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2010-10-27
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Da Domenico is a restaurant that I still sit on the fence about, after a few visits. While the food is very good, I can't decide if the price tag really matches the food and the environment. I've read the reviews of other Open Rice members, and the restaurant does split opinions down the middle - the food is good, but not great, and service can be horrendous. The bruschetta ($180) - it used to be $150 but now the prices have gone up. I don't know if paying $150 or $180 is worth it for 3 pieces
The bruschetta ($180) - it used to be $150 but now the prices have gone up. I don't know if paying $150 or $180 is worth it for 3 pieces of toasted bread with tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The tomatoes are fresh and sweet, but I wish there was some herbage.
Their burrata ($320) - just simple burrata cheese, accompanied by tomatoes and balsamic (like the bruschetta) and rocket. 
The famous Linguine Gamberi ($520) - it's one of the highlights of coming to Da Domenico; I would sum it up as a very intense shrimp bisque pasta. Pasta is cooked perfectly. It's good, but not over-the-top fantastic.
The clams ($520) were very fresh, sweet and succulent. Nothing fancy, just some parsley on top. I'm not the type to put a lot of weight on service and decor when I write reviews, but when the pricing of dishes is in the same tier as other 5-star hotel or 2-3 star Michelin restaurants, it really made me wonder what I was paying for. Is it really that expensive to import all those ingredients from Italy, or am I just paying for bragging rights? Clearly the money isn't really going into the decor or service. On top of which, the chef/owner is known for having a temper and when I was there he refused to cook for a table because they were late for their reservation and he didn't want to cook anymore.
Da Domenico is worth trying - just make sure you can stomach the sub-par service and the bill.
Original review @ http://pleasuresofeating.blogspot.com/2010/10/da-domenico.html and a subsequent review @ http://pleasuresofeating.blogspot.com/2010/10/revisiting-da-domenico.html
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