Luigi’s Pasta & Vino Restaurant

We should have known better. Bad reviews and no one in the restaurant on a Friday the end of June should have been a sign. We were staying at the Golden Inn and had a last minute change in plans with some time issues so decided to eat here as we had several years ago and enjoyed it at that time.
The only positives this time were our server, Sue, and our busboy. Both were very attentive, checking into see how things were, etc.
The food: meh at best. Our Caesar salads tasted as if the lettuce had been around for awhile, stale croutons, bottled dressing. My son’s gnocchi with pesto was overcooked to the point of being very chewy, my «pasta your way» was flavorless with overcooked broccoli rabe, ok shrimp (3) and what was supposed to be scampi sauce. Two other pastas at the table were also underwhelming. The young chef did come to the table when we mentioned the gnocchi issue and said to my son «sorry about that, man». The dessert my son had, not made in house, was good and comped. But $ 150.00 for 4 for mediocre food?
Why the Golden Inn keeps this restaurant open is a mystery to me. When we arrived for our 7:00 reservation there were 6 other people dining, and when we left at 8:00, there were 5. To top it off, when we left the restaurant the chef was sitting outside on a milk crate with some friends, enjoying a cigarette. Not very professional — and speaks volumes to the quality of food being served. Won’t be back.

The restaurant was cold, the menu was limited, the staff was not competent and our food did not come out anywhere close to the same time. The food itself was also hit or miss. We will not being going back.

Normally, i would give this restaurant 3,5* but the owner Mr Luigi himself came to greet us. He wants to make sure his customer leave his restaurant with a smile. I loved the food. My wife ordered something and it was not what she expected. Mr Luigi came to check if we were happy with the food. My wife told him about her expectations. He took the plate back to the kitchen and came later with something that pleased my wife. It was not as on the menu but making it right was his priority. For this, he deserves a 4* rating.