Staccato - Bend Oregon
Staccato at the Firehall
I have visited Staccato a couple times now and I have not been impressed on either occasion. The first time was a work function so I wasn't even picking up the tab. The wine was great, the service was good, but the food was just so-so. On that visit I ordered from the specials menu. Anytime you tell me that there are Brussels sprouts that have been rendered in bacon fat as the side dish, I'm in.The meat (I can't even remember what it was) and mashed potatoes were forgettable and the Brussel sprouts were not anything special. I left wondering what all the hype was about. There are quite a few people that really do like going to Staccato but I'm not one of them.
But the wife had never been there so I let her talk me into it. I mean, Gusto "readers" voted Staccato the best Italian for the second year in a row. Now that has to count for something...right? Maybe?
On this occasion we had ran into some technical difficulties. I think it might have been the hostesses fault for seating us in an already busy section. Our waitress seemed to have to work the outside tables as well as a few tables inside including a 6 top. So she was pretty busy to begin with yet the rest of the servers didn't appear overly swamped and their sections not very full.
We sat at the table for 15 minutes without anyone coming by. Not one person. No water, no drink orders, no "hey, I'm sorry about the wait, I'll be with you in just a second", no menus, nothing. We almost walked out. But it was a nice night and the wife and I didn't have anything else planned. When our waitress finally came by to see if we'd like anything to drink, we had to ask to see a drink menu or a wine list. Then we had to ask for dinner menus. It was a mess.
The only really good dish that we had that night was the Chicken Pesto Pizza we ordered as our appetizer.
The rest of the meal was just average at best. The service that night might have tainted our taste buds and no matter how the food was, we were not happy. I try to not let one part of the dinning experience influence the other, but I am human.
Once we got our orders in, things went smoothly until we wanted to pay and leave, it took forever to get our bill, for her to collect it, and bring back my card so we could leave.
The chances of us going back to Staccato on our own dime are slim to none. But if you have to go, that pizza was really good. The wife says "why spend that much money for so-so food and crappy service when you can go to Jackalope Grill? I mean sure Staccato is downtown but I think that's what you're paying for. For the money, I'd rather go to the Jackalope strip mall."
Staccato at the Firehall
5 NW MINNESOTA Suite 101
BEND, OR 97701
Phone: 541.312.3100
http://www.staccatosfirehall.com/
Staccato at the Firehall Map
Labels: Staccato, Staccato at the Firehall
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5What? Got something to say?
I've only eaten dinner at Staccato once, and had the Wild Boar Lasagna. It was quite good, actually. But no one else at the table was that impressed with their dishes, and given the "eh" experiences I've had going there for drinks and dessert, there are probably about 20 places in town I'd rather go first.
What IS it with servers who make you wait forever to get the check and process it for you? I mean, don't they realize that's your last impression BEFORE LEAVING THE TIP??? Duh.
Noisy.
Pretentious.
Long wait.
And thank you Miss Hostess for telling me that there is a busy section, and you COULD seat me there, but then the waitress might not be happy. Um... don't tell me that. Let me think that your waitstaff is professional and won't shaft me because you stupidly seated me there.
And thank you Miss Bar waitress (we opted not to sit in the 'busy' section, but rather the bar area) for leaning on my table and telling me how tired you are. WTF is up with THAT?!!!
Won't go back. Period. And I love Jackalope Grill.
I'm going to be the voice of descent. Staccato IS terrible at being honest if you call in to see how long the wait is (we always hear 'if you come in now there's no wait' and arrive to find it implausable that when we called that was the case).
Having said that, I've ordered Staccato's Puttanesca with shrimp and it was pretty good.
By the way, if the restaurant is busy, sit at the bar and order dinner, there. That's where we sit whenever we go. The bar staff is great at service and even friendly!
Perhaps, though, Staccato could use some soul and needs to go vibrato? Get it?
Came in at 5:30 on a Saturday, it was at 10% full at the most. 15 min wait for the worst table in the house. "Every thing else is reserved", per the hostess. We finished our drinks and left. After dinner elsewhere, we walked by. 90 min later, and still at no more than 1/3 full.
Pretentious, over priced, no thanks...
Oh, BOR. I wanted to be the voice of dissent (see my Comment, above) but it ain't stick'n.
My hubby and I went to "Brunch" at Staccato this past Sunday and were a tad surprised.
First of all, I talk in my Comment, above, about not being able to get into Staccato. Well, you can certainly get in for "Brunch". There were maybe twenty people there over the course of an hour. Admittedly, we were there at about 11am.
I keep refering to it as "Brunch" (in quotes) because we were surprised. We'd seen Staccato advertise their "Brunch" and thought we'd finally try it. I was picturing a selection of both breakfast and lunch foods (which is where the "br" and "unch" parts of the word come from - I know, brainy). Nope. We were given a menu. There were no tables of dishes to choose from, on our own (which is also typical of "Brunch"). See the brunch at Sun River Lodge or Inn At 7th Mtn. They do brunch. We were to select and order our "Brunch" (some might call it "breakfast), as it was all breakfast food, and there were maybe ten dishes to choose from - not a a lot of selection on the menu. The food was 'fine' and overpriced.
If you want to eat breakfast, and pretend you went to Brunch, go to Staccato on a Sunday morning.
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