Via Oreto Ristorante Italiano

The scene opens at 9pm on a cold winter January Sunday night. Greeted with a lukewarm reception by the hostess whom we had the nerve to disturb by entering her restaurant. (The restaurant as we learned later closes at 10pm) Got very strange welcomes from the waiter and the busboys. The restaurant was about half full, which was encourgaging and we were by no means the last customers... Anyway - our waiter disappeared after we ordered and left it to the other waitress to deliver our food, which they got wrong. The decor was ok, I'm sure the plaster patched ceiling was a work in progress and is repaired now. The food was its only saving grace, it was very tasty, but $28.95 for veal marsala it ought to be! With all the interesting restaurants to go to on 1st ave right around this place, unless you have blue hair and/or look like the old guy in the Six Flags commercial - try someplace else. Pros: food was tasty Cons: poor service, overpriced more

Had a party of 8. They tried to sit us in the back by the kitchen in a table built for 6 with no AC on. We moved ourselves. We were a bit loud and the crowd that's drawn here is more your blue haired condo commando's that expect a hush hush no talking dinner. The service was spotty. Our waiter disappeared after our main dishes came and I had to go find him to get the bill.\r \r Prices are average but then again so was the food. Cons: Blue hairs more