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New Italian

Discussion in 'Area Restaurants, Dining and Food' started by docsaba, Jul 12, 2009.

  1. docsaba

    docsaba New Member

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    Going in where Michelangelo's was - - saw the sign today. No word on opening date.
     
  2. Brit

    Brit New Member

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  3. TDT

    TDT TDCKY

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    This was in teh Zagat email this week-

    On July 18, the Broadlands Center space that formerly housed Michelangelo will be transformed into Forno, a family trattoria. The setting's Romanesque statuary and frescoes will be replaced by modern red-and-black decor, while the menu – from D’Acqua chefs Enzo Febbraro and Francesco Ricchi – will offer authentic Italian pizza, pastas and other wallet-friendly fare, served in family-style and personal portions. N.B. Youngsters will be able to craft their own pizzas to be baked in the namesake oven (43150 Broadlands Center Plaza, Ashburn, VA).
     
  4. jmbranch

    jmbranch New Member

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    Anyone try Forno yet? It looked open when I drove by .
     
  5. Tech Head

    Tech Head New Member

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    I'm surprised nobody has posted yet. I guess I'll have to try it out myself!
     
  6. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    We went there this weekend. It was nice. Of course it was only one visit so way too soon to form an opinion yet.

    I like to give a joint a few tries before I start to hate it. LoL
     
  7. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    Oz have you been to Pines of Florence in the Village yet...? if so- any comparison opinons...? I am 20 lbs from visiting any new restaurants!
     
  8. Charlotte

    Charlotte New Member

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    I've had P of F's pizza. Better than the old Domani's, but just "OK."
     
  9. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    Nope have not tried that yet.

    Sigh, another Italian restaurant in the area..... There goes my diet. :p
     
  10. Brit

    Brit New Member

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    Seems to have been a quiet launch. Nothing much in local press - maybe this week we'll see some marketing?
     
  11. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    ost restaurants prefer to open quietly to allow their employee's to get up to speed.
    That concept rarely seems to work around here.......
     
  12. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    i would LOVE to know WHAT concept DOES work around here for a restaurant! aside from being a national chain that people feel "safe" with.
     
  13. izzysmom

    izzysmom New Member

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    OMG, we went to this restaurant last night for my birthday dinner and what a disappointment. I was trying to be patient because it is new and the help wanted sign led me to believe that they were understaffed. But my patience has its limits.

    First of all, the hostess seemed nice enough, but seemed very apologetic that they serve alcohol. :confused: Then I noticed that the "tablecloth" was paper, not impressed with that. When my husband and I looked at the menu, mine had a smudge on it that looked like someone killed a gnat with it, and husband's had more than one smudge on it.

    The menu was disappointing to say the least. Pizza and pasta were pretty much your only options. Not even veal parmesan or chicken marsala to choose from. The pizzas had strange ingredients, most had some form of leafy vegetable on them but no meats really. :confused:

    Believe me, we had plenty of time to look over the menu because no server ever came to our table! :angryfire: A bus-person came over and brought bread and water, but his english was very bad and impossible to understand. We must have sat there for 10 minutes watching the servers tend to other tables and no one took a drink order from us. The last straw was when a table of 8 were seated and the server walked past us and tended to the larger table before they even sat down! :censored:

    We walked out. I have never done that before, but we hadn't eaten anything or ordered anything, so we didn't owe them money. We weren't even noticed when we left.

    We ended up going to Bonefish and had a much better dining experience. Two thumbs down for Forno.
     
  14. rich351854

    rich351854 New Member

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    We went Friday night......... let me start by stating the food was GOOD...

    However......

    We had a very similar experience (and had 2 kids with us so you can imagine the frustration)..... we waited forever to get served.

    We started with the carpaccio and.... they forgot the cheese - we sent it back - 5 minutes later the same, now warm plate, comes back with cheese.....again quality was Good, but this was silly

    We then got the kids make your own pizzas, which the waiter struggled to get the stuff out for... my wife and I had a pizza - which.... we saw coming to our table (before the kids)... told the waiter and he had it brought back to the kitchen, and said it will only have to sit around for 5 minutes or so, it should be fine......

    Then they brought the wrong kids pizza back to the table (seem as if one child topped theirs up with GARLIC chuncks and tons of cheese........ When we pointed it out the waiter said "It must be your lucky day"....

    The food quality was fresh and good, but the service was just dreadfull............... They need to fix this (and I would have walked out if we hadn't already drank our drinks! and waited 45 minutes!)

    It has a chance of being a good place, but front of house needs a work over!
     
  15. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    I can sympathize with the tribulations of opening up and operating a new restaurant/donut shop/whatever. It takes a lot of work. Finding staffing, training them, managing supplies, managing the facility are all tremendous tasks and I have not even gotten to the problems with providing the actual service/product.

    The problems faced by a new joint owner are one of the many reasons I am not in the restaurant business. My sympathies are with the small business owner and especially with local business owners. It is, in my opinion, advantageous for local businesses to succeed in our community.:clap:

    However, my sympathies only stretch so far. As a committed capitalist, results mean more than intentions in the long run. These businesses want my money and are promising to provide a service/product. When the product/service is unacceptable, it is simply not worth my money. Product/service must equal value of money in order to work.

    The very nature of commercial competition means that a successful business needs to offer “more” than the competition in order to survive. That “more” can mean more service, more selection, more quality, more quantity, more local, or more savings (less expense).

    Each customer has his or her own priority on these “mores”. Some value price, some value convenience, some value quality, some value service, and some value local business ownership. Most customers value combinations of these (get the mostest for the leastest). This is the basis for commercial competition.

    When I am in the mood for a nice yummy artery-clogging heart-stopping breakfast fat-wich, or a most delicious carb heavy butt-widening, belly-busting dinner, I have several choices. Sure I would like to give the small local business my business, but I want acceptable service/product.:nono:

    If, after giving them a fair trial, the local businesses are unable/unwilling to provide the service/product for my money, I, as a capitalist, will go elsewhere.:(

    I would like to support local businesses, but I am not willing to give them charity. I hope that the new businesses like Dunkin Donuts, Forno, et al understand that they are up against some stiff competition and the “let’s help out the new local businesses” paradigm will only last so long.

    None of these businesses that we have been complaining about are offering their services at a discounted price while they “get started”. They expect the customer to pay the full service/product price, but expect us to accept unacceptable service/product while things get straightened out.:angryfire:

    Now, I am sure that we are all understanding and patient people. We all realize that there will be some hic-ups with any new business. But when does it stop?

    For me, it is three strikes and you are out. One unacceptable experience is happenstance; two unacceptable experiences are a coincidence; but three unacceptable experiences indicate a pattern.

    New businesses need to realize that people in our community are fair-minded and understanding of start-up hic-ups…. Up to a point.
     
  16. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    i also worked extensively in the retaurant biz, and i am also only so forgiving. there is NO EXCUSE for improper/imcomplete training of the staff that represents your restaurant. if anything- the opening staff would WOW you!

    i honestly think people open places here with an expectation that mediocrity is good enough. don't they realize that there is plenty of competition, and most of us won't hesitate to drive someplace ELSE for better food?

    il fornaio is right in Reston and spectacular- haven't eaten at any other Italian restaurant since eating there. Standard Italian fare is easy to make in my own kitchen and several of my friend make great pizza- don't need to pay for that here. buit if i DO want a slice- we have pletny of that available- Sal'sis right in the same plaza and excellent.

    do they forget that we want a full experience and won't settle for just whatever they throw up- pun intended? i know these guys have a place in DC- i wonder if IT is this mediocre?

    i'm an advocate for small biz as ya'll know, but i will not tolerate not giving us your best effort.
     
  17. Pacha1

    Pacha1 New Member

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    To chime in, last Friday evening (the 21st) was our family's first visit. Hostess was nice, though I couldn't really understand her. First server spoke no english, but we quickly figured out he was taking care of bread and water. The waiter was fine, though he seemed new. He was appropriately attentive and earned his 20%.

    The food was terrific. Spaghetti Carbonara was excellent, and the meatball pizza we got was outstanding. I'm from NYC, and like Sal's, but this was better.

    So service was ok, food was great. English is definitely a second language for the staff, but we'll go again.
     
  18. Pacha1

    Pacha1 New Member

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    Went for the second time. Food was again very good. Service was quite slow. Was in there for almost an hour and a half. Ordered an appetizer which got lost and arrived after the main course, and only because we kept asking about it.

    We've decided we'll try it a third time, primarily because the food was so good.
     
  19. RobVT3

    RobVT3 New Member

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    We need more office in the area for a lunch crowd to support all the restaurants. Perhaps a hospital? I know I know...:deadhorse:
     
  20. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    glad to hear the food was good- i was afraid i wasn't going to hear any good news about this place! so many ppl have good experiences but dont' report them. in 20 lbs i will give it a shot- carbonara is one of my guiltiest pleasures...
     

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