When organizing a celebratory dinner, I keep in mind all attendees: specifically food preferences and desired atmosphere (quiet, hip & trendy or well-lit). My entire family enjoys Italian food, so I put a lot of effort into finding a place that would make everyone happy...or so I thought! I chose Trattoria il Mulino (http://www.trattoriailmulino.com/trattoria-il-mulino-new-york-menu/) thinking it would please everyone and it ending up disappointing everyone instead. Let me take you through the meal so you understand.
Several days before our reservation (through Open Table), I called the restaurant directly. I requested that we be given a seat that would be easier for a handicapped person to sit in and be in a quieter part of the restaurant. I also mentioned that it was a graduation celebration meal (I also put that in my notes on my reservation).
When my mom and I arrived (ahead of my brother and dad, who had to take a cab), I spoke to the host. There were NO NOTES (!!!!) with my reservation. When I asked about the seating, they had no idea what I was speaking about. I asked if we could sit in the booths (easier for my dad to sit in than the chairs there), the host shared that a sporting event would be shown via projectors. I was very disappointed at this point - knowing that my parents would pay several hundred dollars for a meal at a place that 1. had no idea what was going on and 2. was showing a sporting event. I thought this was a much nicer restaurant. At that point, I almost left, which I should of, but I didn't want to make it more difficult for my dad to go to a new location. Coulda, woulda shoulda - next time I need to trust my gut!
Once we were seated, we got the complimentary set-up of roasted eggplant (served cold), fresh baked bread and sliced salami.
