Tif Taylor
Latest Reviews
Grappa
Atmos: Great. Fantastic date night vibe. Low lighting, a "buzz" in the air. There is an upper and lower section. The upper felt maybe a little more intimate and a little warmer to be able to take your coat off if you run cold ;)
App: Crab Ravioli: Good but unfortunately dry. It was supposed to have a little brown butter sauce on it but sadly it was so little that it was dry and "cakey" in the mouth since the delicious crab inside was also dry. The flavors were great! I just wish it had a little more moisture either on the outside or inside.
Main 1: Pappardelle Bolognese: Only ok. Overall, too sweet and really dry as well. I have tasted about 15+ house made Bolognese/Ragus around Seattle this year and this didn't wow me like others. I can say fresh Pappardelle is tough to do and they did it better than other places, but the sauce was a turn off. It was way too sweet for a Bolognese. I can't tell if it was too much of the herb (maybe tarragon?), or too much wine that didn't reduce down or something else. My friend didn't like how sweet it was either. I wish it would have been a little more savory. Also, the meat % was really really low and maybe only got 4 very little crumbles in the entire dish. The sauce to noodle ratio was good (but just not the core flavor) in my personal experience.
Main 2: Spicy Sausage Fettuccine: Great! This dish was much better. Their noodle texture was better and the sauce was moist enough to maintain enjoyment the whole time. There was a healthy amount of the meat (as opposed to the Bolognese) and the flavors were well balanced. As a person who cannot tolerate spicy food, this was not scary spicy and instead was a well done flavorful spicy.
I give food 3/5 stars since 2 of the 3 dishes were a miss for me. But it has potential over other Italian places in town depending on what you order I think.
Service: Great. Very friendly, professional, didn't bother us, good pace of attention, clear communicator.
Street parking was still fairly decent despite it being a Friday night.
App: Crab Ravioli: Good but unfortunately dry. It was supposed to have a little brown butter sauce on it but sadly it was so little that it was dry and "cakey" in the mouth since the delicious crab inside was also dry. The flavors were great! I just wish it had a little more moisture either on the outside or inside.
Main 1: Pappardelle Bolognese: Only ok. Overall, too sweet and really dry as well. I have tasted about 15+ house made Bolognese/Ragus around Seattle this year and this didn't wow me like others. I can say fresh Pappardelle is tough to do and they did it better than other places, but the sauce was a turn off. It was way too sweet for a Bolognese. I can't tell if it was too much of the herb (maybe tarragon?), or too much wine that didn't reduce down or something else. My friend didn't like how sweet it was either. I wish it would have been a little more savory. Also, the meat % was really really low and maybe only got 4 very little crumbles in the entire dish. The sauce to noodle ratio was good (but just not the core flavor) in my personal experience.
Main 2: Spicy Sausage Fettuccine: Great! This dish was much better. Their noodle texture was better and the sauce was moist enough to maintain enjoyment the whole time. There was a healthy amount of the meat (as opposed to the Bolognese) and the flavors were well balanced. As a person who cannot tolerate spicy food, this was not scary spicy and instead was a well done flavorful spicy.
I give food 3/5 stars since 2 of the 3 dishes were a miss for me. But it has potential over other Italian places in town depending on what you order I think.
Service: Great. Very friendly, professional, didn't bother us, good pace of attention, clear communicator.
Street parking was still fairly decent despite it being a Friday night.
Cantinetta
Atmos - old world homey. Nice :) lots of wood which I like.
House Focaccia - doesn't come warm sadly. It's a little dense and dry for a focaccia in my experience. But it gets the job done. You do need the oil with it tho because it's so dry. I wish we had butter tho.
Burrata w/heirloom tomato - Good! Fresh and sweet. I'd order this again. FYI, Does not come with any carbs.
Rigatoni with snap peas and black pepper - very fresh tasting. Noodles were spot on.
Pappardelle Bolognese - the sauce is fantastic. Perfectly balanced, perfect ratio. The noodles weren't cooked all the way but the freshness was still appreciated.
Torta di Bosco - good but not mind blowing
Tartufo Affogato - very tasty, would eat again
House Focaccia - doesn't come warm sadly. It's a little dense and dry for a focaccia in my experience. But it gets the job done. You do need the oil with it tho because it's so dry. I wish we had butter tho.
Burrata w/heirloom tomato - Good! Fresh and sweet. I'd order this again. FYI, Does not come with any carbs.
Rigatoni with snap peas and black pepper - very fresh tasting. Noodles were spot on.
Pappardelle Bolognese - the sauce is fantastic. Perfectly balanced, perfect ratio. The noodles weren't cooked all the way but the freshness was still appreciated.
Torta di Bosco - good but not mind blowing
Tartufo Affogato - very tasty, would eat again