by Ron Johnson » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:14 am
Sometimes you can just tell how a place is not going to meet expectations from the moment you walk in the door. Last night at Via Vite, the newly opened restaurant by the Pietoso family, was just one of those times. At the reception desk we stated our name and reservartion time. The response was a rather cool offer to be seated outside (it was very chilly) or in the upstairs lounge where a live band was playing. I peered into the nicely appointed, modern dining room behind the hostess, and explained that when I made my reservation, I assumed that I was making it for a table in the main dining room. Instead of a response, I got the same offer for outside or upstairs again, and because of the weather I shrugged and accepted seating in the lounge. The lounge is, well a lounge. A bar along one wall, and lots of small tables clustered along banquette stylebench seats. The room is dominated by a bandstand with drum set, keyboard, etc. The band was rocking out some of the more forgettable hits of the 1970's. After being told that a regular table was "broken" we were dumped at a banquette table not more than 2 feet from the band. The table was without a candle, which others had. Service was friendly, but very nervous and amateurish. Wine was sloshed on the table, silverware was not brought until after the food arrived. Because of the presence of a wood bruning oven, we started with a pizza with anchovies, fresh mozzarella, and capers. It was a bust. If you have been to Primo in Louisville, you've had good pizza. This was not. It was fair, and a notch or two below what I can crank out of my oven at home. Not a good start. Pastas were a vast improvement, but by this point the mood had been killed, and I just wanted to leave. The band was blaring in my ears, the tablecloth-less table was puddled with red wine, and I just wished that I had known how to make a reservation for the dining room when I booked my table for that night.
Maybe next time they will tell me. if there is a next time.