08/27/09

A Favoirite spot serves disappointment

by InternationalMystique

Normally, I love the food at Ciao Vito. I am a total foodie and go to many restuaruants through out the Portland area so the I am no stranger to the few "good" italian spots we have. I was extremely surprised at the level of service we received this past weekend. After giving us the specials detail, our server seemed irritated that we asked for additional bread while we waited for our food (it was taking a little while but we are never too bothered by that if we know it is worth the wait). After dinner we ordered dessert and three bites into it found a long blonde hair in it! We are both brunnettes. When we showed it to her, she shrugged her shoulders, said "sorry?", and walked away. The apology WAS a question and insincere. No offer to take it away and then when we got the bill, it was STILL on there!!

Very disappointing especially since we were celebrating our upcoming wedding with my parents.

• Pros: Good Italian Food

06/30/09

Horrid service - small servings

by makemineyoga

This place is terrible. Service was awful. People around us who had been sitted after us and ordered after us received their food before we did. Asking about our meal didn't help either. We were ignored! The bartender serving us knew her order got messed up (or maybe she messed it up herself) and didn't even have the courtesy to give us another serving of bread! We waited 45 minutes after our salad to get our meal. When we did, one was of good proportion, but the pasta with pesto was the size of a small salad plate. This is what we waited 45 minutes for! And after asking for the manager, we never saw him/her! No siree, management did NOT want to take care of us!. Ceasar salad was only so so. Not worth the money we spent. There are SO MANY OTHER PLACES TO GO IN PORTLAND. Why EVER go there. Trust me, don't!!!

• Pros: Comfy bar stools
• Cons: Manager was not managing!

02/13/09

Made my top 5 Worst restaurant experiance tonight and yes i have cooled down, Other 2 times, average at best in last year.

by MalePSUStudent

My fiance and I walk in without reservation 7:15. We got sat immediately at the bar. After a lively bar area order, I get sugo pork, with polenta and ragu $18, my fiance, skirt steak with french fries $21. Ok, french fries at an Italian spot!?! the menu had only a few actual Italian words on the menu. The entire menu barely fills a page and mild.

After searching my fiance's plate for the tablepoon of murky water. I spoke up, looking forward to a good red wine demi glace. FYI, demi glace is FRENCH for half glaze and any chef will tell you that it should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. I asked the bartender of 5 years, where the sauce was and was told that the sauce was supposed to be thin. After poking at our food for 20 min we got our food to go. With a quarter of a glass of wine, and half a beer, we're asked to move. We were shocked, but ok leaving some alcohol. I set my food down on a table because thats the only place I can find to put it while I put my jacket on, my girlfriend wrestlin' to get her jacket on, and a waitress picked up my box and scoffed at me giving my fiance "whats wrong with this guy", I begin to explain my actions, hey I was trying to finish my beer and I got kicked. . . she hands me my box & walks away.

We go to the hostess asking for the manager, she replies, is there a problem? Yeah we got kicked out and we want to talk to a manager. She corrects me and tells me Ciao Vito doesn't kick people out, we ask them to move. At this point, realizing that this is the way Ciao Vito treats you when you sit at the bar and try to spend $100, we leave.

You might not get treated bad here, maybe you will. As a former chef, I have actually been transferred for making sauce like that.

To the staff, We may have looked young, but when customers get treated like that, believe we are going to say something.

To potential customers, you have been warned. And don't go up the street to Siam Society, even worse.

• Pros: Decent wine and spirit collection
• Cons: poor service, non-authentic food, poor quality control mechanism, money making is primary concern not customers.

01/20/09

Ciao, Ciao Vito

by PDXrestaurantlover

Diners, please take note that most reviews are mid-2008 and before. Why? I'm not sure...maybe because not many folks are coming in anymore? Possibly. Went out Friday with neighbors originally for an excursion to Toro Bravo but left there after being informed of the 2.5 hour wait (um, no). Collectively decided to go somewhere closer to home and ended up at Ciao Vito. First time there for my wife and I. We were able to get a table upon arrival (good or bad thing I'm not sure). Hard to decide if our server was uninformed or aloof but either way I didn't get the best warm/fuzzy feeling from him from the get-go. We all split a few appetizers (crispy polenta w/ spinach and roasted beet salad w/ goat cheese). Tasty, but oh so tiny...I'm guessing we would have ordered additional if our server had indicated that they were so small. Interestingly we were told that they were out of croutons for the caesar salad (kind of odd to run out of croutons, no?) and that there was a change to the specialty pasta dish (bolognese instead of different beef sauce). No biggie as we passed on salads and between us ordered the skirt steak, linguini w/ clams, and two pasta specials. I can really only speak for the dinners my wife and I had but neither were anything to write home about. The steak was tender but entirely too salty and the steak fries were soggy. While interesting to look at, the clams were served in-shell on top of the linguini which made it difficult to try to eat...too much effort required to finish the dish. In addition, the 'sauce' was almost nonexistent...basically bare noodles. Should have sent it all back but didn't. Almost wish we had.

I will say I would consider returning for coffee/dessert only, as the gelato affogato and warm berry/apple crisp were very good. BUT, since we are not big into desserts anyway, I doubt that we'll be returning any time soon if at all...there are just too many restaurants in Portland to choose from which are far superior to Ciao Vito.

• Pros: It was somewhere to eat
• Cons: Wish we could have gone somewhere else

01/03/09

to much hype!!!???

by lavender3

ok, so i know that Alberta is this up and coming hot spot, but can the street get some better restaurants on it? This place is not all that, in fact i think it's a little blown out of proportion. The offerings on the cocktails were boring, the wine list, well, they need to get a new wine buyer cause i had to go through 6 tasters to find one that i could barely even put down let alone spend $10.00 a glass on. The menu needs help, maybe some salt? Some garlic? some flavor in our dishes? I was told the owner which is also the chef doesn't like to be asked for substitutions, well what if i don't like chorizo? You'd rather not have me buy the salad and lose out on the $$$ than just fricken make it without? Get rid of the ego dude, cause your food doesn' t stand up to the hype of the place. Flavor!!!! Go back to school.

• Pros: nice open kitchen, clean.
• Cons: tons

07/28/08

Great example of a portland top restaurant

by 97211eater

I ate there just the other day (saturday). It was a lazy day outside but when we got into Ciao Vito the Chefs were busy as could be. The food that we say on the bar looked great and got our taste buds zooming. We ate some calimari that was full of flavor and more crispy and tender than i have ever had. The Salad too was just what you expect in the summer. flavorfull and harty. the Ceaser was a great twist moving away from the romain. Who likes cruchy water. the Kale was great. For Dinner we had the Scallops which were great. Liek butter is so over used but yeah they were firm and cooked rear, just right. Pasta with the Scallops was firm and fresh. yum yum. The Skirt steak that my huspand had was great too. This is maby the best cut of meat i have had. Tender, full of flavor and well cooked. The Potato salad was nice. sweat, sour salty and a bit spicy. Perfect combination. The service was a okay. Short to the point and let us enjoy what we had. Not over baring at all and did not rush us. The wine was noce and afordable. We would give this place full honors with five stars but hey, why not push them a bit more and see absolute perfection. Thanks for the dinner we will be back.

• Pros: Great yum yum food
• Cons: Not free but that is unreasonable

04/21/08

Good Dinner in Relaxing Atmosphere

by elvisruby

We went to Ciao Vito last nite for a birthday celebration. My favorite Italian restaurant was always Tuscany Grill and I've been looking for a replacement since they closed. We made reservations for a Sunday nite, and were immediately seated in the comfy front booth with a beautiful glass chandelier. While service was a bit slow to start, I think our server was giving us time to settle in and peruse the drink menu. Her wine recommendation was spot on, and from then on, her level of attentiveness, appropriate and friendly. We had delicious beet salad (a bit small for $9) and baked pasta with spinach marinara (creamy sauce & perfectly browned top). The tagliatelle (sp?) was good, but not a re-order item (a little too salty). I agree with other reviews, bread from the get go would've been nice and the first round of drinks took a while to arrive. Overall, I'd definitely return if invited to join other friends, but I'll continue my own search to find my next, new favorite Italian restaurant.

03/31/08

Great linguini & clams

by oyabun

We went to Ciao Vito this past Friday. To my chagrin my friends failed to make a reservation ( that was my buddies job ) no biggie. The host got us in within ten minutes of our arrival ( not bad for 7:30 on a Friday night ) I agree with comments about the poor lighting. Too dark for my taste. My wife pointed out that the interior walls needed painting, hence the poor lighting. Now to the food & service.

Drinks took longer to get than our table! Great bread ( I think it was Ken's ) wish there was more of it. Although we were re-filled ASAP. Food was great though . Good ingredients, local fresh. We had :

Beet Salad, Polenta & Spinach, Salad with a Fried egg & sausage & meatballs to start. For entrees we had Linguini with Clams ( 2 orders ) Bolognese, Pork Chop, & spaghetti Agliolio (sp?) . AWESOME CLAMS! Great Pork Chop ( I had two bites ) and my friends liked their apps & entrees. Dessert seemed lacking ( although I was so full, I didnt need dessert ) Hot food was served hot, and cold food was served cold. Surprised there was no Tiramisu or Canoli.

Really busy restaurant. our server was nice enough. Seemed as though they needed another body. Staff was efficient and very professional. The only guy who seemed stressed was the bald cook who was yelling and looked stressed behind the line. He looked ANGRY he kept berating this "punk Rock" chef all night.

Overall great food! First time there. But not our last! We will try it during the week when it is probably quieter. Our friends said they have a great happy hour. Decent pricing ! Good value wine list ! We would have paid $100 more on the West side or the Pearl easy! Not bad for quirky Alberta - best meal on that street easy!

• Pros: good hot food. great linguini & clams
• Cons: too dark.

03/28/08

No concept on service

by rhead

Had an irritating night here. First and last time we will ever eat at this restaurant. It?s surprising how lame and tacky this place is. The man who greeted us at the door never cracked a smile or had any greeting for us. It took 10 minutes just to get anyone to our table. Then the drinks took another 10 minutes. Our meals were longer. They must have forgotten about us. When my dinner was served it was soooo hot, it never cooled down. Obliviously reheated in the kitchen. Never once did the waitress ask us how our meal was. Hey, don?t waste time or money at this place. In an economy where dollars are scarce, save your dining dollars for a restaurant that appreciates your business and understands the basic etiquette of how to treat customers.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Very POOR service

03/17/08

Very nice local feel with Italy and PNW fusion

by pdxfoodwine

I am surprised with the not so good reviews. I have been to Ciao Vito with my husband several times and also with friends. Their wine list is very well thought out. Prices are reasonable. The food was amazing. We had calamari and salad with blue cheese, both prepared very well and incredibly fresh. I had the flank steak, my husband had the seafood special, sea bass. I can't explain what they did to the bass, but it was the best piece of fish I have tasted in Portland metro in years. I begged my hubby to trade. We also finished the night and our bottle of wine with some nice desserts. This is where they were a bit shy and the service at times, a bit choppy. But over-all a mouth watering experience. It can be cramped, but they will do their best to honor your reservations and make you comfortable!

• Pros: Sea Bass special, flank steak with blue cheese, calamari, wine list
• Cons: dessert, service can be a bit touchy, but usually C+ to B- (Food makes up for it)!