Back in July 2020, I returned to SRV and decided to try the Arsenale tasting menu, a chef-curated, multi-course shared experience. Since it was summertime, we were able to sit outside in the courtyard out back. I had been to SRV before and had no idea this space was even there. It was tucked away, relaxed, and a great setting for dinner. I was pleased with just about everything that came to the table. There was one dish that simply wasn't doing it for us, but we didn't complain or ask for anything different. Then something happened that really stood out. The chef came out herself and mentioned that she noticed we barely touched that particular dish. She asked if she could send us something else instead. Sure enough, she did. That immediately took the service to another level. We never had to say a word. She noticed, cared enough to ask, and made sure we left happy. Looking back on this July 2020 visit, the food was creative, the courtyard was a nice surprise, but that level of attention from the chef is what I remember most. It turned a great dinner into a memorable one. read more

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Was excited to try SRV for the first time! The food was good, the servers were attentive, and the restaurant is beautiful inside. The one major issue we had was the timing with food. It was insanely slow. The starters were a little slow to come out, but nothing unusual. The entree, however, took probably close to 40 minutes to come out. We had so much time in between courses, by the time we go our food I was ready to leave. I also want to note that this was a Monday, they had a decent dinner rush, but it wasn't slammed. I have never experienced such slow timing with food before. I also work in the service industry, so it's a bummer to have to leave this review, but I was in genuine disbelief at how long it took. I understand things happen and maybe this was just a one-off thing, I hope it was! I wanted to get coffee and dessert but was so over it by the time we got our dinner, I didn't want to risk how much longer it would take. Unfortunately, because of how slow the service was and how long we were left there waiting, it made the dinner experience unenjoyable. Totally was not our servers fault! She and the whole staff were great, and everyone was so kind and friendly. Hoping to give this place another try one day. Definitely want to try their dessert if I decide to give them another chance. read more

I will always support SRV... currently the best Italian restaurant I've had in Boston. Specializing in Venetian cuisine. Focaccia: What an amazing focaccia!! The bread had large air pockets, visibly soft, with a rich aroma of salt and milk; the olive oil was smooth and mellow, with a full-bodied fragrance, and the aftertaste even included a subtle, restrained hint of tea. Even knowing it's a calorie bomb, I couldn't resist dipping it in more. Baccala Mantecato: Classic Venetian flavor. The salted cod was tender and delicate, almost like a light foam, somewhere between raw silk and mousse; the dark bread was simple yet not coarse, perfectly balancing the saltiness of the cod. The most surprising thing was the refreshing aroma of celery leaves that emerged in the aftertaste, lingering and persistent. Lumache: When looking at the menu, seeing "chili butter, Jonah crab, breadcrumb," I never expected such a distinct citric acidity. The subtle acidity was gently enveloped in the fatty aroma of chili butter, perfectly complementing the umami and sweetness of the crab meat with just the right amount of spiciness. The lumache were firm and chewy, the sauce rich and smooth, and the breadcrumbs light and crisp, creating a rich and distinct texture. The portion was generous; even after microwaved the next day, the sauce had naturally broken down and the lemon's tartness had dissipated, but the noodles mixed with chili oil still had a unique flavor. Tiramisu: Highly renowned, and the staff were quite confident. The surface was covered with a thick layer of crispy cocoa nibs, the cake itself is incredibly soft and moist, and digging inside reveals an "underground river" of coffee liquid, while its bitterness was perfectly balanced by the sweet Marsala. The overall flavor was sweet and mellow, less bitter than typical tiramisu, with more layers of complexity. Actually, I was hoping for a slightly bitter version. Even on a weekday, it was packed with customers; by 5:10 PM, only one bar seat was left. Reservations are highly recommended. However, the bar was in a good location, with the bartenders being the easiest servers to find. It was a pleasant conversation with them. read more

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Fancy pasta place. Went in on a late Thursday night around 8:30, got lucky without a reservation. The service from hostess was not friendly/judgy and didn't give us menus, which the wait staff provided. She asked if we were here for dinner =actual table, or drinks+ snacks= bar, when there were quite a few open tables. It didn't seem like other customers were going to come in. If someone's spending $50-$100 for a nice meal, it would be great to have a choice. We were seated at the bar with the swinging seats. Kind of tricky the first time as they move when you sit. No place to put our coats, everyone sat on their clothes. The waitstaff are all very friendly and happy to give a breakdown of the items. Good spot to go on a date, well lit. Food: we got the mushroom pasta. Good balance of sauce and butter. Noodles are well done. Miso gelato ($5) reminds me of salted caramel. Tiramisu was a huge serving, but then again it's $15. read more

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I can see why this is one of the best restaurants in Boston. Service was great. The ambiance is amazing with a patio and old garage door used as a decor. The pasta and risotto was perfectly Al Dante (imagine 98% cooked so it is left with a chew instead of the consistency of mush). Food was amazing with an Italian thought process & local ingredients. The drinks taste exactly how it's described on the menu. Here is what I thought of the food: Pawn Risotto was the best risotto I had in a really long time. The risotto was made perfectly Al dente and both the lobster broth w/ pawn on top made this dish very tasty. This is for the shellfish lovers. It does take 25 minutes so order your risotto early. Prosciutto didn't seem to be aged too long because it wasn't as salty as ones aged longer. It's still fatty and tasty. Scallop Crudo was fresh, salty, sour from the sauce, and had a fun texture change with the pistachio. It's a great bite of food and delicious. It is rather small in portions so consider ordering an extra order or 2 if you are in a bigger group. Mussels was one of my favorite dishes because the sauce with Calabrian chili mixed in made it so yummy. Calabrian chili isn't as spicy as most chili so I find the sauce very yummy and balanced. I almost didn't care for the mussels anymore because it was all about that sauce. Lumache is so good because I love seafood. The crab meat made it yummy and pasta was perfectly Al Dante. Rigatoni is a fun pasta shape and it's fun to have it in an elevated setting because it's perfectly cooked. Overall, I think it's an amazing Italian restaurant in Boston in particular and it's a great place to have everything made very well. I recommend making a reservation in advance especially if you want to come on the weekend. read more

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Came with a large party with a reservation and were seated immediately. The hostess and wait staff were all wonderful. We ordered a lot of dishes to share for our table. We got the crostini and mozzarella to start, followed by the regular salad. The squash was interesting and had an interesting texture. The standout were the rigatoni (so chewy!) and the risotto- we got both the prawn and the pork for the table, and both were so flavorful and creamy. The toasted bread also was a delight to have with the mussels, and to mop up that sauce! Definitely recommend for anyone wanting a nice dinner in the area. read more

SRV was our carb loading dinner before Boston marathon the next day! I got Lumache chili butter, jonah crab, oregano breadcrumb. It was delicious! We also ordered bread and prosciutto and a salad. My feedback on the prosciutto is that it didn't come with much bread. I wish they brought the complimentary bread at the same time as the prosciutto. Since we ate the bread that came out first and when the prosciutto came we didn't have enough bread to eat the rest. Overall it was a nice dinner experience! read more

SRV Boston - Lumache chili butter, jonah crab, oregano breadcrumb / 29 - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came for a celebration with family and friends and they were all big fans of the food. My favorites were the mussels (the broth was so savory) and the mushroom rigatoni, which was so pillowy! The prawn risotto also had very juicy prawns. A lot of the dishes come with bread so that's pretty filling. The interior is spacious and there even is a backyard patio. Our server was also attentive. The blackberry sorbet was a little odd - it had the taste of black licorice in it. read more

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We went there on Monday evening. We got seated immediately as we had reservations. Its a well decorated interior place with dim lighting. Staff is nice. Menu is limited but good variety. We had couple of appetizers, one salad and 2 main course. Food was good. Plating was wonderful. We had one drink and it was ok read more

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Incredible. Not your average Italian food, which paired with the incredible food made for a great night and will return. Went with my girlfriend and we each did the course meal read more

Had a wonderful Valentine's meal. Menu was prix fixe for the night - we got one regular and one vegetarian meal. About 8 courses ( small, tapa-size). Each course was unique, different than any other Italian food I've had, and delicious. The food is Italian-inspired, but just a bit different from anything you've tried before. Our favorite was probably the carpaccio- both the beef and the beet, but all was great. The decor was classy and festive, and the service was outstanding - our waitress was extremely friendly and helpful. Also, kudos to restaurant for serving red wine at room temperature...I'm sick of going to nice restaurants and getting chilled red wine. read more

SRV hasn't been on my radar until I was searching for cute patios in the city. But wow was I blown away! The vibe is perfect for any occasion, the service is amazing. Our server was patient with us and stopped by our table with perfect timing. All the food was bursting with creativity and flavor. The "ciccetti" are truly one bite. A couple notes: The smoked sea trout was raw (a warning for those who don't like raw seafood) but was still one of our favorites. Also, the avocado/tahini with the snow peas is surprisingly super dense and very filling. However the three pastas we tried (lumache, ravioli, strozzapreti) were out of this world. As for drinks, I only tried the canarina carbone but WOW! The sesame oil on top provided a nice scent before tasting the smokiness of the mezcal. SRV is a little expensive for sure, but worth it. read more

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Firstly, this place isn't huge and can get busy, so make a reservation. The low lying "swing seats" are not my favorite - my wife nearly fell out of one. They hard to explain until you've seen them, but I'd opt for a traditional table if possible. The service was friendly and attentive. They are on top of refilling your water, busing the dirty dishes, and bringing fresh silverware etc. This is a refreshing change to many restaurants that don't seem to care much about leaving dirty/empty plates sitting on your table forever. Lastly, the food was great. From the cicchetti to the main pasta dishes, everything was prepared and cooked perfectly. We especially enjoyed the Rigatoni (with mushrooms). Highly recommend and will definitely try to visit again when in town. read more

Make sure you make a reservation! Exceptional experience. Definitely would come back. Our table of 4 tried the Asenale tasting menu and everything was delicious. The experience includes 3 cicchettis, 2 piati, 2 grani and dessert proportional to the number of diners. Some were on the regular menu, and some were not. We really enjoyed all of the food. My favorites were the fried cheese (Cicchetti), smoked trout, and broccolini. All the dishes had complex flavors and plating was wonderful. read more

I've heard great things about SRV, but I was pretty underwhelmed by my experience. I loved how spacious the restaurant was, but everything else was just okay... My experience with the staff felt scattered. Our waiter took our order, but otherwise we didn't see her much. We were seated in the middle, which is fine except I kept being bumped by the staff who were prepping(?) in the center counter. We could confused where our waiter went, so we had to flag down another staff member to ask for our check. Then someone else brought us our check. Everyone was nice, but it just didn't feel like the smoothest dining experience. The food itself didn't wow us either. I thought the polpettes were crumbly. They were stingy with the bread. My friend enjoyed her green garlic risotto, which was, as expected, very garlic forward. I found the gnocchi to be very flavorful, but to the point where I couldn't finish the plate. Though I was say the pea pasta sauce was soooooo creamy and insanely delicious. Overall, I probably won't be back - there are so many restaurants to try. Though there probably are not a lot of venetian-style options. read more

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Had an awesome night celebrating my wife's birthday as they did a nice job acknowledging her and stamping her menu as well as offering her some dessert to end the night. Overall the food was very good, tapas style individual portions for the appetizers and the stuffed pepper, meatballs, and fried cheese were very good. We also got the zucchini, strozzapreti, ravioli and all were very good. They rotate the menu flavors so everything is fresh and seasonal. Ambiance was solid but nothing crazy but the food is amazing. Small menu but extremely flavorful dishes. read more

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Amazing birthday dinner experience. Food was so good that I didn't get enough photos. 12/10. Absolutely love their small bites - meatballs, fried olives, fried mozzarella balls. Pasta was so fresh and delicious. Great Venetian wine selection too! read more

SRV Boston - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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SRV is on most Boston dinner menus for worth checking out. We went for an anniversary dinner and found it a good match. No reservations were made but they had plenty of bar seating for a week night. Staff were friendly and attentive. We did the arsenal set dinner menu and found it a great way to sample a wide variety of dishes. Most things were solid with the broccolini actually being the standout winner. Overall they fall short from 5 stars with the food not having a "wow" factor for us, that is hard to obtain. Inside can be loud and dim lighting, but casual so a good fit for after work drinks or a date. read more

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A nice restaurant, a bit pricey and ok for a special occasion. For the price and the atmosphere, and the hype and food, it is a bit over rated. Still a nice place and there aren't many Venice based Italian spots around, but there are other fantastic restaurants. The small plates are quite good, but the entrees and larger plates are just ok. The meatballs are worth it, and the black cod snack was quite tasty. The risotto and pasta dishes are ok. It was nice inside and busy for a mid-week, you will likely need a reservation. Glad we tried it given the hype. read more

Pros: The prices are a lot more reasonable than most places in Boston, portions on the main courses are big (enough to take leftover). The service is so friendly and seamless which in itself makes for a lovely evening. Highlights were the mussels, which were very fresh and delicious. The service here was attentive with the waiters offering more bread for the mussels. Most dishes are a little spicy, so if you don't like spice, make sure to note that with the waiter. The miso gelato is one of the most delicious savory/sweet desserts, and has lots of nice crunchy accents of the sesame crumble. Cocktails are fabulous, very smooth, as well as the mocktails. Cons: The crostini was nothing really special, and one of them came without the oyster butter. The meatballs, which were tasty but had a slightly hard texture on the outside. The prawn risotto was pretty one-note in flavor, and the prawn heads tasted overcooked and slightly off. The radiatore was spicy and nicely plated. The Cremoso al Cioccolato had a strange flavor profile that didn't quite fit, and had such a large salted chocolate-truffle section that we did not finish it (which is saying something)! Overall, if you are looking for a solid dinner in Boston that will guarantee be a nice experience because of the atmosphere, this is a good place. read more

Sensational Italian spot with great back patio on the Mass/Columbus Ave corner of South End. Our party of 6 tried a bunch of food and drinks - everything was fantastic. Espresso martini one of the best I've had. read more

Very cool space. The arancini is the best bite we had. The meatballs are good, as is the blood orange ricotta crostini. The pea and avocado salad is nice and healthy, but not something I would order if I was looking for a delicious dish. The ricotta gnocchi was a disappointment. It was the weirdest texture, soft yet grainy, with very little flavor. Kind of like a mini matzo ball. I guess I'm more of a traditional Italian food kind of guy. read more

SRV Boston - Ricotta gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Probably my favorite meal of my trip. I'm so impressed by SRV Boston. We were showing our itinerary to people throughout our trip and everyone said SRV is their favorite. We had a reservation and were seated right away. We got the Arancini with spinach, artichoke and roasted garlic. Along with the Polpette with pork and beef meatball, tomato and parmigiano reggiano. All of the Cicchetti comes with two and it's worth a try. For our main dish, we split the Tagliatelle that comes with asparagus, black truffle and pecorino. All of the food was AMAZING! I highly recommend you checking out this amazing restaurant. Danny was our waiter and he recommended the pasta dish and it did not disappoint. read more

SRV, which stands for Serene Republic of Venice, serves Venice style small plates. My wife and I stopped by for dinner last night before a show at the Huntington Theatre and had a delightful experience. We started with arancini and crostini as sort of amuse bouche, then shared the local greens salad and prosciutto plates. Our shared entree was the Guanciale Risotto. Finally, we finished with the chocolate tarte. We enjoyed two drinks each. Each of the plates was very delicious and very well executed. My wife -- who can be meh on risotto -- really enjoyed our entree, probably because the risotto was perfectly cooked and was richly flavorful -- never hurts to have guanciale too! The chocolate tarte included cardamon and salt, was just divergent enough from the typical chocolate tarte to be a delight. Our waitress, Julie C., deserves special mention. She was helpful with excellent suggestions, checked on us regularly, and asked if we were on the clock -- which we were. She took great care to ensure that we were on time, managing to both let us know that she was tracking time for us, yet not rushing us. SRV -- do not let her go! To our surprise, the tab was quite reasonable for what was a de facto four-five course meal. It helped that we shared an entree, but though we are big eaters, we felt plenty satiated. Total, including tip (and two drinks each) was $180, which given our experience, we were totally happy to pay. We will be back, and our only regret was not having come here before. read more

Went there to try their Arsenale tasting menu for a special occasion. It was a mix of cozy homey and fancy atmosphere. It can get a little loud sometimes. The staff is very attentive and quick service. The Arsenale menu is so worth it in my opinion. You get 3 one bite items, 2 appetizers, 2 pasta dishes and a dessert. It was all off menu surprise items and every dish complimented well with all course. The timing between dishes was just perfect, not too fast and not too slow. It was more than enough food to fill you up that we had to pack the pasta dish home. -8/10 read more

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Service: 5/5 - great, nothing standout Ambiance: 5/5 - Very cool, interesting, and romantic Food 3.5/5 - Despite the tiny mouse portions (expected of high-end dining), most of the food was very tasty. However, the steak we got was very underwhelming (almost mealy texture and not much flavor) and the ricotta gnocchi was too decadent. read more

SRV Boston - Appetizer. Two slice bread. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

SRV was everything we needed after 26.2 miles. Spectacular food, flawless service, and carbs that felt practically medicinal. We kicked off with marinated olives and polpette. Both were excellent, but the real pro move was to save your complimentary focaccia (incredible on its own) and dunk it in the leftover marinara. Instant bliss. The NY strip was perfection. Melt in your mouth tender with a beautiful sear, plated with roasted root veggies and carrot puree that balanced richness with brightness. The bone marrow risotto was deeply flavorful and indulgent, while the ricotta gnocchi was light, herby, and just happy. The tagliatelle leaned classic and elegant, letting the housemade pasta shine. And yes, we finished strong with tiramisu, complete with a candle to celebrate Boston Marathon day. Rich, layered, chocolatey heaven in a bowl. Service was dialed in from start to finish. Friendly, attentive, and totally unfazed by two runners with big appetites and zero shame. If, and when, we come back to run Boston again, SRV is absolutely on the list for round two. It is that good. read more

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Cute spot, great Italian food. Good drinks and vibes. Enjoyed my dinner and loved the outdoor patio. Service was not notable.

The new chef has revived the menu to its former glory. Great option for pre-concert dining for Symphony Hall.

So amazing. For starters I could eat most of the menu (GF) without modifications. We arrived a few minutes early and I was really looking for a good orange wine. The bartender was able to make a solid rec on a bottle. They were amazing and friendly and started us off right. The food was outstanding but we def ordered way too much. Our waiter was super nice. Marinated olives, arugula salad, some kind of beet and fontina fried cheese thing (yum), NY strip, polenta, risotto and gnocchi. The last one was the only one I couldn't eat. Cool space. Not too loud and comfortable. 10/10 recommend read more

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Ricotta Gnocchi was the star! So yummy! We also had the NY Strip and Balanzoni. NY strip was cooked perfectly and the peppercorn sauce was good, I like that it wasn't too peppercorn forward. The potatoes were a bit weird, too charred with bitterness from the broccoli rabe. The Balanzoni was our risky dish that didn't pay off, VERY heavy in espresso flavor. Overall the experience was great especially considering it was busy for Valentine's Day. The interior was pretty and our server really took care of us! read more

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SRV is my top 1 choice for Italian food in Boston. Toniann is also best server I ever had at SRV. Really enjoy the dinner with Toniann and the tasting menu. read more

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Really an outstanding meal. The four of us split 6 small plates, 3 medium plates and 2 grains. We got to sample lots of well-prepared and creative elements. I think the cruda and the tenderloin were my favorites. It was very tempting to go back for a second round, but instead we had the opportunity to try different desserts as well. The cocktails were also really good. Our waiter advised us well and the entire staff kept things moving along. The overall atmosphere was high-energy; good music and nice decor. The room was busy and spirits were high. We were there a bit on the early side which meant it never got too loud for us. Definitely would recommend SRV if are looking for a fun evening to share good food with friends. read more

Really fun and tasty dinner! I sat at the row of moving bar stools which were a unique and comfortable place to sit, but while I was there I observed one person fall off a stool and a second person almost fell! So be careful on the moving bar stools or get a table if anyone in your group may be unsteady on a chair without a back! The arancini and the baccala mantecato were perfect small bites for two and the pasta dishes were well seasoned and so delicious! The negroni had a tasty apple flavor and the Venetian Spritz cocktail was also tasty, not as sweet as I would usually expect for an Aperol spritz. read more

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This place had been recommended by several coworkers so I knew I had to check it out. I tried the sunchoke risotto (with meyer lemon, mustard greens, and robiola) which was very comforting and rich. The sunchoke chips on top gave it a great balance of textures. I also tried the stuffed paccheri with octopus, fennel, and tomato, which was also delicious and definitely on the lighter side compared to the risotto. I was lucky to snag some seats at the bar as a walk-in, but the restaurant did fill fast even on weekday nights so I would recommend reservations. read more

SRV Boston - Stuffed paccheri - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I've been here 3 times now and each experience has always exceeded expectations. First time I tried the Arsenale menu with a friend. This is their prix fixe menu, and let me tell you I was STUFFED. The other two times we ordered a la carte and again I was pleasantly surprised by the portion sizes. Everything is relatively reasonably priced for the amount of food which is so rare to find nowadays for this tier of restaurant. Importantly the food is actually good. I would recommend the meatballs (polpette) from the cicchetti menu, as I've had it multiple times and it's always delicious. The pastas were great though I actually think their appetizer dishes were more impressive, flavor-wise. Overall anything that sounds good to you will likely be excellent. Probably one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Boston that I've tried thus far! read more

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I've been coming to SRV Boston since it opened up. Over the years the menu changed yet the consistency, innovation and great output remained between the food and the drink. Great overall environment and vibe. The only thing that becomes harder and harder is parking over the years. read more

Had my birthday dinner here on Monday 7/7 and the staff was so accommodating and friendly! The restaurant was beautiful and intimate (for a Monday night). We also ran into our family friends and they were able to seat us next to each other. We all did the Arsenale which was incredible. Portion sizes are fairly large though! We went home with a lot of leftovers. The food was amazing and they were also kind enough to accommodate a cake my parents brought for me. read more

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I recently had a great visit to SRV. There was an event that evening at Symphony Hall so they filled up fast. Reservations are a must on most nights. Parties of two may be able to find availability at the bar or counter seating. I have posted a photo of the counter seating. Service here is great. The staff is very attentive and professional. They have full staff and I would say that 5-6 different servers delivered the various courses. Very impressive! I would suggest ordering several plates and sharing if you are not set on a certain dish. It was very comfortable to order away and try new things. The Ricotta Gnocchi was by far my favorite. When an Italian dish is made fresh and served immediately the flavors are outstanding. SRV will show you how sophisticated Italian can be. Parking can be tough. Try parking at Christian Science and walking a few short blocks. read more

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Everything was excellent and well done and quite reasonably priced considering how high-quality it all is. Our waiter was also very friendly and attentive. read more

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