I realized when eating recently at OvoSodo that it is basically a diner with an authentic Italian food twist, very unique, very interesting, and very delicious. And just what that part of Queens Blvd. needed to make it a lot more interesting!
Drake we ate there last night and I'm sorry to say I thought the food was at best, just okay. My husband liked the calamari, but the OvoSodo pizza was lacking flavor (and salt) as was the eggplant rollatini appetizer. I hope they get their act together in the coming weeks, but they've got a ways to go, IMHO.
I don't mean this rudely at all but from what i've heard, there will be plenty for the rest of "us". One mistake, fine. Two, oookay. But I stopped counting at five - not okay, next place please.
Honestly, nothing good. I'd rather leave it at that. Best let others decide for themselves. The taste of one person differs from others. But as I said before, the lack of spell check is keeping me from finding out personally.
What are your sources for this "nothing good" about a restaurant that's been open slightly longer than one week? If you are going by someone who decides whether or not to patronize a new business based solely on how they are during their first week open, that is pretty darn dumb. Even Banter was a mess when I first went to it that first week. Now it's awesome. That's why I don't "review" a new place until it's been open a while, and even then I give them the benefit of the doubt since they're likely still new and working things out. New employees, etc. need time to get into the swing of things. Given that this new place has the same owners as the spectacular Tuscan Hills, which has been a smashing success (so much so, they opened this second place), I wonder why you would think they were incapable of replicating that success based solely on anything you've heard after just one week.
Having said that, I have been vocal with criticisms when I believe a new restaurant is making blatant mistakes, such as overcharging for their food when either the quality or the quantity doesn't merit it. That, to me, is a huge turnoff. In this day and age to charge customers for food a lot of money and then serve them small portions is a huge turnoff and probably a recipe for failure. We have at least one restaurant I can think of doing that (you can search my blog and find out but I won't rehash it here), and it's a damn shame because the place has super potential. But from what I see with my own two eyes, is barely doing any business and most likely because of this issue - a problem I pointed out in my early review and from what I can see has never been addressed.
I happen to trust what my friends tell me. Combine that with what I hear from the locals, (I happen to work in Forest Hills and live in Forest Hills) i'll stick to Nicks and A&J. It's been over a week and i'm sure they had a decent weekend crowd so really most kinks should have been worked out. Especially since this isn't their first restaurant. I hope that i'm wrong as it's a nice looking place and i'm always one for a nice place in the area whether the locals like it or not.
You should try some of the new pizza places that have opened. Live a little! I recommend in this order: Tuscan Hills, OvoSodo, and, for more traditional NY style pizza, Gloria. Trust your friends less and your neighborhood blogger more. A nice motto to live by.
In regards to giving new places time to work out their kinks, I used to live down the street from the original Bareburger in Astoria. I was reading dozens of complaints about the preparation of the various meats in the burgers and it turned me off from going there as this seemed to go on for months when they first opened. At some point they figured it out, they're expanding like crazy and it's now my favorite burger in the neighborhood.
While I feel OvoSodo still has some kinks to work out, overall I've been pleased with the food I've had from the restaurant which has included eggs, the Mare pizza and today, the downright addictive Tartufetta pizza.
As for the pizza, I personally find it delicious, filling, and a good value for the amount of food and the quality of the pizza you're receiving.
Does this mean I don't enjoy a slice or two from Gloria's every now and then? Of course not. They're entirely different preparations. If I just want a Pizza Margherita, I'd likely still take the walk down to Tuscan Hills. However, the 10" pizzas from OvoSodo make for a darn tasty lunch.
Short term, I'd like to see them add Eggs to the menu for lunch. I'd especially love to see them include the Uova Al Pomodoro that they have on the Tuscan Hills Brunch menu.
I'm confident that this restaurant will continue to develop over time. Living right around the corner I can say, there's been no shortage of diners late morning thru lunch. On the weekends they've been packed for brunch.
There may be naysayers on this Blog, but for the most part, OvoSodo appears to have found many a happy customer.
They need to start advertising. They didn't have a Grand Opening event?
ReplyDeleteGrand opening event means dough, probably didn't budget for that. Besides this blog is giving them plenty of free PR. Drake should send them a bill.
DeleteThey should also change that horrible logo on their sign, makes the place look very pedestrian.
ReplyDeleteDrake we ate there last night and I'm sorry to say I thought the food was at best, just okay. My husband liked the calamari, but the OvoSodo pizza was lacking flavor (and salt) as was the eggplant rollatini appetizer. I hope they get their act together in the coming weeks, but they've got a ways to go, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI was going to go for lunch this afternoon but all the spelling errors on their menu changed my mind.
ReplyDeleteHa! Silly way to decide on a place to eat. Your loss. More for the rest of us.
DeleteI don't mean this rudely at all but from what i've heard, there will be plenty for the rest of "us". One mistake, fine. Two, oookay. But I stopped counting at five - not okay, next place please.
DeleteWhat have you heard?
DeleteHonestly, nothing good. I'd rather leave it at that. Best let others decide for themselves. The taste of one person differs from others. But as I said before, the lack of spell check is keeping me from finding out personally.
DeleteWhat are your sources for this "nothing good" about a restaurant that's been open slightly longer than one week? If you are going by someone who decides whether or not to patronize a new business based solely on how they are during their first week open, that is pretty darn dumb. Even Banter was a mess when I first went to it that first week. Now it's awesome. That's why I don't "review" a new place until it's been open a while, and even then I give them the benefit of the doubt since they're likely still new and working things out. New employees, etc. need time to get into the swing of things. Given that this new place has the same owners as the spectacular Tuscan Hills, which has been a smashing success (so much so, they opened this second place), I wonder why you would think they were incapable of replicating that success based solely on anything you've heard after just one week.
DeleteHaving said that, I have been vocal with criticisms when I believe a new restaurant is making blatant mistakes, such as overcharging for their food when either the quality or the quantity doesn't merit it. That, to me, is a huge turnoff. In this day and age to charge customers for food a lot of money and then serve them small portions is a huge turnoff and probably a recipe for failure. We have at least one restaurant I can think of doing that (you can search my blog and find out but I won't rehash it here), and it's a damn shame because the place has super potential. But from what I see with my own two eyes, is barely doing any business and most likely because of this issue - a problem I pointed out in my early review and from what I can see has never been addressed.
DeleteI happen to trust what my friends tell me. Combine that with what I hear from the locals, (I happen to work in Forest Hills and live in Forest Hills) i'll stick to Nicks and A&J. It's been over a week and i'm sure they had a decent weekend crowd so really most kinks should have been worked out. Especially since this isn't their first restaurant. I hope that i'm wrong as it's a nice looking place and i'm always one for a nice place in the area whether the locals like it or not.
DeleteYou should try some of the new pizza places that have opened. Live a little! I recommend in this order: Tuscan Hills, OvoSodo, and, for more traditional NY style pizza, Gloria. Trust your friends less and your neighborhood blogger more. A nice motto to live by.
DeleteIn regards to giving new places time to work out their kinks, I used to live down the street from the original Bareburger in Astoria. I was reading dozens of complaints about the preparation of the various meats in the burgers and it turned me off from going there as this seemed to go on for months when they first opened. At some point they figured it out, they're expanding like crazy and it's now my favorite burger in the neighborhood.
DeleteDon't forget Lillian's too!
ReplyDeleteWhile I feel OvoSodo still has some kinks to work out, overall I've been pleased with the food I've had from the restaurant which has included eggs, the Mare pizza and today, the downright addictive Tartufetta pizza.
ReplyDeleteAs for the pizza, I personally find it delicious, filling, and a good value for the amount of food and the quality of the pizza you're receiving.
Does this mean I don't enjoy a slice or two from Gloria's every now and then? Of course not. They're entirely different preparations. If I just want a Pizza Margherita, I'd likely still take the walk down to Tuscan Hills. However, the 10" pizzas from OvoSodo make for a darn tasty lunch.
Short term, I'd like to see them add Eggs to the menu for lunch. I'd especially love to see them include the Uova Al Pomodoro that they have on the Tuscan Hills Brunch menu.
I'm confident that this restaurant will continue to develop over time. Living right around the corner I can say, there's been no shortage of diners late morning thru lunch. On the weekends they've been packed for brunch.
There may be naysayers on this Blog, but for the most part, OvoSodo appears to have found many a happy customer.