Rapalà — Restaurant in Rapallo

I’ve only written 3 reviews in Rapallo. For those reading this, PLEASE go to the good ones and NOT the single bad one. DON’T make the same mistake I did.

Rapala is simply not good (and I hate to say this because I understand how much work it takes to build a small business) but to those at Rapala reading this, I HONESTLY hope it can improve.

Red flags that I saw right away. Menu was massive with complex tasting menu AND individual items. Too many pages with no need for QR code on there. Who ever writes a review from seeing the menu? Menu needs to be simplified and tasting menu removed. The structure of it makes no sense and in my guess, overburdens the logistics of the kitchen which leads to my second red flag, long wait time for food. The kitchen groups the dishes together by tables and sends them out together. If I finished my first course, I’d have to wait for the second table to be finished before I could get my next course. There is clearly something wrong with the logistics of how the kitchen is handling these tickets. Third red flag is service. I asked what dish the waitress recommended and she tells me she’s vegetarian. I understand that this question is probably the most asked question and maybe even something that waitresses hate to answer, but if you work at a restaurant, PLEASE just pick SOMETHING. That’s all the customer is looking for. Pick something and talk about it with a single PERCENT of passion and I will be satisfied.

The food is overcooked, stale, ingredients are not fresh and seafood pasta is seafood on seafood on seafood. No balance. No delicate flavors. Pesto pasta was passable and cod mix was good. I’ll leave it at that.

This place is meant for the tourists and is commercialized. From the QR code on the menu to the 325ml wine bottles (that in my opinion, demonstrate the short sightedness of the restaurant as there are RARELY any good wines in that bottle format). I am from NY and this felt like a Times Square restaurant. There is nothing wrong with that but only if it is advertised as such. This was falsely advertised as something homey,...

So... I do not write a lot of reviews since they are simply time consuming. Here I take the chance to highlight how a really good Italian restaurant, not a Michelin or Gambero Rosso featured one, but one with ambitions should behave.

Therefore it is always nice when the restaurant does not know your background and also the experience in visiting over 200 restaurants in Italy.

Service: I had the chance to be served by a young woman, friendly and passionate, on point, very reactive without the observing feeling that some professionals give you. Simply perfect service. Also a young tall man served us another time. Also passionate and on point.

Food: Again on point. The dishes are well developed before they are provided in the menu. Pasta had perfect thickness and boiled perfectly to have a nice bite. Seafood was fresh in taste. Presentation was well developed, too.

The little things: vine glasses were placed heads down, clean tables and dishes, speed of serving, waiters behaviour consistent when they left the table and were not seen, bread was fresh/ freshly rebaked. These are points that should be standard, but oftentimes not done...

Disappointing experience.first there is an inside and back outer deck section with bright lights and wobbly tables with clear plastic chairs. Now on to the next issue, the food. Antipasto were okay at best. The fish marinade over focaccia (which was rock hard) ok. Steamed polpo with potatoes was actually decent. After prolonged wait even for italy, Primi brought at same time as secondi. Primi of taglieneri with “catch” was subpar with barilla spaghetti and ? Small shrimp, half empty mussel shells. (no the mussel was mixed in) and too salty. Just bad. The roasted beef (veal) was okay, again “gravy” salty. Crying baby family with banging silverware didn’t help but not their fault. Shouldnt mix couples with families. Not romantic or classy. Left blinded by lights, deaf from clanking silverware and high pitched squeals, off balance from wobbly table, thirsty from overstated food and 100 euros poorer. Had to get drunk on...