Pano's & Paul's

01/17/09

Excellent in every way

by guardfrog

Tonight was our first experience at Pano's and Paul's. We read other reviews and, frankly, were a bit skeptical. But this place delivered. And it was well worth the money. When we pulled up, the valet was swift and attentive. We were greeted with an enthusiastic welcome and told that the wait, despite our reservation, would be about 20 minutes. We were encouraged to visit the lounge, which was a throwback to the old-st yle cocktail lounges of days past. My martini was excellent and my wife's wine was terrific. We noticed no less than 4 employees ask the couple sitting near us, "What was the name on your reservation?" On the fifth visit, the hostess asked "Are you the (MY LAST NAME) party?" We immediately chimed up and were led to our table in the rear dining room. Though we were initially disappointed with the small table and the close proximity to other tables, the server quickly helped put us back in the mood. He highlighed the specials and gave us solid recommendations based on our stated preferences. As an appetizer, I had the fois gras, which was out of this world. Highly recommended. My wife had the scallops, which were equally delicious, though, with the risotto, a bit heavy as an app. Based on the recommendation from the second server, and the friendly foursome sitting next to us, I ordered the pepper steak. My wife ordered the grouper. I was not to be disappointed. The pepper steak, mentioned as one of the restaurant's signature dishes, was nothing short of perfect. I ordered it medium rare and the steak was as tender as any I've had at well-known steakhouses, along with a perfectly seasoned sauce and excellent potato wedge. Hands down one of the best steaks I've ever eaten. My wife's grouper was equally wonderful, though she regretted not ordering the pepper steak once she had a bite. We finished with coffees, then left thinking how great of an experience we just had. Great, friendly service and unbelievable food. We'll be back.

• Pros: Great food, excellent service
• Cons: Tight quarters at some tables

06/04/08

Best food, ever!

by spiffsteph

My boyfriend and I ate here last a year or so ago, and since then, I feel no other restaurants have lived up to their standards. The atmosphere was nice, an older looking place, but in a nice way. The hostess was very kind, and we were promptly seated. The food was the most amazing food I believe I?ve ever had. The scallop appetizer that I ordered was heavenly and cooked to pure perfection; they literally melted in my mouth. They were accompanied by a small serving of gnocchi, which also happened to be the best gnocchi I?ve had in my life. I ordered the salmon for dinner and my boyfriend ordered a steak, both dishes were excellent. The waiter was great ? he was very patient with us and aided us in choosing the perfect wine. He was attentive, but not overbearing. This place was pricey, but well worth it. I can?t wait to go back!

• Pros: Great food, great atmosphere, great service, great experience overall
• Cons: Pretty Pricey

04/02/08

what is all the hype about???

by mashka00

Well, my husband I decided to give this place a try about two months ago. I wanted to see what all the hype is about. I must say that we were not overly impressed. Yes, the place is RATHER pretty, but my husband didn't agree. He said it looked "old." Many people have commented about the servers and most of the other staff as being arrogant or rude or self-important. That is TRUE. Very much so. I get an awkward feeling upon walking into these places...as if they are doing us a favor versus us doing them a favor. It's as if no one is very warm or welcoming. They are just tolerating people like us because that is their job. HELLO! My money spends like anyone else's! I noticed some familiar faces as I looked around the place. Some of them most be old regulars and friends of the owners. I will say that the staff thinks that they know whose butts to kiss. To heck with the rest of the peons.

Well, our waiter wasn't overly friendly, but he wasn't exactly rude either. We noticed that another waiter who sometimes helped him was a waiter that we recognized as formerly having worked at MARIETTA DINER. Go figure. We recognized him and chatted breifly. He is, of course, another immigrant like many of the waitstaff these days. How does BHL find these folks? It seems that corporate hires servers with attitudes like their own.

The food was okay. Just okay. Okay, it was PRETTY good, but was it really worth the price? Not hardly. I feel cheated in a way. It's like they don't have to be very nice to us, and they end up taking our money in the end (a lot of it). Perhaps Americans should try to eat more at home and spend less on eating outside. Your wallets will be fatter and your waistline will most likely be slimmer. Also, I've worked in a restaurant before, so I know what goes on behind the scenes.

• Pros: Free parking in the parking lot is the only plus that comes to mind
• Cons: pricey and arrogant staff