Timpano, Rockville

[laststandchili]

I've been dragooned into a family event there tomorrow night.

The menu online doesn't really look that encouraging in that it doesn't look particularly interesting.
A little pricey for a lot of stuff I'd do better at home.

Anyone have any experience with the place?

[laststandchili]

Thanks for all the advice.

Ended up sticking to apps. The wife had a chopped salad, that was indeed a chopped salad, and we split the calamari, which featured both some really pleasantly done tender pieces, and some rather tough ones, as well as a disturbing amount of grease on the bottom of the plate. Onion rings were ok as well but served on one of these dumb ass Onion Ring towers which renders them frigid pretty quickly. Dipping sauces for calamari and rings were unexceptional.

My uncle plays drums in the band there every other weekend so mostly we were there to see him play. Otherwise a bad choice for a family get together. Loud, crowded and a little frantic esp in terms of service, as advertised here.

The place was doing pretty amazing business. People were still filing in for dinner as we left around 10 pm. Rockville is a little desolate in terms of dining, but I was really a little surprised at the crowd here.

[dinwiddie]

They do have a pretty good wine list for MoCo.

[skipper]

You have my sympathy. We were there twice several years ago, and decided never to go back. Mediocre food, poor service and all at a price well beyond their quality.

[DanielK]

Skipper hit the main problem. The food is ok, but wildly overpriced. I'd only go on someone else's dime.

[dining with doc]

The roasted mussels are good. The specialty martinis are big and good. Meats are above average.

[flavrmeistr]

The scotch is good. That's the main thing. We usually have a few drinks at happy hour and go up the street to Joe's for dinner.

[Pappy]

I get there a lot (don't ask why). CDouglas has it right. Start with salad, or soup (the chowder is alright) or seafood. And have the veal chop cooked medium. Even the steaks are pretty good. The food is actually quite acceptable. The martinis are big. And the wine list overpriced, but you can find something to drink. So...there are a few things to like.

Now the downside. The service is terrible. Rushed and very unprofessional (especially considering the prices). Management is absent, or simply doesn't know any better, or most likely, doesn't care. The tables are too close. It is too dark., especially in the back And it is so loud, you can not hear the person next to you. And upstairs where they seat large parties is Siberia. They do a pretty serious bar business, and that lends to the noise and the bustle.

[Terrie H.]

I've been to a few business gatherings there and found that the pastas were their weakest link. I think that Mr. Douglas might have done better with the menu since he found some highlights. My advice would be to stay away from the pasta.

[CDouglas]

Start with the mussels or the carpaccio. The veal chop is excellent. I have enjoyed the short ribs, the cioppino and the striped bass. The watercress salad and the wedding soup are very good as well.

Its not like you have to choose between a quarter pounder and a Big Mac.