Where to even begin, especially after thinking long and hard about saying anything. I kept telling myself to just keep quiet, let it go…but then I think about others who might find themself feeling like I did after this experience— sad, let down, disappointed, and...ripped off. I rarely write a bad or negative review because I know what it takes to operate a restaurant. I was a food critic in Kansas City for 6 years, I’ve written a cookbook, have a food blog, create recipes for an Italian wine club, and MOST of ALL— Massimo is a hero of mine. A food rock star. A giant, gifted chef and innovator. But, unfortunately, no longer in this spot.
My son flew from Taipei to Italy to share his 35 th birthday dining here. A dream of his, as he is a true foodie, having spent 3 years perfecting the worlds best hamburger. Every year we celebrate his birthday by going big, and this year it was dinner for three of us here. The night before, we stayed in Bologna and ate at da Cesare, and enjoyed a meal like no other— honest Italian food at its best, served by the grandson of the restaurant’s founder, with a room filled with love, joy, and deliciousness. Such a contrast to this experience in a sterile, quiet, somber room in which everyone felt a mixture of intimidation, loneliness, and expectation. The wait staff seemed aware that the food they were serving was beautiful to look at yet lacked all soul, love, and yumminess. One course— the main course— was pigeon breast. My son’s was okay, my friend’s was near- raw and inedible. Not one dish “ sung” in our mouth or imagination. Two of the courses were basically inedible. At one point, my son turned to me and whispered, “ Can we just leave?”
Why? Why has what should have been the meal of a lifetime ended up being souless? Is Massimo so distracted creating soup kitchens and a restaurant empire that he feels those who can afford a $1,000 a person for dinner should be ridiculed by being served food lacking flavor, taste, joy, and — the most important ingredient of all— love? When we stood up from the table 4 hours later, even with Massimo visiting with us and being kind to us, we just felt relief that the meal was finally over and we could gracefully leave. He is a wonderful person, but right now the food he is serving here is unworthy of him. It is not art. It is not delicious. It may be innovative but it is not cutting edge enough to overcome the flaw of not tasting good. So, I have recorded our disappointment. At the end of the day, it is just a meal, but boy, did we have expectations which is maybe why we were so let down. The problem with being rated #1 is having to live up to it. Better to be da Cesare in Bologna and make people happy.More