Convivio Italian Artisan Cuisine — Restaurant in Carmel

Hint: I did not like this place. It was overpriced and underwhelming.

The young girl at the host station should take a class on smiling and speaking up. She did neither. Not a large dining area and it filled quickly. The noise level became too much for me due to hearing loss from military service. Hearing what my dinner companion was saying became difficult. We went around 6 pm. Perhaps earlier or later when crowds are smaller would be better for me.

The server was thorough but not in a good way. He started by saying: "I'm going to overload you with information." He did just that. It was like verbal machine-gun fire from all directions. He even told us how the menu has changed including things no longer on the menu. He told us about "special cocktails not yet able to be shown nor made because those things were coming soon." Even after telling him we did not need the wine menu he proceeded to continue his verbal assault and explained the wine ordering process (2 options: by the glass or by the bottle. I never knew that's how wine is served). The server told us his favorites from the menu - all of his favorites. Oddly, each of his fav's was the most expensive item in each category. His favorite wine was only served by the bottle which was surprising and unique and artisan.

The "Specials" menu was displayed on a faux bamboo board (so very Italian) which had seen better times.

He told us the menu was mostly Sicilian inspired but centered around Tuscan cuisine. I've had food in both places. This restaurant was neither Sicilian nor Tuscan and the server needs to look at a map. The food here was NYC italian street food, at best. The house bread was bland focaccia with a bland, tasteless oil. It was served on a paddle style board which was oily because the hole in the board for the oil cup was too small for the cup and the oil spilled. The meal was good but oily. We passed on desserts. Why bother? I don't like oily desserts. Maybe they do in NYC.

The check was delivered to the table concealed in a copy of "Convivio" by Dante Alighieri. Finally, something which made sense at this place! That book is an unfinished, unsatisfying compilation of thoughts by Dante and this restaurant left my appetite unsatisfied. Btw, the "check book" was covered in food and oil stains. It was disgusting but seemed to keep the "everything in Sicily and Tuscany is covered in oil" theme going until the end.

Artisan restaurants don't always measure up. This is one of them. And will someone please tell that server there is a substantial distance between Sicily and Tuscany both in terms of physical location and culinary style?

Hint: if the menu is not overwhelmingly fish/seafood you CANNOT call your restaurant Sicilian inspired. If you serve everything covered in oil you have not served Tuscan...

Had been here once before a few years ago and liked it, so we decided to try it again and made a reservation for Mother's Day. Sadly, I don't know that we will be returning.

First, our service was a bit inconsistent. I realize it was a holiday and they appeared to be busy as folks were waiting to get in when we left, so they very well may have been understaffed. Having said that, there were definitely portions of the meal where none of the 3 of us had water to drink and it took about 45 minutes for our dinners to arrive. The service was kind and seemed to be active from what I could tell, but we simply felt forgotten.

Second, some of our orders were lacking as well. We decided to order the Contadina [$15] pizza as our table "appetizer" to share. It was a thin and crispy style, maybe 12 - 14", with truffle oil, garlic, mozzarella, portabello mushroom, caramelized shallots, taleggio, and shaved parmigiano. They didn't skimp on the mushrooms and we all agreed it was very good and we would order it again.

Our son ordered their Fish Special [$38] for the evening, which was Swordfish with asparagus and potatoes. The fish looked to be cooked through well and the meal seemed to be decent portions. He indicated he enjoyed all of it. My wife and I each ordered the Pansotti [$21], tortelloni stuffed with parmigiano, spinach, swiss chard and ricota covered in a gorgonzola cream sauce. The filling and sauce tasted good, but the pasta on the exterior of the tortelloni was on the thicker side and definitely did not seem properly prepared as it was tough to cut with a fork and even a bit to chew.

Lastly, it wasn't the best atmosphere. The sun was shining in through a window on the west side of the room, which was a challenging visual contrast compared to the relative darkness of the area we were eating. Also, the restrooms were on the north side of our dining area and commonly had folks in line within the dining room waiting to use them. I had seen a complaint about the noise level being excessive in a review prior to our arrival, but I cannot say that was the case for our area. Our first time dining here we were in a different room on the east side of the property and don't recall an issue then. They also were using tables for outdoor dining to the west of the building, which possibly contributed to their understaffing if it was.

I know some folks would say you should bring these matters up while in the restaurant, but I don't feel that would have resolved any of the issues. It's possible we just caught them on a bad night based on their overall high score for reviews. I just that after spending over $100 for a dinner for three that did not include drinks that we should feel we had a very favorable experience and that was...

I have been returning to Convivio for many years now, a testament to its ability to satisfy customers over the long term. I hope this review persuades you to become a regular customer as well.

The "performance quality" of Convivio (its ability to meet or exceed high expectations, and exhibit superior traits and outcomes above those of competitors) is exceptional. Every dish is not merely able to please but to delight. The menu boasts a core of unchanging favorites, but also changes regularly to demonstrate the innovation and creativity of its restaurateur owner. The dishes are interesting, detailed, and finessed. To obtain food anywhere near this category, one would have to travel to Boston's "North End", a Mecca of Italian culinary pleasure.

The "conformance quality" of Convivio (its ability to repeat performances in a consistent way) is perfection. I have eaten a wide range of dishes, but I have also eaten the same dish repeatedly -- each time delivered to me with conformation to previous experiences. Convivio reaches a level of consistency unmatched by any eating establishment in Indiana. If you want it perfect each and every time, Convivio delivers without fail.

The "service quality" of Convivio is the envy of all service organizations. Whereas the proverb warns that "good people are hard to find," Convivio has conspired to aggregate nothing but exceptional host and wait staff. Always friendly, always respectful, always timely, always engaged, always enjoyable. Kudos to the owner and managers for having a correct eye for hiring, training, and retaining quality people. (A special shout-out to servers Christine and Madalynn upon whom praise is to be showered for consistently and tirelessly delivering over and above every single time.)

The "atmospheric quality" is praiseworthy. Convivio is ever clean, orderly, and in proper condition. Nothing is seemingly ever out of place, and I feel persuaded that it would be safe to eat right off the floor -- it's that clean.

Finally, the "ownership quality" of Convivio is without equal: Andrea Melani has the culinary acumen to create a never-ending stream of delightful dishes, has the orchestrative prowess to get talented people performing impressive acts in beautiful coordination, and has the gentlemanly persona to greet and visit with his patrons.

If you can't travel to Boston's North End for Italian, then I invite you to sample the Italian delight on offer from Convivio. Nothing in Indiana will approach the experience...