Despite my job title and description, I don’t take pleasure in criticizing restaurants. I fully comprehend the tremendous amount of time, money, passion, and toil that go into serving a single meal at a new establishment. That is precisely why I don’t race to be the first person to offer a public opinion of a place. Sure, everybody has a right to voice one — especially when paying good money — it’s just foolish to believe that all cylinders will be firing right out of the gate.
Case in point: I waited over five weeks before visiting Washington Place Bistro in Little Italy. While that’s longer than I typically wait to try a new restaurant, especially one as hotly anticipated as this one, it isn’t without precedent. Dragonfly has been serving a full menu for months, but only recently did I give it the once-over. Same for Fracas, which opened on Coventry a full month before I ever stepped foot inside.
And the results could not have been more disparate, with each of these first visits resulting in a wide range of experiences — from positive to negative. The only consistency being that I know each restaurant received from me a fair shake.
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2011.
…and you’re comparing these prices to the “last menu” that you happen to have from the Baricelli Inn…when they had dropped their prices in an effort to remain in business? Interesting that you have the only negative comments that I’ve read or heard about this fabulous new restaurant. All those people enjoying a night out there must disagree with you
I just looked at the menu and I dont think it is “expensive” at all. Maybe because I live in Los Angeles, it seems reasonable (is less than you would pay here, though). But good restaurants are not cheap–ever been to New York? Cleveland is building a nice little food scene with some excellent chefs and a little more adventuresome dining. I like pointing out to my Angeleno friends that the Iron Chef winner is from my town 🙂 But whining about the cost will doom the truly excellent places that offer fresh ingredients and creative menus.
What an odd review.
“more than worth the wait”, “thoroughly enjoyable”, “nearly flawless”, “passed our tests with flying colors”… … but it’s to expensive???
This place is defnietly an embarassment to the building that used to hold something as wonderful as the Baricelli Inn. The service here is terrible, it’s full of young kids who don’t know how to open a bottle of wine. The food focuses on using ‘local ingredients’ which is a great concept, but crop bistro on w.6th puts them to shame with the extreme creativity in using these ingredients… Anyone can make meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The price point is not too much different, I saved about $5 on my entree which I would have gladly donated to them if they could have improved their wine list.
If you are in the Little Italy area looking for good eats, this place is something you are not missing out on.