Al Dente — Restaurant in Brantford

Made a reservation a month prior to the date specifically to hear the music that was booked to play so I asked for a table for two about halfway through the patio part of the restaurant so we could be somewhat close to the music. The day of, it occurred to me that I didn’t get a reminder text as many places send. So I got a bad feeling and called the restaurant. Sure enough they didn’t have my reservation. I said “well I have the phone record showing where I called and you called me back the next day.” They said they maybe could squeeze me inside, I said “not good enough. I specifically made my reservation early to get a table where I wanted so make it happen.” They said they would. We get there and we have to wait at the bar until our table is ready. We were on time. We went to sit at a table in the bar area and we’re told to move by staff as it was reserved. No one sat at it for 15 minutes. After that 15 minutes we were shown to our table on the patio at the very back. Far away from the music and one of us had to sit with our back to the musicians which sucked. Our orders weren’t taken for an hour after we had sat down. At that point the waitress said she’d bring bread. And an hour after that our food was brought out at the same time as the table who was seated a half hour after us. Our order wasn’t complicated. At that point I asked the waitress for that bread that had been promised to us. They don’t even carry Sauvignon Blanc. ???? They restaurant was very busy and our waitress said they were understaffed that evening. They were overwhelmed and couldn’t handle the people they had. They seemed behind with everyone. The food was good, but not great, not special at all. You can get the same thing anywhere. Needless to say after that experience I dont t like the place and can’t figure out why it’s so busy. Brantford definitely needs more places to eat. The customer service sucks and I think the owners feel like as long as they’re busy on a Fri night they don’t have to worry about what their customers think. They didn’t seem to care about my situation. Also, when they’re so behind and making the young kid deal with the giant and increasingly irritated line up at the door of others who made reservations but we’re made to wait also speaks volumes that they also do t care much about their staff either. I felt so sorry for the guy. He looked like a deer in the headlights. A friend has convinced me to try it on a week night sometime, so I may but I’ll avoid Fri and Sat night Al Dente...

I decided to have dinner as a fam tonight and what better place to go then Al Dentes. Here is the breakdown:

Ambience: This place has such a warm and cozy atmosphere. This place is full of the beautiful smells of all the dishes. There is indoor and outdoor dining available. Its a hidden treasure. They also had a t rex with a scarf on the bar which totally earned extra cool points 😂

Staff: The staff are warm and welcoming from the time you walk through the door to the service at the table to when you leave the restaurant. Super friendly, and responsive to your needs. They check in regularly and make sure you have everything that you need.

Food: They start off by bringing a big and beautiful piece of bread to the table served with a freshly made marinara sauce. You can definitely taste the difference when its fresh. Then we got beautful pasta. I got the cheese tortellini in the spicy vodka and tomato sauce. The pasta was fresh and delicious. The sauce was full of flavor without being too spicy. The portions are huge and I took half home for another day. I would highly recommend coming in for one of their signature pastas as they are homey, delicious, filling and satifying.

Drinks: They had a variety of wine, craft beers, regular beers, ciders and cocktails. There are also dessert coffees available. There is something for everyone. I tried the cider which was sweet and not dry which is the way I like it. I followed that with a Corona with lime for good measure.

All in all this place is a gem of our community when it comes to Italian fare. I would highly recommend that others go and give their support to this...

This was a 10/10, 1000%, A+ experience for me. I came here while in brantford on business and had the best experience. The food was amazing! Homemade pasta cooked perfectly with the most delicious vodka sauce. I was almost going to change my ordwr over the tails being on the shrimp when they told me they could take them off. I repeat THEY TOOK THE SHRIMP TAILS OFF FOR ME! This is a big deal for someone with textural issues and allowed me to further enjoy the amazing food. And the bread was also superb. I was so happy with the food. Rhe service just made it even better. Friendly, kind staff that were chatty and made suggestions and knew the menu. I was able to hear them interacting with other tables too nd it made my heart soar. These were passionate people who know what they are about. I was so so happy here. And as a solo diner I was never left to feel ignored or unimportant even when surrounded by busier tables. Atmosphere here was lovely. I sat back at the bar are at a high top which was perfect for being on my own and not feeling insecure. The blue and gold colour scheme ay the bar and over all decor just lend to it. Music at the perfect volume that you'd be able to converse easily still. I will return here when im in...