Review: Dolce Sapori
Name: Dolce Sapori
Location: 1147 Kensington Cr. N.W. upstairs
Phone: (403) 283-7793
Quick Notes:
Food: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value: 5/5
A group of 4 of us went to Dolce Sapori for dinner on New Years Eve. Having not heard of this place, I checked the net for info/reviews/website/etc only to find very little. Just one little blog entry that provided enough info to make me want to check it out.
Dolce Sapri is the upstairs of Pulcinella - the 'love it or hate it' pizza joint in Kensington. I am not a huge fan of Pulcinella, but do appreciate what they are bringing to the table in terms of quality and authenticity.
We arrived a little before 9PM and were escorted upstairs, away form the brightly lit dining area of the main floor Pulcinella. The upstairs is quaint - about 10 tables for groups of 4-8. Lots of intense red paint and comfy chairs make it known that you are there to relax and eat.
Being a bit of a more upscale place, and New Years Eve, we were expecting to spend some money tonight, so seeing appetizers for $15 and mains for $35 wasn't a big surprise. What is a pleasant surprise is the portion size. As a hugely refreshing change, the portions are huge! The idea behind the restaurant is sharing - most dishes are portioned for 2-3 people. We ordered 4 appetizers, a pasta 2nd course, and a single entree. More that enough food for 4 people - we coudl have easily skipped the entree!
For example, the Bruschetta Appetizer ($15 or so) is a full size pizza from Pulcinella, topped with fresh tomoatoes and loads of olives. We also had the Caprese salad - about 12 tomato slices topped with fresh buffalo mozzarella, an arugula salad with bresola stuffed with marscapone cheese and pears and red peppers stuffed with tuna and served cold.
The main pasta dish ordered was simply a spaghetti with tomato sauce - great tasting and about $19; and the main entree was a GIANT serving of salmon on a bed of risotto (around $36 and enough to feed 2-3 people).
We were too full for dessert, but if the rest was any indication, I'm sure they are great.
The service was impeccable - informative, attentive and not overbearing.
Wine list offers a variety of selections, from $8 glasses to $1,000 bottles. We were drinking a really nice Valpolicella Ripasso that was very reasonable at $30 per half liter.
The total bill for 4 appetizers, 1 pasta dish and 1 main source, 3 1/2 liters of wine and 5 highballs was $240.00. You will spend more on dinner here than, say, Earls or Joeys, but much less than other restaurants in it's class - Mercato, Murrieata's, etc.
Go with a small group, go hungry and you will leave happy!
I definitely look forward to returning.
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