il forno 109 | Bogotá — Restaurant in Bogota, Capital District

This is a good restaurant, food is usually really good but they have a serious issue with the time they take to serve.If you are not patient this is not your place. I always thought it was caused by the amount of people that were in the place, but apparently it is not. I have visited before in the weekends when at given times there is even a line to be seated, so I thought the delays (still a reason to go from 5 to 4 stars) were caused by this but today it was not full at all (one more star that goes away). I have to admit it was not as bad as the time when they never brought the dish of one of our party members, but still disappointing.

So I went for dinner and order a bowl, that is similar to a salad, no extra long cooking times as most of the things are raw, even the tuna; and from starters they tell me that it would take 25 minutes to be prepared. I don't understand this as, it is way longer than a well-done steak and the tuna is Raw. I told this to the waiter but still went ahead and order with the recommendation that if they could bring it out faster it will be appreciated. Almost 40 MINUTES later (38 minutes) I get my order. On top of that, one of the asparagus was undercooked and part of the avocado had a slightly bitter taste from it being too green (you can call it luck), but other than that it was really good.

So then comes the key question if I would recommend or return to this restaurant, the answer is still yes. Of course, I will recommended with the disclaimer that in my experience a big amount of patience is needed if you decide to go. Why? Because the food is actually really good, the menu has a wide variety of options for you to decide and the venue is nice, so if you have the time and the patience...why not? Probably good company will also help, as time goes by faster in this manner. If you don't have the time or the patience don't take the chance and look for another place (there are a lot of nice and good places nearby). Probably next time that I am by myself and want a quick and light bite for dinner this is place is not going in to my options, as 40 minutes for poke bowl like dish is way too much even when you enjoy your company and have a good deal...

We visited this restaurant with family for lunch. Our experience was good. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. There are a lot of pasta options, salads, pizzas. I would say it is a good place to visit with your friends or coworkers but not for special occasions. Also keep in mind that it takes a little while for food to come out, so if you are in a rush try to choice something else ) You can pick and chose different combinations for your meal - you can choose from pasta, salads, sandwiches and protein… Service is good, prices are fare and quality is ok too. It reminds me a little like Applebees or Chilis restaurants chain in US. But to tell you the truth I want to eat Italian food in Italy, because it is...

Improved review:

I recently visited IL Forno, Italian, I ordered the carbonara pasta. The tocineta pieces were too hard to bite into, and the overall dish was a bit bland. I've lived with and around Italian families for over 10 years, and I've also visited Rome, Naples, and other Italian cities, so I have a high standard for Italian food.

However, the rest of my meal was enjoyable. My wife and son loved the maracuyá pork sur, and the fire was a nice touch. Our server, Robert, was attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere was pleasant.

I recommend visiting before 8 PM to avoid the rush. We felt a bit rushed towards the end of our meal, as we weren't offered the dessert menu before...