The Dolce - Norwalk

We sat at the bar for brunch, as I usually prefer bar seating for quicker service. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time. The bartender seemed more focused on her phone than attending to customers, often disappearing from behind the bar. We found ourselves having to catch her attention during the meal, rather than her checking in on us or refilling drinks. As for the food, the meatballs did not have the desirable texture and tasted more like they had been blended too much than gently mixed. While the flavor of the meat was acceptable, the mushiness was off-putting. For the chicken and waffles, we had to request a replacement for the waffle because it was undercooked. Unfortunately, the second waffle was also undercooked, and the bartender didn’t check back with us to see if the new one was satisfactory. The chicken itself was too dry on the inside. This has been my third disappointing experience, and it will be my last. Additionally, a note to the owner or manager: please ensure that employees do not put meat tasting picks in their mouths and then return them to the salt used for seasoning other diners' food. I witnessed this multiple times and found it quite alarming.

I absolutely loved it! I visited on a chilly January Sunday for lunch/brunch. I enjoyed the margherita pizza and the rabbit baked fusilli, both of which were outstanding and cooked to perfection. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was charming, and the bar offered some intriguing drink options as well. I’ll definitely be coming back!

We began our meal with an appetizer of Brussels sprouts dressed in a delicious honey mustard and black pepper sauce. They were perhaps a tad overcooked, but I actually prefer them that way, so it suited my taste. For my main dish, I chose the Spaghetti Carbonara. It was well-seasoned and enjoyable—not the best pasta I've ever tasted, but it had a lovely al dente texture and delightful flavors. Overall, it's a pleasant place to dine, and I can definitely see myself coming back; I just need to find a dish that really wows me to inspire a third visit.

We were so hungry that we decided to order a pizza, which was $16 for just six small slices topped with sauce and cheese—no meat included. We did enjoy the bottomless mimosas for $17 each, but unless you’re a fish, it’s hard to get your money’s worth. Overall, I found that a Groupon should never cost an additional $41 when drinks are included. To sum it up: the service was decent, the food was tasty, but the portions were small and the Groupon felt more like a trap than a bargain.

The food here is excellent. We started with the charcuterie plate, which was incredibly flavorful. The toasted bread paired perfectly with it. For lunch, I had the baked fusilli with rabbit, and it was absolutely phenomenal—one of my favorite Italian dishes ever! You definitely have to try this dish. The margherita pizza is also very good and reminds me of authentic pizza from Rome.