Lunch at E Tutto Qua

After having enjoyed a couple of nice meals here before, I made reservations for a large group of us for lunch. We were seated downstairs, our group of 17 fit very comfortably along one side of the triangular dining area. Our waiter had a thick accent and suggested what we all thought was a fritto misto appetizer. We agreed and settled down with beverages and the fresh made bread while we looked over the menu. I had already decided to order whatever pizza our waiter recommended and ordered the Classico Pizza with a green salad. After we ordered, appetizers began to show up – four courses of them, including the very same pizza that I had just ordered for my lunch… I am generally not one to rant, but this was a serious blunder. None of us had understood that our waiter had recommended four courses of appetizers including pizza. Not only that, he should have discouraged anyone from ordering pizza for lunch…

First came the Fritto Misto that was an assortment of battered and fried calamari, shrimp, over fried potato and zucchini sticks that were rather soggy and bland. It did come with a red pepper dipping sauce, but it was just not singing to me in the way that fried foods normally do…

Next came plates of Bruschetta, which were very well made of chopped fresh tomato tossed with olive oil and basil over garlic kissed toast.

Then came four pizzas, two of the Classico, which is made with fresh mozzarella, arugula and prosciutto. I like the super thin crispy crust, it is not so filling and it really highlights the fresh and simple toppings.

Then two of the Margherita, which is tomato sauce with fresh mozarella and basil

BG ordered the delectable Burrata Cheese with Arugula salad plate

And then lastly, plates of seared scallops with a luscious mushroom reduction sauce. Angelo the tatooed doorman advised us that the bread is very good dipped into the sauce, indicating that his healthy girth was directly related to how much he liked this very rich combination.

My green salad came, it was simply dressed with a bland vinaigrette (or possibly just plain olive oil) that was much better after I drizzled some balsamic from the bottles on the table. By this time, I was pretty full from the first courses and would have been fine after this with dessert, but no…

Our entrees began to arrive and those of us who had ordered pizza for our main course were a little dismayed to be served the same thing again… I had a whole pizza set in front of me. Fortunately my friendly neighbors were willing to let me sample from their delicious looking pastas, and I was very jealous that I had that dry old pizza sitting there waiting for me.

AC’s order of Chicken Panini came with the same green salad that he ordered for his first course, yet another oversight by our waiter. There was another large group in the 2nd floor mezzanine, which may explain the lapse in table service that we experienced, but we were served promptly and all at once, so the kitchen can definitely handle a crowd.

Yes, I’ll be back for the pizza and pasta, but will pass on the salads and fried foods next time.

postscript: I had lunch with some of the attendees and apparently everyone hated this place for a combination of reasons, the food, the service, the smarmy bouncer at the door… I haven’t been back either but I do think about that Bianca pizza.