146969 Mon Jan 26 19:37:43 -0800 2004 7 12 Boston Area 0 787703 Has anyone had any experience with Piattini on Newbury St? How is the food? Is it too noisy to talk? Thanks, Alexandra Mon Jan 26 19:37:43 -0800 2004 0 Alexandra 1 787711 Oof, Piattini is dreadful! Only on Newbury St could a place with such awful food survive, presumably on the trade of tourists and suburbanites who go once and never return. There must be an endless supply of them. The food is allegedly Italian, but it's not fresh, not authentic to any regional Italian cuisine I've ever tasted, and pricey. It just reminds me of bad amateur home cooking. The wine list is full of overpriced stinkers, too. (And yes, it's noisy, but I don't always mind that.) My attitude toward it is the opposite of the old joke: the food's bad, but at least the portions are small (the menu is built around the small-plates concept). Even with its prime location, it's been on my Dead Pool list for a couple of years: I'm amazed they're still in business. If I have to eat in the neighborhood, I like Pho Pasteur (slightly Westernized Vietnamese), Tapeo (Spanish, great tapas), Bhindi Bazaar (fine Indian with lots of rarely-seen regional dishes), Casa Romero (Mexican, pretty interior patio when it's warmer), Men Tei (decent, cheap Japanese noodle soups), Shino Express (a tiny, mostly-takeout sushi bar), and Scoozi (thin-crust, fancy pizzas). If your range extends to Boylston St, consider Chilli Duck (Thai), Kaya (Korean plus sushi), or the Parish Cafe (pub atmosphere, good sandwiches). Tue Jan 27 00:14:19 -0800 2004 787703 0 MC Slim JB 2 787718 Here's a different view from a recent Calendar who seems to think they've "begun to shine". Link: http://www.boston.com/ae/food/restaurants/articles/2004/01/15/hip_urban_hangouts?mode=PF Tue Jan 27 07:32:13 -0800 2004 787711 0 Joanie 3 787719 Piattini has definitely gotten much better since a chef change. The only thing to avoid is the ravioli that has marsala sauce, I think it might be veal-filled. It's too sweet, as usual. Does ANYONE do a good marsala? It's not too noisy, either (Piattini, that is). Tue Jan 27 08:29:34 -0800 2004 787718 0 Italophile 3 787732 The author of the Globe review is Ruth Tobias, whose work I'm not familiar with, but most of whose other opinions in the article I agree with (with the exception of Peking Tom's, whose food and cocktails I think are pitiful, regardless of its "urban hang" appeal.) Since Piattini is not a "chef/owner" place, it's quite possible that they kitchen has changed hands since my last visit, which was over a year ago. As with any Chowhound review, my opinions are *caveat emptor*, though I probably should have stated the time lapse since my last visit. If you'd had the meals I'd had there (and I gave them multiple chances), you wouldn't be going back in a hurry, either. As ever, I'd be glad to hear reports that a new chef has made this place worth visiting again. But I'm done guinea-pigging Piattini. Yes, bitterness will occassionally trump the Chowhound instinct. Tue Jan 27 13:12:57 -0800 2004 787718 0 MC Slim JB 2 787720 Is Scoozi truly decent? Tue Jan 27 08:33:37 -0800 2004 787711 0 Italophile 3 787749 I can only vouch for the pizza at Scoozi, which does a very thin crust pie with gourmet toppings, a bit like Emma's or the Upper Crust. I happen to like theirs, in particular the one with spicy chicken sausage. It's arguable that the price includes a Newbury St location premium. And despite being owned by a famous stylist, I've never found a hair in my food. Of course, the easiest way to start a tedious quasi-religious war on this board is to say you like some place's pizza. (I don't understand people who only like one style.) My personal favorites include Emma's, Santarpio's, the Charlestown Figs, and the North End Regina. (And if you'll allow a stretch, Sandrine's for flammekeuche.) Tue Jan 27 16:51:08 -0800 2004 787720 0 MC Slim JB 4 787753 Thanks for the report. I think it was the name I always felt squeamish about...a cutesy spelling of Scusi? At any rate it sounds vaguely vulgar. But then, I also distrusted Limoncello based on the name (sounded too tourist-targeted) til I read somewhere on this board that it was in fact pretty good. So it's "what's in a name" all over again. Tue Jan 27 17:27:20 -0800 2004 787749 0 Italophile