Good service, but kitchen needs a little more zest
I liked what I saw when I walked in. The rough, off-white stone walls, the candles on wooden tables and the perfect indirect lighting gave the small dining room a soft and warm feel. The room was romantic and earthy, a kind of medieval cozy. A good place to take a date, I thought.
A sharp-looking waiter in a black vest and gold tie seated me at a large table that would have held three couples out on dates. But it was the only table free. The rest of the room was filled with a good-looking crowd. At one table sat two gentlemen who had the look of college professors sharing a bottle of wine. In front of me two teenage girls were celebrating a birthday. Beside them was a stylish middle-aged couple sipping coffee. A nice mix of people can do wonders for a room.
I started off with the wine list (zl. 44-zl. 240) that was nothing too grand. Most of the 15 wines offered were Italian with a couple from France and Spain thrown in for some flavor. And you can get most by the glass (zl. 6-zl. 12). After discovering that they were out of the Rioja, I settled for a glass of chardonnay (zl. 6) that was nothing amazing but semi-dry and drinkable.
The food menu is pretty straightforward Italian. The antipasto section starts things off with favorites like carpaccio (zl. 20), prosciutto with melon (zl. 22), caprese (zl. 17) and bruschetta (zl. 9). Then there are salads (zl. 8-zl. 22) and of course there is minestrone soup (zl. 10). Also, there's calamari (zl.18-zl. 20) for a seafood beginning to the meal.
The pasta section (zl. 18-zl. 25) isn't too daring but isn't altogether sad. Spaghetti comes with a carbonara, a bolognese or a pesto sauce. The penne and gnocchi are prepared with vegetables and cheeses. There is also meat lasagna (zl. 20).
If you want pizza, Verona offers 19 different versions of pies (zl. 14.40-zl. 23.50) with a mix of the usual toppings.
And if you want to sink your teeth into something a little more meaty, you can order steak to salmon from the grill (zl. 26-zl. 32).
After I ordered from a pleasant waitress, I noticed that the staff was doing its best to pay attention to details and the service. Eyes wandered the room to see if anything was needed. That was a refreshing sight.
And I like the detail of a thick wedge of spiced bread with garlic olive oil at the start of the meal. But I think the waitress was trying to keep things according to plan just a little too much.
When she delivered my bruschetta, she snagged the bread and oil. I hadn't finished. I wanted to yell, "Hey, I'm not done with that." Instead I thought, "Oh well," and cut into my starter.
The bruschetta was just fine. The tomato topping was juicy and well-seasoned. But the toasted bread looked like a store-bought sort of rye that was too wide and too thin. A decent French or Italian bread would have been much better.
In time, my main penne with pesto dish arrived. Before I even tasted it I had to give Verona credit for thoughtfulness. I asked for a pasta combo that wasn't on the menu and it wasn't a problem. I just cannot stand boring spaghetti.
The penne wasn't that much more exciting but it was cooked properly. The pesto lacked the jazz I was hoping for. I wanted to take a bite and say, "Now that's great pesto." But I couldn't. It didn't seem oily enough and the flavor was way too mild. But it wasn't bad - just average. The green sauce did look swell over the penne.
I was quite full after working my way through the pasta. I then enjoyed a strong espresso (zl. 6) and asked for the bill which came to zl. 49 ($14) including tip. And with the bill came a shot of something on the house. The waitress explained that it was a mix of vodka, water, sugar and lemon. It was sweet and good and another nice detail.
Overall, my meal was just above average but the price was fair. Places like Chianti still do Italian better, but I was very impressed with the service and the style Verona is attempting. They seem to really care about everything. I hope they focus on adding some more flavor in the kitchen, though, because they just might be onto something truly good.
A sharp-looking waiter in a black vest and gold tie seated me at a large table that would have held three couples out on dates. But it was the only table free. The rest of the room was filled with a good-looking crowd. At one table sat two gentlemen who had the look of college professors sharing a bottle of wine. In front of me two teenage girls were celebrating a birthday. Beside them was a stylish middle-aged couple sipping coffee. A nice mix of people can do wonders for a room.
I started off with the wine list (zl. 44-zl. 240) that was nothing too grand. Most of the 15 wines offered were Italian with a couple from France and Spain thrown in for some flavor. And you can get most by the glass (zl. 6-zl. 12). After discovering that they were out of the Rioja, I settled for a glass of chardonnay (zl. 6) that was nothing amazing but semi-dry and drinkable.
The food menu is pretty straightforward Italian. The antipasto section starts things off with favorites like carpaccio (zl. 20), prosciutto with melon (zl. 22), caprese (zl. 17) and bruschetta (zl. 9). Then there are salads (zl. 8-zl. 22) and of course there is minestrone soup (zl. 10). Also, there's calamari (zl.18-zl. 20) for a seafood beginning to the meal.
The pasta section (zl. 18-zl. 25) isn't too daring but isn't altogether sad. Spaghetti comes with a carbonara, a bolognese or a pesto sauce. The penne and gnocchi are prepared with vegetables and cheeses. There is also meat lasagna (zl. 20).
If you want pizza, Verona offers 19 different versions of pies (zl. 14.40-zl. 23.50) with a mix of the usual toppings.
And if you want to sink your teeth into something a little more meaty, you can order steak to salmon from the grill (zl. 26-zl. 32).
After I ordered from a pleasant waitress, I noticed that the staff was doing its best to pay attention to details and the service. Eyes wandered the room to see if anything was needed. That was a refreshing sight.
And I like the detail of a thick wedge of spiced bread with garlic olive oil at the start of the meal. But I think the waitress was trying to keep things according to plan just a little too much.
When she delivered my bruschetta, she snagged the bread and oil. I hadn't finished. I wanted to yell, "Hey, I'm not done with that." Instead I thought, "Oh well," and cut into my starter.
The bruschetta was just fine. The tomato topping was juicy and well-seasoned. But the toasted bread looked like a store-bought sort of rye that was too wide and too thin. A decent French or Italian bread would have been much better.
In time, my main penne with pesto dish arrived. Before I even tasted it I had to give Verona credit for thoughtfulness. I asked for a pasta combo that wasn't on the menu and it wasn't a problem. I just cannot stand boring spaghetti.
The penne wasn't that much more exciting but it was cooked properly. The pesto lacked the jazz I was hoping for. I wanted to take a bite and say, "Now that's great pesto." But I couldn't. It didn't seem oily enough and the flavor was way too mild. But it wasn't bad - just average. The green sauce did look swell over the penne.
I was quite full after working my way through the pasta. I then enjoyed a strong espresso (zl. 6) and asked for the bill which came to zl. 49 ($14) including tip. And with the bill came a shot of something on the house. The waitress explained that it was a mix of vodka, water, sugar and lemon. It was sweet and good and another nice detail.
Overall, my meal was just above average but the price was fair. Places like Chianti still do Italian better, but I was very impressed with the service and the style Verona is attempting. They seem to really care about everything. I hope they focus on adding some more flavor in the kitchen, though, because they just might be onto something truly good.
