Sorriso (Cleveland Park)

[JennyUptown]

OK, who has been and whadja think?

[laniloa]

I really enjoyed my margarita pizza. Most places don't use enough basil for my taste but not so here. The crust was thin and crispy, not soggy as is sadly often the case. The sauce isn't too sweet and they don't drown the pizza in either sauce or cheese. A splash of olive oil gave it some extra oomph. The owner has a vineyard and his merlot makes for a nice house wine. Actually, I don't know that they call it their house wine so ask for the owner's own. My companion ate his fried calamari in record time with a big smile on his face. He was tempted to order another plate. They get high marks for enthusiasm (the staff is cheerful but not obnoxiously so -- they seem to take pride in your enjoyment) but are still working out the kinks. They were out of several items the night I went because they just didn't anticipate their need (they ran out of gorgonzola for the salad and several of their listed beers). It has a cozy feel and smells wonderful.

I'll be going back. This is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Vace's pizza hasn't been what it used to be and Uno's, don't get me started, isn't pizza. Plus, since Coppi's left we've been missing a good neighborhood Italian restaurant.

[Melani]

I have been to Sorriso twice--for dinner on a Wednesday and for lunch on a Thursday. At dinner we shared the mussels, spinach & gorgonzola salad, and the wild mushroom & (carmelized?) onion pizza. Mussels were excellent. Pizza was tasty with good quality toppings. The crust was very, very thin so the pizza wasn't too filling. The salad was a little boring--just a bunch of baby spinach leaves (like the kind you get in the bag in the grocery store) with oil & vinegar, but the gorgonzola rescued it.

Atomosphere was slightly off, but I think they can fix that. We sat in the downstairs area where the spotlights in the ceiling seemed way too bright for a cozy Italian restaurant. The 2-top tables were too small and uncomfortable, even for two rather small people. The tables appeared to be the metal folding type, partially disguised under the white tablecloth; I kept bumping my leg whenever I moved. Accoustics were bad--we had to shout at each other to be heard across the table.

The service was spotty. All of the other tables were given bread but we had to flag down the waiter and request some bread to sop up the mussel broth. We weren't given a wine list nor were we offered any wine, so we didn't order any.

The menu and prices are exactly the same at lunch as at dinner. I had the rigatoni bolognese. It had a good, clingy sauce. But I would have expected to pay less at lunch. They did not bring any bread and the room was very cold. There was a space heater right next to our table.

I would go back for the food and sit at the bar, unless they make the dining room areas more inviting.

Melani

[laniloa]

Went for dinner last night -- blech. I had gnocchi with butter, sage, and poppy seed sauce. The gnocchi were rubbery mush. I was expecting a brown butter with sage sauce. Nope. Just melted butter with a couple of non-wilted sage leaves tossed in. The poppy seeds provided an interesting flavor but it seemed more afterthought than conscious effort.

My friend's pizza was much better then my pitiful pasta. IF I go back, I'll stick with pizza.

[Tweaked]

The pasta dish I had there a couple months ago was pretty bland as well...definitely stick to the pizza.

[JennyUptown]

Anyone been here lately? Faux Veg just suggested it (I think she wants pizza, as well as to try a new place). I'm less than excited.

[Al_Dente]

I was a sorri so and so when I tried it a couple of weeks back. Perhaps I should try the pizza.

[iamthestretch]

I've had two indifferent lunches at the bar. Last time the cooks were flipping the owner off behind his back, which isn't usually a great sign.

[morela]

I've had two indifferent lunches at the bar. Last time the cooks were flipping the owner off behind his back, which isn't usually a great sign.

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Sounds like business as usual...

[mhberk]

I've had two indifferent lunches at the bar. Last time the cooks were flipping the owner off behind his back, which isn't usually a great sign.

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Sounds like business as usual...

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That's pretty funny!

I had dinner there last weekend and wasn't impressed. A few times I spotted our waitress around the wine table, filling up her glass and drinking it as she walked up and down the stairs. She served us our appetizers and then didn't come back until she served us our entrées. We sat for quite a while staring at the empty plates from our appetizers. When she came over to serve us our entrées, she stood over us holding our dinners, and asked us if we were done with our aps. At that point, what if we WEREN'T done?

The dinners were just OK. I agree, stick to the pizza! The entrées are very inconsistant and the service isn't much better. I've never had a bad (or even just OK) pizza there. I have been thoroughly impressed with every pizza I've had there. One time when I was there for lunch (with my brother and sister), we told our waiter that we were in a hurry and asked how long the pizza would take. He told us that they would take about 15 minutes (which was reasonable). After 20 minutes, my brother got up to ask how much longer it would take, and it appeared that the cook was just putting it in the oven. The owner over heard our conversation and told us that if we could just wait 5 minutes longer (appearently it only takes 5 minutes to cook the pizzas there), they would be ready. We told him that we were in a hurry and at that point, we would have to take them to go (if they weren't so good, I would've left as soon as I found out that they were just being put in). They arrived in to go boxes and told us that all three pizzas were on the house (drinks too). The owner was a very nice and gracious man who understood the meaning of customer service (something that hasn't been passed on to his staff).