368967 Thu Feb 08 08:38:55 -0800 2007 11 12 Boston Area 0 2272187 GOING TO BE IN BOSTON ON SAT NIGHT JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF SASSO IS WORTH A SHOT OR STICK TO DOMANI Thu Feb 08 08:38:55 -0800 2007 70861 OLDCHEF 1 2272284 Dude, what are you shouting for? Hit that Caps-Lock button, please. I had a pretty okay meal there, not super impressive, but it had only been open a few days. It is clearly much in the mode of parent Lucca: upscale, creative Italian with a focus on Northern dishes, not cheap. I was a bit underwhelmed with our pasta dishes, which are generally a strength at Lucca. It's a nice looking space, though it could be ugly and still more attractive than its predecessor, Blackfin. Good bartending, a decent, not crazily overpriced wine list, very good service. I'm not such a fan of Domani at night (mainly an issue of kitchen consistency and amateurish service), so I'd say give Sasso a shot. Thu Feb 08 09:08:14 -0800 2007 2272187 10143 MC Slim JB 2 2272339 SLIM-- IS IT THE SAME INTERIOR AS BLACKFIN? Thu Feb 08 09:21:35 -0800 2007 2272284 13193 ponyboy 3 2272419 Okay, now you're just messing with me, Mr. Shouty. I always thought Blackfin was particularly hideous. The new room is done in a subdued palette of browns, pretty simple but good looking. The layout has not been changed at all. There's an attractive private dining room next to the kitchen, at the top of the big staircase, that overlooks the main dining room. The bar area seems a bit less cramped than in prior incarnations. Thu Feb 08 09:40:20 -0800 2007 2272339 10143 MC Slim JB 2 2272403 Sasso was just featured in Daily Candy's weekend guide; I hadn't heard of it before. Thu Feb 08 09:36:13 -0800 2007 2272284 10232 yumyum 3 2272557 They were on the Chronicle show on Mon. too. And maybe TV Diner. I don't know, I've seen a lot about it lately and also saw the prices... yowzer. Thu Feb 08 10:11:57 -0800 2007 2272403 14253 Joanie 4 2272745 You're right: mid-teens for most apps, mid-twenties for most pasta courses (though they will serve half-orders), mid-thirties for most entrees, with a $42 strip steak. Like I said, not cheap. Thu Feb 08 10:54:45 -0800 2007 2272557 10143 MC Slim JB 1 2272885 as concierge at a nearby hotel, we send many of our hungry guests there. feedback at first was that the portions seemed small. sasso people said that this would be taken care of. and we've had no negative comments since. my meal there, the night before it opened to the public was delicious. good food and wine list. Thu Feb 08 11:25:44 -0800 2007 2272187 50596 lorpa 1 2275350 Haven't been to Sasso yet, but like Lucca. My fav story about the place is that woman who appears on the TV Diner show now and then, telling us about new restaurants. In her words: "Lucca is opening a new restaurant in Back Bay, so naturally it will be more elegant and upscale than their North End location." Bite me, ho. Fri Feb 09 06:51:22 -0800 2007 2272187 16490 Bostonbob3 2 2278727 Wow, that's a comment that shows she hasn't been to the neighborhood in, what, 6 years? I'm with Limster below about Domani, as I've taken the opportunity to bore everyone to say many times. Space is weird, but Rene Can Cook. So, Oldchef, where did you end up? Sat Feb 10 06:12:44 -0800 2007 2275350 11106 tatamagouche 1 2278528 I'm a fan of the creative, balanced and not over the top cooking at Domani. It's serious, interesting food for what I consider moderate prices in Back Bay. Fri Feb 09 23:54:42 -0800 2007 2272187 10076 limster 1 2281017 I thought Sasso was good, but uneven. HEAVY hand with the salt, and I'm a person who panics when there's no giant salt shaker on the table. The house cocktails are killer, though. I will give it a month to figure things out and try once again. Sun Feb 11 02:07:40 -0800 2007 2272187 45745 wittlejosh