Centini Review

[ondubs]

Last night was the second dinner I’ve had at Centini. It is located on 160 Stephen Avenue Walk SE.

Centini is one of Calgary's top restaurants in my opinion. It is expensive, but the service, food and dinning experience make it worth while. The restaurant is beautiful with a unique modern design that you won't find anywhere else in Calgary. The dinning area is small with one main area along with seating in front of the kitchen at a bar and a private room.

Last night for dinner I had the soup to start, which was a roasted tomato with white beans and garnished with goats cheese. They also served complimentary tempura which was wonderful. For the main course I had Veal Tenderloin with seasonal vegetables. It was satisfactory, most of the main courses range from 30 to 40, however Centini stands out with their wonderful pasta dishes. The previous dinner I had the wild mushroom fettuccine at 18, which I found to be reasonable compared to the other fine Italian Restaurants I've been too. In fact if I was to suggest a main course I would highly recommend the pasta dishes, for the quality and taste I don't think there is a better restaurant then Centini.

For dessert I shared the marble chocolate cheese cake in strawberry compote. Outstanding and maybe the best part of the evening, save room for dessert.

In final an outstanding restaurant that I would classify as modern Italian, Centini would compare to Calgary's top restaurants but be prepared to spend top dollar.

- marc

[ondubs]

I did forget a few things, sorry.

- Food rating 4/5 would suggest a pasta dish as main course
- Ambience 5/5
- Service 4.5/5

The cost per person with an appetizer, main course and dessert would be about $70.00. $70 would not include drinks, tip or tax.

[BebeAphrodite]

hmmm... I'd rate it as
5/5 Food
5/5 Ambiance
5/5 Service

I love it there!!! Amazing food and great service!

Haven't been there in ages but what stands out in my mind is the $32 dessert dish. It says it's meant for 2 but there's nooo way two people could finish that. 4 of us ordered it and the entire table helped us finish it cause there were sooo many delicious desserts!! MmmMMM

Really good tho and totally worth it!!!
he he he

[ondubs]

that's too bad, the two times i've been there the service was great. I think the prices have gone up. That dessert plate now I think is 45 and it seemed more expensive then the first time I went?

- marc

[BebeAphrodite]

Actually I now retract completely what I said about the service. Arrrggg... went last nite and the waiter tried to rip us off $500!! What a fukkerrrr!!!

So... bill came to a little over $1600. Part of our party went down to our final destination early and told us that they had paid part of the bill (at least $200 plus some cash) and the total was supposed to be written down on the back of some receipt. About 10 minutes after they left we began to collect the money. We were sorta freaked when it was nearly $1000 short (and about 3-4 people hadn't paid yet). Then we were reminded of the previously paid balance. So to find out the REAL total of what we owed we talked to the waiter.

Conversation went like this:
Us: What do we owe on the bill?
Waiter: $1600
Us: No... I mean, what do we owe on the bill?
Waiter: Just leave $1600 and I'll sort it out.
Us: No... I mean, what do we owe on the bill after deducting what our friends paid.
Waiter: ooo.. uhh.. $1125.50

When I later went to ask him again just to confirm (I was money collector) he wouldn't even tell me a price and he said "that will be fine" when I said we had $1126 cash. Like WTF?

Gratuities are already included in the bill on large purchases, it wasn't as if he was going to get jipped but freaking $500 extra??? What an assssss...

[max_boost]

$1400 bill for 8 people

What were you guys/gals eating? Must be the wine?
Very bling meal :tongue:

[t-im]

Originally posted by BebeAphrodite
Actually I now retract completely what I said about the service. Arrrggg... went last nite and the waiter tried to rip us off $500!! What a fukkerrrr!!!

So... bill came to a little over $1600. Part of our party went down to our final destination early and told us that they had paid part of the bill (at least $200 plus some cash) and the total was supposed to be written down on the back of some receipt. About 10 minutes after they left we began to collect the money. We were sorta freaked when it was nearly $1000 short (and about 3-4 people hadn't paid yet). Then we were reminded of the previously paid balance. So to find out the REAL total of what we owed we talked to the waiter.

Conversation went like this:
Us: What do we owe on the bill?
Waiter: $1600
Us: No... I mean, what do we owe on the bill?
Waiter: Just leave $1600 and I'll sort it out.
Us: No... I mean, what do we owe on the bill after deducting what our friends paid.
Waiter: ooo.. uhh.. $1125.50

When I later went to ask him again just to confirm (I was money collector) he wouldn't even tell me a price and he said "that will be fine" when I said we had $1126 cash. Like WTF?

Gratuities are already included in the bill on large purchases, it wasn't as if he was going to get jipped but freaking $500 extra??? What an assssss...

complain!!!

[RSeXy]

^^

Agreed! I should've complained about the shietty service MB and I had at The Verve the last (and final) time we went.

Must be really good food there! I went to Sakana lastnite (we had sushi, Sam had salmon and seafood shishkababs and I had steak and lobster) and thought our $90 was expensive!

[GucciBoy]

^^^ WTF! Where is this place? is it the one in Telus convention centre? I think I might have been there, the name rings a bell.

Hehe, I had a bad dining exp. just this past week.

[GucciBoy]

[i]

When I later went to ask him again just to confirm (I was money collector) he wouldn't even tell me a price and he said "that will be fine" when I said we had $1126 cash. Like WTF?

Gratuities are already included in the bill on large purchases, it wasn't as if he was going to get jipped but freaking $500 extra??? What an assssss... [/B]

why didnt you complain on the spot? You could have easily and should have gotten him fired right then and there!

[t-im]

I would call the owner on Monday, or at least the manager, and calmly tell him the whole story. That's what works.

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by GucciBoy


why didnt you complain on the spot? You could have easily and should have gotten him fired right then and there!

It's actually not easy to fire anyone just because you complain and we were in a rush and I had no time to argue .. so just left the money and left

Update: Called them at 3:30 after my classes and complained about the issue and they told me that we were actually $200 short - they weren't making us pay it but they let us know we were short. I didn't think so but I didn't have figures so I let them go.

I called around to figure out how much we paid and called Centini back at 4:00 to tell them that there was no way we were short. I wanted the manager to know that we didn't short the bill and I wanted to get to the bottom of this. They still insisted we were short and faxed over our 'bill'... but it was not the bill we received. Our bill was 1600 something and the bill we were faxed was $1770 or so.. so yes, according to the 'new' revised bill, we are short around 200 bux. Well.. still waiting to get to the bottom of this and haven't called back but what a SHIT SHOW!

[t-im]

Originally posted by BebeAphrodite


It's actually not easy to fire anyone just because you complain and we were in a rush and I had no time to argue .. so just left the money and left

Update: Called them at 3:30 after my classes and complained about the issue and they told me that we were actually $200 short - they weren't making us pay it but they let us know we were short. I didn't think so but I didn't have figures so I let them go.

I called around to figure out how much we paid and called Centini back at 4:00 to tell them that there was no way we were short. I wanted the manager to know that we didn't short the bill and I wanted to get to the bottom of this. They still insisted we were short and faxed over our 'bill'... but it was not the bill we received. Our bill was 1600 something and the bill we were faxed was $1770 or so.. so yes, according to the 'new' revised bill, we are short around 200 bux. Well.. still waiting to get to the bottom of this and haven't called back but what a SHIT SHOW!

katie, don't give up and just keep on pressing and insisting to speak to the owner of the restaurant. Keep calm and be stern. and don't admit they were right. Are you just speaking to a manager? If so, speak to the owner, and if he is insistent you're short, just use the whole "i'm a repeat customer etc etc and you're accusing me of this?"

Yes, many will wonder WHATS the point in complaining bla bla, but i'm a strong beleiver in making my unhappiness known when it comes to peoples incompetencies

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by t-im


katie, don't give up and just keep on pressing and insisting to speak to the owner of the restaurant. Keep calm and be stern. and don't admit they were right. Are you just speaking to a manager? If so, speak to the owner, and if he is insistent you're short, just use the whole "i'm a repeat customer etc etc and you're accusing me of this?"

Yes, many will wonder WHATS the point in complaining bla bla, but i'm a strong beleiver in making my unhappiness known when it comes to peoples incompetencies

We're talking to him for the third time right now... this is stupid.. I've spoken to both the manager and the owner. Basically we're letting him know that the bill we saw was NOT the bill that we were faxed. So the restaurant is taking the bill at $1770 and we paid around $1600 --> wihch means the waiters didn't get the tip. I'm glad tho...

o btw, they were never making me pay the difference I just wanted them to know WE WERE NOT SHORT according to the bill that we had because I don't wanna look like some jackass for shorting the bill and then complaining.
This whole thing was just a shit show... but ... whatever, the waiters lost their tip.
I dunno why they are so incompetent!! I mean we go out to eat in large groups several times a year with people paying on different methods and we've never run into this problem before because our server keeps track of who has paid what. In total there were only 4 debit/cc transactions!!! The rest was cash.. how hard is that to keep track of?

and also, I complain a lottt too.. I will call places back and let them know how disatisfied with something and I even go as far as writing emails/letters too.

[GucciBoy]

what did you guys eat for that much money?

[t-im]

Originally posted by BebeAphrodite


We're talking to him for the third time right now... this is stupid.. I've spoken to both the manager and the owner. Basically we're letting him know that the bill we saw was NOT the bill that we were faxed....

and also, I complain a lottt too.. I will call places back and let them know how disatisfied with something and I even go as far as writing emails/letters too.

Did he say specifically that the waiters aren't getting tip? that would be great
how were the managers/owner towards you..did they even take you seriously?
haha and complaining is the only way to correct things gone awry!

Originally posted by GucciBoy
what did you guys eat for that much money?

it's not hard to run up a bill to that much once you start ordering drinks-

and food itself can get pricey depending on what you order and how much of what you order.
For me, I usually like to order soup + salad or soup+another appetizer, then the main course, then desert. That can easily be $100+ depending on what is ordered, factor in wine and voila!

Originally posted by smartcar
I don't think they have an "owner", they have a bunch of shareholders, at least that's what I heard when they first opened.

It's most likely that, but with one person being the "frontman" aka Fabio Centini

[RSeXy]

That's too bad you got such poor service, especially if you are spending that kind of money...you expect outstanding service! I checked out the online menu and everything sounds scrumptious!! I wouldn't mind checking it out...when I'm a baller and can afford it. Unless my "date" just gets a water...then it should be fine! hahaha!
j/k


If the owner/manager handled it well, then it shouldn't sour your views on your favorite restaurant!

[BebeAphrodite]

Originally posted by smartcar
I don't think they have an "owner", they have a bunch of shareholders, at least that's what I heard when they first opened.

But anyway, with respect to your bill, if people are going to leave early and throw in cash, they should leave it with you, or on the table, not with the waiter. If they go to the waiter, they should only pay him if they say I had this and this, can you split it off and give me the bill, and he can. Otherwise forget it, you should keep the cash to apply to the total bill. Debit/credit is not such an issue, there's a record of what was paid.

The cash was left with me. The debit/CC was what was given to the waiter. There were 4 CC/Debit transactions. I roughly knew the amount but was not SURE what the actual amount was... that's why we asked but they wouldn't give us a real number until after 3 attempts to ask. The people who gave the CC/Debit were told that the new amount would be written on the bill - which it wasn't. I don't understand why there is 'so much confusion' about the bill when we were asking for the total of the 4 ppl on debit/cc. We never asked for a split bill because we didn't need one. When I spoke to the manager he said that we requested split bills at the end of the meal which is inaccurate. We just had 4 people pay using card and the rest was cash.

Originally posted by t-im


Did he say specifically that the waiters aren't getting tip? that would be great
how were the managers/owner towards you..did they even take you seriously?
haha and complaining is the only way to correct things gone awry!




it's not hard to run up a bill to that much once you start ordering drinks-

and food itself can get pricey depending on what you order and how much of what you order.
For me, I usually like to order soup + salad or soup+another appetizer, then the main course, then desert. That can easily be $100+ depending on what is ordered, factor in wine and voila!



It's most likely that, but with one person being the "frontman" aka Fabio Centini

Yes, I did speak with Fabio after.. I believe it was Mark that I spoke with intially.

Yes, it is easy to run up the bill and yes they did specifically say that the waiters got jipped of the tip... which is entirely their fault because I don't see it being hard to keep track of FOUR card transactions to give us the real total.