Sulmona — Restaurant in Cambridge

I arrived between 5:00pm and 5:10pm today and found a restaurant so empty that I wasn't even sure it was open when I was looking from outside.

When I walked in, the hostess was on the phone, acknowledged me, and was helped by a waiter (maybe the head waiter?) who came and received my "table for one" request.

The waiter offered to seat me at the bar, and indicated that his tables had reservations. I said no, I didn't want to sit at the bar, and he ... in a rather negative/complainey tone, indicated his tables were reserved for 6pm, and that I would have to leave by 6.

From my perspective at this point, my first impression was that the restaurant was very inhospitable. It's not my problem when your tables have to be available, and I shouldn't be made to feel awkward when being seated by being told that this completely empty restaurant has reservations in about an hour. Frankly, eating alone, it's highly unlikely I would take anywhere near an hour to eat, and if the restaurant was mostly full, I would understand the desire to keep tables open or communicate that I could only be there for a limited time, but for a completely empty restaurant, that's completely irrelevant.

The initial bad impression colored my whole visit. After that, the service was good. The waitress came and brought out water quickly and took my order right away, as I was already ready. My food came quickly, though the person who delivered it was mumbling, and I had a hard time understanding what they were saying. Had it been busy or had I been distracted, it would have just been confusing.

The food was okay, but when I order a $30 carbonara, I don't expect the pasta to be undercooked. I like my noodles al dente, but I expect that they won't be mealy or almost crunchy. Aside from that issue (which is a big one at an Italian restaurant), the food was good. The portion initially looked extremely small, as it was plated in such a way as to make it look even smaller than it was, but it turned out to be the perfect amount, despite me being particularly hungry, eating lunch at 5:30pm.

While I was eating, it was a little awkward, because there was a waiter walking circles around the empty restaurant, glowering and looking pretty antsy, though when I finished, I received a dessert menu quickly and upon deciding not to order dessert, I received my check quickly and was out well before the 6pm I had been provided upon arriving.

In any case: First impression/initial service: 1/5 Later service/tone of service: 4/5 Food Quality: 3/5 Speed of Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 2/5 (empty restaurant, music was already too loud - I can't imagine how loud it gets in there when it's full) Overall: 3/5

Some suggestions for the proprietor: Have some 2-tops that aren't the bar. The smallest table I saw was a 4-top. That makes it hard in a busy downtown area to serve couples or singles coming in for a meal. It would have probably felt like a smaller impact to the head waiter if he could have seated me at a 2-top rather than a 4-top. You could easily make some of the 4-tops that are tables into adjacent 2-tops that you combine into 4-tops for...

Wow! This restaurant is a gem. Let me tell you why .. I chose this restaurant for a birthday celebration with family, having never been before. The food was incredibly delicious. From the homemade pasta to the pizza, everyone loved their meal. I ordered the aqueduct cocktail, which was also top notch. The decor and atmosphere make you feel like you are in for a special experience without being so fancy that you feel you need to dress a certain way or remember which piece of cutlery does what. What truly made this a memorable and extraordinary experience was our server! My only child, who is a very active and busy 7- year- old, accompanied us (a group of 5 adults). Immediately, our server considered how to accommodate him. We were seated at a high table and he brought over a different chair saying, "this one is more stable, so it will be OK if you get the wiggles". I was impressed that he thought of this and also made my son feel like it was totally ok to just be the kid he is. It didn't end there! When we placed our order, he let my son walk over with him to press the buttons on the screen and enter our options. He also brought over a small cutting board and a ball of pizza dough. He showed the dough to my son and told him it was from the dough his pizza would be made from. Then he let him keep it at the table and told him he could play with it! This kept him occupied and allowed him to have some sensory play and creative expression while we waited for dinner. If that wasn't impressive enough, when it came time to bring over a special birthday dessert, he asked my son to help bring it to the table. He was so proud and happy to be a part of serving me my birthday treat! We came on a Monday in the early evening, so I'm sure it was less busy and our server could devote more attention to us, but he went above and beyond to give us an exceptional dining experience. He could have just enjoyed the slow pace of not being busy, but instead he ensured that my son was occupied, felt important, and didn't feel like he had to endure a boring dinner with annoyed adults. I cannot say enough about how special this dinner was! Thank you, thank you to our...

Solid Italian place with decent food and great vibes.

Came here about a month ago to try this popular Italian restaurant in Cambridge. To begin, we ordered the Carciofi Fritti and Fritto Misto. While both dishes were decent, they didn't quite reach the heights of excellence that I was hoping for. The Carciofi Fritti offered smoky flavors that I enjoyed, but some parts of the artichoke were slightly burnt, detracting from the overall experience.

Moving on to the main courses, the Spaghetti Di Nonna and Wild Boar Ragu were solid Italian options. The Spaghetti Di Nonna, featuring spaghetti alla Chitarra with Nonna's Marinara sauce, was a comforting and satisfying dish. The addition of meatballs for an additional charge provided an extra layer of flavor.

The Wild Boar Ragu, consisting of braised wild boar shoulder and fresh cavatelli, showcased the rich and hearty flavors of the meat. The combination of tender boar and al dente cavatelli made for a satisfying and enjoyable dish.

The Porchetta was the highlight of the evening. Slow-roasted pork served with creamy polenta, broccoli rabe, baby carrots, and pan drippings created a symphony of flavors. The pork was flavorful, and the accompaniments enhanced the dish's overall profile.

Overall, Sulmona is a solid Italian restaurant that offers decent food and great vibes. While some dishes, like the Carciofi Fritti and Fritto Misto, were merely average, the Spaghetti Di Nonna, Wild Boar Ragu, and Porchetta showcased the kitchen's capabilities. The overall experience at Sulmona was enjoyable, and I would consider returning to try their...