined in this first section of narrative. In the end, however, Il Mulino is a “must try” for anyone ready to say ciao to the chow that Disney passes off as Italian. (the jokes don’t get any better folks)
We were taken into a small room that held a table for eight and a table for two. There was a group already seated at the largest of the pair. They weren’t loud but they didn’t have to be. The room was like 200 square feet and dining within it were ten people. While there was enough room for us all in the space, we sort of felt like we were stuck at the kids table for a holiday dinner. Our table was small; maybe 3’ square. Like the room itself, the table had “enough” space but felt cramped. If this restaurant has one serious drawback, the seating is it. There are too many tables in the place. As a result, the noise level is high and you feel confined. For $75 a person, I shouldn’t be able to reach out and touch the table next to me. The entire restaurant is set up this way, teeming with tables. There’s hardly room to breathe. The only other gripe I have is the small amount of “by the glass” wines offered on the wine list. On vacation, people tend to order more glasses of wine than bottles, especially when in groups of two or four. I’m certainly not going to by a $90 bottle of Chianti that I’ve never heard of before.
In spite of these shortcomings, the meal was wonderful. Below are our selections and thoughts about each.
Pre-Dinner Drinks:
Bellini - $13
Peachy but not overly sweet, this tasty frozen concoction could only be improved by a couple of ounces of ice cream to smooth out the bits of ice. I expect that at a poolside bar but not in a $13 restaurant drink.
Appleseed Martini - $11.50
The server talked me into trying one of these. A specialty of the house, it has to be one of the best I’ve ever had. Though plagued by floating ice (maybe it’s the blender), this appletini is made to order from fresh apples and is good to the last drop without a losing a bit of flavor.
1st Course:
Pasta Fagioli - $7
OK Olive Garden, listen up! This is what Pasta Fagioli should be like. Plenty of veggies and pasta, not overpowered by mundane spices. It was served piping hot from a long, slow simmer, but not too long because the celery was still crisp.
2nd Course:
Bread with house accompaniment (included)
The basket came with three excellent breads, an Italian white, rye, and spiced melba. The accompaniment was a zucchini and squash pesto-like dip. I’m not sure what else was in it but I couldn’t stop eating. I’d have ordered it if it wasn’t free.
3rd Course:
Tortellini alla Panna - Meat Tortellini and Peas in a Cream Sauce $22
The pasta was cooked just right, soft but firm, and there was a good amount of imbedded meat. Peas make a nice touch to cream dishes but they seemed more like an afterthought here, probably because of the consistency of the cream sauce. It was a little runny so it didn’t stick to the peas, or the pasta for that matter. The flavor was a saving grace and as time passed, the sauce thickened so I think it may have just come out too quickly, a common mistake in busy restauarants.
Vitello Milanese con Arugala - Thinly Pounded Veal, Lightly Breaded and Pan Fried, topped with Arugula, Tomatoes and Red Onion $42
Perfectly seasoned breading accented this tenderly fried veal creation. The topping was dressed with a tangy essence of something I couldn’t figure out but it added a level of complexity to the dish that makes you forget you’re eating veggies. Rachel says the red onion is a little overpowering. Next time, just the arugula and tomatoes.
4th Course:
Torta di Cioccolati - Flourless Chocolate Cake served with Whipped Cream and Zabaglione $8
Normally, flourless desserts are lost on me. I had no trouble finding this one – rich, decadent, indulgent, yada-yada.
Finish:
Limoncello – traditional Italian Aperitif (included)
What better to top off a rich meal than a gout inducing 60 proof liqueur. Get out the insulin and throw one back, mmm, mmm, good.
Located deep inside the Swan hotel, through the lobby and the atrium, past the elevator corridor, the meeting rooms, and 250 computer nerds, we found Il Mulino, a New York Trattoria offering traditional Northern Italian cuisine. The food and the service were excellent. A bit pricey but worth it in spite of the noise level.
Ratings 1-5
Food Quality: 5
Menu Diversity: 4
Wine List: 4
Wine Versatility: 3
Kitchen Timeliness: 3
Server Attentiveness: 5
Staff Friendliness: 5
Atmosphere: 2
Table Placement: 1
Value: 4
Overall Rating: 4
Let me preface this section by saying we really liked this restaurant as a whole. I have a couple of gripes with the place and they are outlined in this first section of narrative. In the end, however, Il Mulino is a “must try” for anyone ready to say ciao to the chow that Disney passes off as Italian. (the jokes don’t get any better folks)
We were taken into a small room that held a table for eight and a table for two. There was a group already seated at the largest of the pair. They weren’t loud but they didn’t have to be. The room was like 200 square feet and dining within it were ten people. While there was enough room for us all in the space, we sort of felt like we were stuck at the kids table for a holiday dinner. Our table was small; maybe 3’ square. Like the room itself, the table had “enough” space but felt cramped. If this restaurant has one serious drawback, the seating is it. There are too many tables in the place. As a result, the noise level is high and you feel confined. For $75 a person, I shouldn’t be able to reach out and touch the table next to me. The entire restaurant is set up this way, teeming with tables. There’s hardly room to breathe. The only other gripe I have is the small amount of “by the glass” wines offered on the wine list. On vacation, people tend to order more glasses of wine than bottles, especially when in groups of two or four. I’m certainly not going to by a $90 bottle of Chianti that I’ve never heard of before.
In spite of these shortcomings, the meal was wonderful. Below are our selections and thoughts about each.
Pre-Dinner Drinks:
Bellini - $13
Peachy but not overly sweet, this tasty frozen concoction could only be improved by a couple of ounces of ice cream to smooth out the bits of ice. I expect that at a poolside bar but not in a $13 restaurant drink.
Appleseed Martini - $11.50
The server talked me into trying one of these. A specialty of the house, it has to be one of the best I’ve ever had. Though plagued by floating ice (maybe it’s the blender), this appletini is made to order from fresh apples and is good to the last drop without a losing a bit of flavor.
1st Course:
Pasta Fagioli - $7
OK Olive Garden, listen up! This is what Pasta Fagioli should be like. Plenty of veggies and pasta, not overpowered by mundane spices. It was served piping hot from a long, slow simmer, but not too long because the celery was still crisp.
2nd Course:
Bread with house accompaniment (included)
The basket came with three excellent breads, an Italian white, rye, and spiced melba. The accompaniment was a zucchini and squash pesto-like dip. I’m not sure what else was in it but I couldn’t stop eating. I’d have ordered it if it wasn’t free.
3rd Course:
Tortellini alla Panna - Meat Tortellini and Peas in a Cream Sauce $22
The pasta was cooked just right, soft but firm, and there was a good amount of imbedded meat. Peas make a nice touch to cream dishes but they seemed more like an afterthought here, probably because of the consistency of the cream sauce. It was a little runny so it didn’t stick to the peas, or the pasta for that matter. The flavor was a saving grace and as time passed, the sauce thickened so I think it may have just come out too quickly, a common mistake in busy restauarants.
Vitello Milanese con Arugala - Thinly Pounded Veal, Lightly Breaded and Pan Fried, topped with Arugula, Tomatoes and Red Onion $42
Perfectly seasoned breading accented this tenderly fried veal creation. The topping was dressed with a tangy essence of something I couldn’t figure out but it added a level of complexity to the dish that makes you forget you’re eating veggies. Rachel says the red onion is a little overpowering. Next time, just the arugula and tomatoes.
4th Course:
Torta di Cioccolati - Flourless Chocolate Cake served with Whipped Cream and Zabaglione $8
Normally, flourless desserts are lost on me. I had no trouble finding this one – rich, decadent, indulgent, yada-yada.
Finish:
Limoncello – traditional Italian Aperitif (included)
What better to top off a rich meal than a gout inducing 60 proof liqueur. Get out the insulin and throw one back, mmm, mmm, good.