Farina is one of our favorite date night spots in Kansas City. We love grabbing seats at the oyster bar, enjoying an incredible meal while watching the energy of the city outside. It always feels like a special night out. Ashley is usually our server, and she's an absolute gem. She offers thoughtful recommendations, knows the menu inside and out, and provides the kind of warm, amazing service that keeps us coming back. The food is consistently outstanding. On this visit we shared the ceviche, the tagliatelle Bolognese, and the Campo Lindo chicken breast. It was all delicious. We love that the menu is always being updated, but they continue to offer some of our favorites. The ambiance is just as memorable as the food. Whether you choose the oyster bar, the cocktail bar, or the dining room, the experience always feels elevated. They also have a great private dining room. We recently celebrated a friend's birthday there, and it was the perfect setting. Farina continues to deliver one of the best dining experiences in Kansas City. From the exceptional food and thoughtful service to the inviting atmosphere, it's a restaurant we find ourselves returning to again and again. Highly recommend for date night or any special occasion. read more

Farina - Ceviche - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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If you can't get to Italy, go to Farina! (In fact even if you regularly go to Italy - or even if your Italian visiting KC - GO TO FARINA...!) Some of the best Italian inspired food anywhere. It's justifiably difficult to get a booking, as befits the best restaurant in Kansas City. Beautiful dishes in a great atmosphere. Start with the ambiance: it's usually busy in an enjoyable uplifting way. People watching is at a peak here as smart diners move between elegant and tasteful furniture while friendly, professional (and invariably handsome) wait staff glide through it all. If you recognize and appreciate good Italian design, this place will delight you before you've even glanced at the menu. Talking of the menu - it's a revolving tableau of Italian inspired deliciousness that will cause you to pause after each first bite - and look up at your dinner companion with a smile that says "wow"! Last night I had a lobster roll that defied gravity in its lightness. And the taste and texture was just perfect - what an appetizer! It was a moderate eating evening so I only had the pasta. A Carbonara of homemade thick noodle pasta with a deeply seductive cream sauce base. Paired both with a selection from the other great feature of Farina, its wine list. My selection was a minerally dry sparkling rose (I know, but trust me!) from the slopes of Etna. The wine selection is itself a wonderful experience - I'd recommend sticking with the Italian options - of which there are many, and they are quality examples some of which are rare finds in America. When you add great service and - as always - a brief check in from one of the two owners (he chef, she sommelier) you can round out a top level dining experience right here in KCMO. One to rival any other eatery in much bigger markets - or even Italy itself. read more

We went to Farina for our anniversary dinner and all in all it went well! We were impressed by the appetizers and the pasta, which is accurate with all the raves we've heard about the place. Service was very good too, and the ambiance was impeccable even with how busy they were that night! We had the duck meatballs and the beef carpaccio for appetizer. The beef carpaccio came with beet tartare and horseradish cream which complimented it, but it's just missing something salty. The duck meatballs, on the other hand, was perfection! Sauce was perfectly seasoned -- we ended up scooping the rest of the sauce with the complimentary bread! The pasta dishes are surely the star of the show here. The caramelle, creste di gallo, and carbonara were all so good. We also ordered main entrees -- we got the tiger prawns, the KC strip steak, and the pork roast. The mashed potatoes that came with the steak was the best out of all of them -- the rest is unfortunately forgettable. We'll surely go back to get more of the appetizers and pasta -- maybe we'll try them again for happy hour! read more

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4.5 stars Had a great experience at Farina in Kansas City! The service was fantastic -- friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. The food was absolutely delicious, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. Everything we tried was well executed and enjoyable. Highly recommend the pork roast. If I'm back in Kansas City, I definitely wouldn't mind coming here again! read more

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**Update** I went back to farina again recently and I think I'm ready to move it from a 4 to a 5 category. Every dish, every drink, every worker, it's all fantastic. This time I went I tried the clam toast, a new pasta dish (I forget the name, whoops, may have been a special) and the coconut cake. My oh my, they're all SO good. If you live in KC or are passing through, do your self, and your tastebuds, a favor, and try this place. read more

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I went to Farina last night with my wife and daughter to celebrate my wife's birthday. I've never been to Farina and I can tell you that it surpassed my wildest expectations in terms of quality of food, service and ambiance. Before I start with the food, I must say that Katelyn, our server, was tremendous and we even had Nancy Smith helping out; as if she doesn't have enough to do already as a partner/GM/wine director. To start, I had a barrel aged Manhattan which was the best I've ever had. Our hors d'oeuvres were Prosciutto di Parma, Cacio e Pepe Fritters and a Tomato & Peach Salad which we shared and all delicious. These were followed by Cheese Filled Caramelle (a type of pasta), Chicken Milanese and Lobster Fra Diavolo. Again, we shared all of these except the lobster which I wasn't going to share, nor did I share my Clam Chowder which was their seasonal soup. Now let me add that I've had clam chowder from coast to coast and tons of it on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey Bay, CA, and as picky as I am, I make my own from time to time, yet the Farina Clam Chowder was perhaps the best I've ever had. After all this food, we were all stuffed, but I'm not a quitter, so I ordered an Affogato and we shared the Blueberry Crostada and a birthday surprise was also shared at the table, Cherry Ricotta Cake which came with apricot jam, honey cream and pistachio ice cream. What a way to finish off an amazing meal, and YES, we brought plenty of food home. read more

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It's just...ok Dishes were honestly bland and unseasoned. We ordered the Italian salad (they split it in two for us, how nice!), antipasta veg (which had the same dressing as the salad and was more like pickled vegetables), the brisket ravioli and the special of the pork loin. The red sauce was very bland, and the pork had pickled onions that just clashed and made the entire dish quite too sour. Service was excellent. They have no mocktails on the menu and their nonalcoholic selection was minimal. Get the lemon ricotta cake slice--so good. Likely won't be returning. This has been on my list for years--glad to tick it off the list! read more

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I haven't had a nice dinner like Farina in a while, and I left with a memorable, intimate dinner experience. My wife had a gift card from her employer, and we disclosed that with our waiter from the start. By disclosing the gift card he helped us work through the menu so we could taste everything we wanted. It ended up being a great learning experience for us because we thought we'd be priced out from visiting again, but we learned the portions on the pasta are plenty to order as an entree. The pasta dishes are reasonably priced and along with any combination of appetizer/dessert and bread service you're looking at a fairly priced dinner. On my visit, we ordered a few fresh oysters to start. I had wine and my wife had a cocktail. The wine list featured a lot of Italian wines, as you'd expect, along with Italian beer. As an appetizer we ordered the duck meatballs. Of the pasta we ordered, my favorites were the Cheese Filled Caramelle and Lemon Creste Di Gallo. The Lemon Creste Di Gallo stood out for me because it featured the house olives in harmony with the many other flavors. Before this dish was served I already asked the waiter about the olives, because I don't usually enjoy them. I always try and just can't bring myself to like them, that stands true to the fresh olives I ate on a visit to Rome. Now there's one exception. I loved the olives at Farina, and I plan to go back to their Grab and Go store to buy some soon. For my entree I ordered a Game Hen that was really good. My wife ordered the gnocchi. They did offer truffle service the night we were there, but we didn't indulge in that. We did finish the night with dessert. It was some type of pear tart (forgive me for not remembering the name) with ice cream. I do wish I would've tried the cannoli. read more

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A friend and I made reservations for a late birthday dinner during the week, and it was my first time here! Everything from start to finish was excellent. The complimentary focaccia and olive oil + olives were delectable. I don't generally like olives, but these were amazing. I heard great things about their oysters, especially during HH, which I will have to come back for. I did order the Sweet Neck oyster just to try, and it was good. A bit smaller than I expected, but it was clean and tasty. We shared four main dishes (so much food, had leftovers): Grilled Octopus, Sardinian Black Rice, Lemon Creste Di Gallo, and Gnocchi Pomodoro. The Grilled Octopus was tender and not rubbery in texture at all, and it had a great flavor profile with no fishy aftertaste. Presentation did surprise me (not in a bad way) as it was one large octopus tentacle, but I also didn't know what I was expecting. The Sardinian Black Rice was a pleasant surprise. I was hesitant in ordering this dish because the name and description alone didn't seem very appealing; however, wow! The texture and aroma of the rice was the highlight of the dish. The Lemon Creste Di Gallo had just the right amount of lemon and pistachio incorporated into the pasta. The Gnocchi Pomodoro was chewy, and the amount of flavor that shined through the simple tomato sauce was great. All in all, food was 10/10. Dessert was too good to pass up even though we were full to the brim. The Strawberry Roulade was calling our name. It's essentially a roll cake with chantilly cream and strawberry sorbet on the side. This was so refreshing and the perfect way to end dinner. If you are a strawberry lover, this dessert is for you! read more

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Came here twice for dinner events with a large party and both times have been wonderful! I've tried the Scallops and the Lemon Creste de Gallo, and both tasted fresh and flavorful without being too heavy. All the pastas were great too - I personally loved the Tagliatelle Bolognese. There is also an extensive drink menu - the servers were knowledgeable about recommendations and pairings, which I really appreciated. Dessert is also great - I would recommend the Banana Cream Tart and Tiramisu. The dessert portions are also incredibly generous and can each order can easily feed two people. There was a nice ambiance to the restaurant that made it great for larger gatherings or for a romantic date. (There's also a bar counter area) Service is also quick, attentive, and friendly. Farina has been a great experience both times that I've come and I look forward to coming back again in the near future! read more

Seriously the best restaurant in KC. I've been a few times now and it just keeps getting better. Each time I've been, Chef Michael Smith comes around and asks how everything waa and thanks us for being there. Such great service, ambiance, and the food is just amazing! Can't wait to go back! read more

Chef Michael Smith's Farina is quite a treat!! We met some friends here for dinner on a Tuesday, two days after my birthday. Chef Smith is a James Beard award winner for Best Chef Midwest in 1999. The entrance is nondescript. Entry into the space is cool. A great hostess stand and two sides of the restaurant, plus a private dining room await. The ladies started off with 2 different salads and each enjoyed them. My wife had the Farina Italian Salad and she raved about it. I ordered the Ossetra Caviar for the table. We all enjoyed it. Next were the duck meatballs, which all four of us loved. That was a special dish! I had the potato gnocchi with braised rabbit for my main. My wife had the giant prawns and risotto. I loved my gnocchi! My wife said her prawns were a little tough and overcooked. I had a bit and agreed. She liked the risotto though. Our friends had the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe and Bucatini Carbonara. They were truly magical dishes!! For dessert we had the peanut butter chocolate cake and the lemon meringue pie. Both were super. This is a nice restaurant and it's fun. Super atmosphere. It's pretty loud at high time. We had reservations at 6:15 and a I found myself wishing I had earplugs for the next hour or 90 minutes. Around 8 pm it got quieter as folk started filing out after dinner. I was impressed that they seated a table for two at 8:30 PM when they close at nine. That was very nice. Our server was a little snotty and may not have wanted to be there that night, but she seemed to be the exception. I've eaten it at a half dozen Italian restaurants in Kansas City so far and this one is the best, but not the best I've had. I look forward to trying a half a dozen more and then returning to Farina, which I will. read more

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Dinner at Farina was a highlight of our staycation. We last visited in April, and I was struck again by how the restaurant retains such great staff--like Ashley, who's been with Michael Smith's team since the Extra Virgin days and now anchors the Oyster Bar experience at Farina. Our evening started strong with Beef Carpaccio, prepared right in front of us by Chef Michael Smith himself. Thin, melt-in-your-mouth slices with just the right seasoning--absolutely incredible. We followed that with the Heirloom Tomato and Local Peach Salad, brightened by a tangy Pomegranate Dressing that made every bite pop with flavor. I couldn't resist the Summer Corn Cappelletti, my third corn-forward dish of the week. And for good reason--it was creamy, sweet, and expertly balanced. The star of the night? The Smoked Mozzarella-Stuffed Veal Chop. I loved it so much last time, I had to order it again. It's rich, juicy, and generously portioned--easily enough for two. A shout-out to the bar team is deserved: the Barrel-Aged Negroni here is the best I've had anywhere. read more

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Food, ambiance, and service on point. Food was delicious and their fluke with a green grape gazpacho was on point and my favorite dish this week during our stay in KC read more

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Farina is absolutely immaculate. I highly recommend taking anyone that you want to impress here. Every bite and drink feels intentionally curated and the staff is incredibly educated and passionate. I think I could order any dish from here with confidence. The pasta is cooked to perfection and is soooo fresh. The stars of the show this trip were the black rice dish and the gnocchi pomodoro. I couldn't recommend it more. 10000/10 read more

Farina - (Back to Front) Gnocchi Pomodoro, Cacio E Pepe, Cheese Filled Caramelle - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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We had a great experience at farina! I loved the vibe of the restaurant, the service was amazing and the food was even better! I think about the food and drinks we had and want to return asap! read more

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Always so good! Michael and Nancy Smith know what's up. The food was spot on last night, despite them only being open 2 nights over all over Christmas week. Everything was well coursed and excuted. Service was easy going too. Shout outs for the disco hama oysters, the caramelle, the Hokkaido scallops, the great 2016 brunello on discount special, the off the menu NA cocktail, and of course the epic desserts. They all delivered! It's no wonder this continues to be a top resy in town. read more

Food was AMAZING! Only complaint was it wasn't really hot or cold.... luke warm. I can deal with, but disappointing! Service was amazing and the vibe is so classy and cozy inside. Will come back I'm sure! read more

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We've been here several times and it never disappoints. The food is so good and service is always on point. They're always packed so a reservation is recommended. We started with the shrimp cocktail and caviar with burrata, both very good. Then ordered the tagliatelle bolognese and rigatoni alla amatriciana for dinner, both delicious. The bolognese had less tomato than we're used to, but it was really tasty. The amatriciana was my favorite, the tomatoes have such deep flavor in this dish. We ended with the tiramisu and apple crisp. We tasted a slight hint of citrus in the tiramisu and it was topped with hazelnuts, a bit different but really good. Definitely recommend Farina to anyone. read more

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This is a great somewhat upscale restaurant in the heart of the Crossroads. The menu is unique - we call it Italian, but they also have an oyster bar and sushi if I remember correctly. The service is great, and we always leave stuffed! Parking is a little tricky because of the location, but a little walking never hurt anyone.... They used to serve a more traditional Italian dish with Mama's meat sauce on Thursday nights. We did that one time and should have shared it. There was so much food!!! read more

We had a massive group for a special occasion, the server was excellent and super helpful. When they ran out of a certain soda I requested, the bar made me a homemade version. She also specifically helped with all dishes to avoid for my lactose intolerance. It was pretty late so I just wanted a small meal, but I'm definitely going back for other appetizers or dishes. I went with the lemon creste di gallo and it was a perfect buttery garlic pasta. The pasta itself was large and well cooked, with a nice mix of toppings. We had maybe 16 or so people and I didn't hear one complaint. The only thing I'd say was the focaccia was pretty plain, it needed salt or something but we knew it was complimentary. Parking is tough on a weekend night but that's pretty par for the course in the area. read more

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A very nice place with two distinct dining areas - as you enter to the right is an oyster bar and tables for diners, to the left appears to be a more formal dining area. We sat in the oyster bar. It is a bit loud but not unpleasant. My son lives out here and I am visiting he suggested the place. Service was excellent. Professional and friendly. We ordered a beer and glass of Barolo. Tasty bread was brought out with a few olives and oil. I got beef Carpaccio to start. It was too salty. The beef was sliced nice and thin but it was not the quality expected. There were bits of tough tendons throughout. My main was the Japanese scallops. They were marvelous. The scallops plump and delicious. The creamy red sauce was excellent I used the remaining bread to sweep it all up. We finished with an espresso and some ice cream. A very nice place and we will return. Mark. read more

Always a pleasure to dine here at the bar. They're always busy so reservations recommended. Also, parking may take some time so show up early. Rabbit gnocchi continues to be a favorite of mine. And their focaccia bread is straight money with their olive oil. read more

Food was ordinary and didn't inspire us with taste. Shrimp appetizer was good, oysters were the size of a quarter. Lobster pasta special was spicy but overwhelmed any flavors chef was trying to highlight. read more

I will make it real quick. By far the best restaurant and experience in KC. Best Chef, Best Servers (far more than servers), Best Sommelier (Nancy), Best ambience and vibe, Best Food, Best value, running out of Best's. Can wait to go back on Friday read more

This is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in Kansas City. The 4 kings of Rome are also incredible staples, and the seafood (especially the oysters) are a must. If you have just a couple nights in KC, this is one place you have to hit. Service and ambience are always 10/10. read more

Farina - Shrimp dish - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Absolutely lived up to all the talk, hype, and recommendations I had heard and been given. The food was absolutely outstanding. Dishes meticulously composed and seasoned. Service was impeccable and even had a chance to interact with the chef/owner Michael Smith as he made his way around the completely full dining room on a Friday night. We will be back. read more

Went last night for my wife and I's anniversary. I can't recall our waiters name, but he was flawless. Perfect wine recommendation, appreciated the way he chatted us up on the menu when we asked. The food was phenomenal, but interestingly we both enjoyed dishes we didn't expect the most and the dishes that we were excited about on our respective menu look aheads were underwhelming in comparison. Our highlights were the beef carpaccio with roasted beets- my wife initially didn't plan on having any and ended up loving it. Super gorgeous plate, not enormous but the flavor was. The beet salad was perfect, just exceptional bites with huge amount of flavor. Really really loved the Lemon crespo gallo pasta, all the components sang in chorus. Will definitely be back. read more

Farina - Michael Smith Pork roast - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Farina is incredible! The vibes are great: a moody, elegant, comfortable setting. The restaurant was busy and bustling- making it a fun evening. The drinks were on point: dirty martinis, wine, beer. We split the spaghetti with meatballs (it was a Tuesday special), and it was perfect for two of us. This is a great, fun, more upscale restaurant to try read more

The seasonal pasta (lemon creste de gallo on bottom) was the best thing we had by far. Very flavorful and would definitely go again for that! Very good ambiance for a nice family dinner or date night. Chicken marsala (not pictured) was good as well. read more

Farina - Lemon creste de gallo & bucatini carbonara - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

It was a very nice restaurant and the service was top notch!! I wasn't a fan of the octopus but the bread and dessert were amazing! It's a little over priced in my opinion. I thought the food was good but I prefer to just go next door to Extra Virgin and save some money and enjoy just as good food, if not better. read more

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Our visit was wonderful from start to finish. Even with a large group, everything felt smooth and organized. The staff managed everything with ease -- friendly, professional, and always attentive without being overbearing. The food was beautifully presented and full of flavor. Every dish we tried had its own unique touch, and the pasta was especially memorable -- rich, comforting, and perfectly balanced. It's clear that a lot of care goes into the preparation and ingredients here. The atmosphere felt lively yet relaxed, making it a great place to celebrate or simply enjoy good company. Everyone at our table left happy, which says a lot when you have a big group. Already looking forward to coming back to try more dishes and soak in the great energy of this place again. read more

We always enjoy sitting at the oyster bar I think the most. But the vibe and food in the whole place is fantastice!

Really great experience at Farina. Sat at the bar and the guys really took care of me. Great drinks (diamond-shaped clear ice - LFG) and on point food recommendations. Loved the olives and focaccia, meatballs were tasty, and shrimp entree was excellent. Nod to the blue cheese olives in the Martini. All in all - this place is not to be missed. read more

Food was well seasoned. The service was upscale. The ambiance was a notch above your typical restaurant. The prices were too. Was it worth it. Yes and No. Flavors were outstanding but the menu wasn't anything that deserved the prices on the menu. The selection was boring. So much I decided to go with pork roast. Ended up being dry half way through it. But the flavor was good. Their gnocchi was outstanding. The bread and olives they brought to the table were good but why would you put olives out that has pits in them. You have to take the pit out of your mouth. Then put on the plate. Who wants to see someone do that. The tart for dessert was the best part. Amazing. So if you want to spend some cash go here. I've spent less and received a better overall experience. But hey try it for yourself. One and done for me read more

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This came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. The bread they serve before the meal is some of the best I've had for pre dinner bread. We tried the duck meatballs which were great. Tried the special which was a surf n turf. No sauce on the crab cake, but it was still moist. Drinks were wonderful. They gave a dessert for our special occasion. Diego even stopped by the table to congratulate us and thanked us for coming in. Not sure if a live band was getting ready to play because we kept hearing sounds like mic check, but didn't see one anywhere. Overall great experience. Highly recommend trying at least once. read more

We went to Farina for our anniversary and were genuinely excited, but the whole evening was a letdown. The ambiance felt more like a loud dinner hall than a romantic spot. People were shouting over each other just to talk. Not what we expected. The staff was kind and the drinks were decent. That's where the positives end. The food was awful. The straw & hay linguini was undercooked and flavorless. The sweet pea agnolotti was the least bad dish. The focaccia tasted like plain store-bought white bread. Dessert--the butter pecan banana split--was the only good thing we ate. Vegetarian options were basically non-existent and what they did have was bland and lazy. No other effort to accommodate. The only other "nice" thing is that the terrible food is served on fancy plates. The saffron risotto tasted like boxed scalloped potatoes and gave my partner food poisoning. We spent the rest of our anniversary dealing with that instead of celebrating. We left hungry and disappointed. P.S. let me add that the appetizer olives had pits in them. It kind of threw off the vibe a bit. I don't want to feel like I'm preparing my own food or trying to awkwardly take pits out of my mouth during a romantic dinner. read more

Farina - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Yep, this fear was wonderful. The restaurant was busy and the server was knowledgeable about the wine and the food. I ordered the cod but was told it wasn't available so they offered the Salmon. When the dish arrived the portion was very small. The portion of Salmon could be bigger. I could eat it with one bite. read more

Farina - Salmon and Prawns. - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

The Kc Today Drink Up Week Special Cocktail $12 Oaxacan Clover Club It is one of the most balanced drinkable mezcal cocktails I've ever tasted. Sometimes, I feel the smokiness of mezcal can be hard to tame. The flavor can be very distinct and polarizing. However, the bartenders at Micahel Smith's Farina know how to concoct a drink that is incredibly balanced. It has been a while since I had chosen to imbibe in a cocktail with egg white foam on top but, it was just as delightful as I remembered. A nice frothy topping with a sweet, with a hint of smokey, raspberry liquid below. It was one of the most perfect summer drinks I've ever sipped. read more

Farina - Oaxacan Clover Club - Italian Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Our experience at farina was fantastic. We ordered several menu items, and they were all wonderful. My favorites were the steak, cheese filled carmelle and the bolognese. The ambiance and service was fantastic, and Michael Smith himself came to our table to ensure we were having a wonderful experience. We will be back again soon. read more