[hedoman]

In anticipation of our final move to our home as FROGS we live on TOTV to read about your experiences and what's going on. When I read that on 3 separate occasions patrons were served something that did NOT meet their basic expectations I begin to wonder. Saying that they will still have to go somewhere else for a better meal means they have choices. To survive in TV I would think you'd want your establishment to be "the choice" place to go. For Toscanis to survive they should know of their miscues and hopefully correct them. I have read about bad experiences in about every place we've been but we never experienced them (from Red Sauce to Katie Belle's to Glenview). Though by the time we are packed and moved Toscanis may be flurishing but our first visit may now be with "cautious optimism". I respect that folks have documented their dissapointment anywhere in TV but we remain optimistic that, on occasion, these experiences are an anomally not the norm BUT we can always go somewhere else to get pizza, seafood or whatever.

McGraw-Hill marketing study in the 70's (before Internet or electronic media) stated "if a consumer likes something they will tell 3 people, if they don't like something they will tell 11 people" TOTV takes that statistic up a knotch

[Xavier]

We gave Toscani’s a try about two weeks ago and we're going to wait until fall to give them another chance. We live not too far away and would love to have a really good Italian place close by. Unfortunately our first go round wasn't very satisfactory. Our pizza was far less tasty than what we would have gotten as the $5 Hot and Ready special at Lil Caesars. I really do wish them well. I hope they make it. I haven't eaten at Belleview Pizza, but it looks like we'll need to give a try.

Xavier

[rdhdleo]

Well my husband and I have been there several times already. First time yes was disorganized but it was the second day of the "soft" opening. As time goes on I know it will get better. Tried some of the salads they were giving free tastes of and wow they were great! Husband had Meatball sandwich and it was really good. We have had pizza a couple of times now. LOVE the thin crust, sauce on the pizza we had the second time was better than the first time. So close for us and the quality of ingredients was wonderful so fresh! We will keep going back. Given them a few months and I am sure they will be operating more smoothly. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and concerned on how we liked everything.

[rdhdleo]

Originally Posted by nitakk

We were really looking forward to Toscani's opening as we love pizza and live closeby. Pizza was average at best and the pepperoni was scarce. Very disappointing that we still have to go to Belleview to get a really good pizza!

I guess they are inconsistent till they get it right. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and every inch was covered in pepperoni and that was the second day they were open. The grilled veggie pizza was was loaded with very fresh veggies! I have many friends that love Belleview Pizza while it is ok I wouldn't drive that far for their pizza. Best Pizza I had after moving here was Phils in Belleview was so sad when he closed after many years there No place has come close to Phils!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mhoerauf

Went to Toscani's for the first and last time yesterday.

As a result of my visit I would suggest you Go TO Toscani's if:

1) You want to dine at a place that appears totally disorganized and dysfunctional when you enter the door.

2) You want a place that provides NO table service at their limited number of tables.

3) You want to find a menu by yourself in order to find out what they serve. (Best to have one of you grab a table while the other looks for menus)

4) You want to eat off of Tin Foil Take Out Boxes and use plastic utensils

5) You want a $12 plate of Spaghetti ( Sauce was OK) and a couple of small not very good meatballs

6) You want an $8 plate of Marinated Chicken on a large bed of Baby Spinach that you stop eating as soon as you see a little bug crawling in the middle of it.

7) You want to order a wide variety of items from a menu that does not show prices for all items

8) You really don't know where to find a good Italian Restaurant.

If they make it through the Summer it will be a testimonial to numerous totally undiscriminating patrons. The place sucks and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but a very few people who I really don't like.

A bug...on the spinach???

I think...that Italian is only good as it is interpreted either from your mom or your home town. OH how I miss Cincinnati pizza in TV...And so you real Italian people can laugh..I had my first spaghetti with a tomato sauce with pork chops (!) and Italian sausage (!) and meat balls. It was yummy . Our neighbor made it for us. I had just had ground beef in it before.

No gloating. I make a mean Sauerbraten!!

[rdhdleo]

[QUOTE=graciegirl;349427]

I think...that Italian is only good as it is interpreted either from your mom or your home town.

How true that is! I lived in Chicago all my life till moving here 8 years ago! Nothing in Florida comes close to the Italian or any ethnic food for that matter that I had back home, very sad. I wait for my visits back home to get Chinese food. The stuff here is garbage. Only good all around Asian food so far is Bamboo Bistro and the place in Colony Country that does tempura.

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by mikeod

No matter how much you "rehearse" for a restaurant opening, nothing is like when the doors open to real customers. When my son opens a new location, they always have a night with "friends and family" and invite enough people to stress the staff, both front of the house and the kitchen. Those diners will give feedback that will be used to prepare for the real opening with paying customers. Even then, there will be hiccups. I would never judge a restaurant based on a visit in their first month of opening. I don't think it adequately reflects what you will find later on.

I can understand the feeling that any retail establishment should have things in order when they first open. However, with bills and wages to pay, there is a lot of pressure to open the doors to paying customers as soon as possible. Balancing the need to make a good first impression with the need to pay the rent, etc., is a tightrope act. Let's see what happens down the road.

Originally Posted by rdhdleo

Well my husband and I have been there several times already. First time yes was disorganized but it was the second day of the "soft" opening. As time goes on I know it will get better. Tried some of the salads they were giving free tastes of and wow they were great! Husband had Meatball sandwich and it was really good. We have had pizza a couple of times now. LOVE the thin crust, sauce on the pizza we had the second time was better than the first time. So close for us and the quality of ingredients was wonderful so fresh! We will keep going back. Given them a few months and I am sure they will be operating more smoothly. Everyone was very friendly and helpful and concerned on how we liked everything.

[quote=rdhdleo;349430]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think...that Italian is only good as it is interpreted either from your mom or your home town.

How true that is! I lived in Chicago all my life till moving here 8 years ago! Nothing in Florida comes close to the Italian or any ethnic food for that matter that I had back home, very sad. I wait for my visits back home to get Chinese food. The stuff here is garbage. Only good all around Asian food so far is Bamboo Bistro and the place in Colony Country that does tempura.

I am so happy to hear the start-up pains are being rectified. I would always give a restaurant a try to see for myself. IMHO -Chicago deep dish pizza is the best.

Being of Italian descent, my experience is that people of Italian descent tend to be more critical of food in a restaurant as they are used to it being excellent at home. Homemade pasta made from stratch is the best.

I love pasta and it would have to be very, very badly made for me not to enjoy it. Looking forward to trying this restaurant when I am in TV.

[rubicon]

Like 2BNTV, I am also of Italian extraction. Both my parents favored us with their specialities so going out to eat Italian is just never going to measure up. I seldom go out to eat and when I do end up ordering something I know they can't ruin steak, etc.

What caught my attention in this thread had been the term "whinner" and 70/20/10 whatever that means. It would seem to me that if a person or corporation opens an eatery then they should be prepared to offer both a good product and good service at a fair price. But most often what people experience is a long wait, so/so food sometimes a good waitress/waiter and far too often a high price compared to your experience. and I haven't even had the opportunity to get a look at their kitchen.

[alicehelen]

Why is it so hard to find decent pizza -& even harder to get DELIVERY???? I lived in Chicago my whole life - I am a retired Italian Chef - what is the problem here?

[alicehelen]

Well, some people will eat anything if it is CHEAP!!

[alicehelen]

By the way - I understand people are retired & watching their money - so do not be so LAZY - & cook at home since the restaurant food around here is not too hot!!

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by nitakk

We were really looking forward to Toscani's opening as we love pizza and live closeby. Pizza was average at best and the pepperoni was scarce. Very disappointing that we still have to go to Belleview to get a really good pizza!

There you go. We all have our likes and dislikes. To my wife and me, Bellview Pizza is ok, nothing more. If I were hungry and up in Bellview I might stop in but definitely wouldn't travel for their food.
Many people rave about Chicago style. For us, that's too much bread. We prefer NY style thin crust.
Some people like Sinatra, others the Stones. That doesn't make either good or bad, just different.
We like Lil Joey's pizza and look forward to trying Toscani's.

[alicehelen]

I do not understand about the Chicago pizza - I am from there - there IS deep Dish - but that is not what our favorite or most people who live there like. That is some TV invention - they only go to the deep dish places. We always ate thin crust - Naples style! Not like that bad Original( which by the way, I have been to supposedly several of the real ORIGANAL Ray's from New York).

[alicehelen]

I agree - nothing like Chicago pizza (THIN OR THICK) or GREAT Italian & Steak!

[K9-Lovers]

If you like Bellview Pizza, then try Mallory Hill Country Club. Their pizza is just as good, or better, in our opinion.