Donna Pazzo — Restaurant in Arnhem

I really did not want to write this review but I truly feel that it is necessary as there are lessons to be learned for Donna Pazzo. The location, setting and interior design and decorations are very nice..... but that is where the nicities end.

I am willing to accept slow service, especially if you are short staffed, but to be ignored by staffed for over an hour during the course of the meal service is unacceptable. It would be one thing to see that nobody else is receiving service as well and accept that this is just normal, but to watch every single table around us not only being served, but also having waiters come to the table to ask if anything else is needed or any additional orders to be taken. For example, not once for the first 2 hours did any service staff come to ask if we would like more drinks. We were placed in the back corner of the restaurant (a sure sign that you will be forgotten about) and countless times service attendants would come to tables right next to ours and completely ignore us in the process.

But even if we are forgotten about, this does not excuse the fact that our food took significantly longer than other tables, who arrived much longer after we did. For example, it took 1-hour for the anti-pasti to arrive after it was ordered. Another 1:15-hours before our primi meal arrived. At which point it was past 22:00 and then service was rushed and the kitchen closed for obvious reasons. We sat down at 19:30 initially. When we confronted the staff to ask what the reason for the very long delay was, we were informed that there was a problem in the kitchen and that scheduling of the meals was disrupted. Whilst I understand that reason, not once in the 2.5-hours we were sat down at our table up until that point did any member of staff come to explain the situation. This review may have been very different had this actually happened. We even had to get up and go to the counter and ask for our own table bread just to not feel hungry waiting for our antipasti. The meals that we received, eventually, were warm (not hot) and were of slightly above average quality. I would argue better value could be found in other italian restaurants in Arnhem/Velp.

After the debacle that was this meal, the service staff offered to remove the drinks from the bill as way of compensation. Considering we had been in the restaurant for close on 3.5-hours and only 1 round of drinks was had, we felt that we didn't even really care at that point.

Sadly, Donna Pazzo still has a few teething problems to solve in both the quality of product produced and the kitchen organisation after being 1-year in operation. I hope things improve as this could be a nice establishment to...

The ambiance was pleasant, and initially, we received very friendly service. The starter was excellent and thoughtfully prepared. However, the second risotto was disappointingly grainy and lacked the promised Gorgonzola flavor. For dessert, we ordered the Semifreddo, which is traditionally semi-frozen, but it arrived as a solid, rock-hard block. When we questioned if this was intentional, as it was impossible to cut through with a spoon, the staff insisted this was how it was meant to be served. I had to break the dessert in front of them, and despite the clear issue, they refused to replace it, saying that was its intended texture. Only after I threatened not to pay for the entire meal did they agree to remove it from the bill. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend...

Vanaf het moment dat we het restaurant betraden kon je de onzekerheid bij het personeel en de ongemakkelijkheid bij de gasten al bijna proeven en bij de eerste gang bleek al snel waarom. Naar een Osteria ga je voor kwalitatief goed eten, maar het moge duidelijk zijn dat het personeel nog nooit naar Italië is afgereisd om er bij eentje te eten.

De tagliatelle was compleet kapot gekookt en de garnalen waren kurkdroog. Het gerecht zou een bisque moeten bevatten, maar het smaakte alsof er een simpele kruidenkaas was gebruikt. Of het zo was, geen idee, maar ik heb liever dat het tegenovergestelde waar is. De risotto van mijn tafelgenoot was ook droog en veel te zout.

En dan het showstuk, de bavette. Hier werd voor mij wel duidelijk dat er in de keuken sprake is van gebrek aan ervaring en senioriteit. De garing was compleet uit balans; het ene stuk kurkdroog en het andere diep rauw. De chef die dit uitserveert weet ogenschijnlijk niet hoe het gerecht opgeleverd moet worden, dus ik zou aan de eigenaar mee willen geven om dan maar een sous-vide systeem aan te schaffen, dan kun je in ieder geval niet zo gruwelijk de mist in gaan.

Met het personeel had ik het echt te doen. Je ziet dat ze het graag goed willen doen, maar nog veel te onervaren zijn. Een fles wijn openen bleek al uitdagend, dus dan kun je wel raden dat er van het 'aanvoelen van de behoeften aan tafel' totaal geen sprake was.

Ik hou er niet van om achteraf online te gaan klagen, maar als je met je schoonouders aan tafel zit dan houd je je koest en bewaar je de goede vrede. Als ik hier alleen was wezen eten dan had ik de eigenaar graag het volgende meegegeven. Lees de reviews eens door en kijk in de spiegel. Doe het beter voor je eigen personeel, want die verdienen dit niet. Reis eens met ze af naar Piëmonte en ga daar eens proeven hoe een Osteria hoort te...