Cento — Restaurant in Columbus

In the heart of German Village, a new culinary gem has emerged, and its name is Cento. This Italian restaurant, a recent addition to the Cameron Mitchell Group's repertoire, exudes an ambition to deliver an authentic Italian experience that piqued my curiosity from the moment I set foot inside its doors.

Venturing beyond the menu, Cento's dedication to crafting an authentic Italian dining affair becomes evident. Our journey began with the prosciutto and melon, a classic combination executed with precision. The melon, ripened to perfection, met thinly sliced prosciutto in a dance of sweet and savory harmony. It's worth noting that the prosciutto here is thoughtfully prepared, with every effort made to ensure that only the most flavorful, meaty portions find their way to the plate. It's a testament to the kitchen's commitment to quality.

Next up was the burrata, a dish that unfolded as a spectacle at our table. With a delicate touch, salt was added to the creamy interior before a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, crowned by a perfectly seasoned tomato pesto. This dreamy concoction rested atop ripe tomatoes, infusing each bite with a delightful medley of flavors. Spread atop toasted sourdough bread, it was a symphony of taste where no note was out of tune. The balance of salt and sweetness, the creaminess of the burrata, and the zest of the pesto created a flavor explosion that lingered long after the plate was cleared.

For the main course, I opted for the rigatoni alla vodka, a dish that holds a special place in the hearts of those accustomed to authentic Italian fare. As a New Yorker with a penchant for homemade meatballs crafted by Italian grandmothers, I take this dish seriously. The meatball at Cento, I must say, was a delightful throwback to my childhood. Paired with the red sauce (or 'gravy,' as we New Yorkers fondly call it), it triggered memories of Sundays spent dipping Italian bread and eagerly checking on the sauce's simmering progress. The sauce, rich and full-bodied, was a testament to the kitchen's mastery. The rigatoni alla vodka, a challenging dish to master outside of NYC, held its own and transported me back to the city's authentic Italian eateries.

In the realm of service, Cento shines brightly. For the first time in Columbus, I found myself transported to a realm of fine dining where every detail was meticulously curated. The servers, dressed in tailored attire, presented an image of professionalism that left an indelible impression. It's not just a meal; it's a meticulously crafted experience. From the maroon suit jackets and matching bow ties worn by the main servers to the maroon vests and white button-downs adorning the assistant servers, every element was impeccably coordinated. Their knowledge of the dishes and their preparation added to the overall sense of excellence.

To conclude this culinary journey, dessert beckoned, and we indulged in the chocolate torte and the Panna Cotta. The Panna Cotta, in particular, was the stuff dreams are made of. A velvety custard nestled beneath a strawberry sorbet, with a delicate sprinkle of honey crisp, it provided an indulgent yet ethereal conclusion to the meal.

In summary, Cento is a welcome addition to Columbus's dining scene. Its commitment to authenticity, impeccable service, and unforgettable flavors make it a standout establishment. From the first bite to the final course, it's a symphony of tastes that will linger in your memory long after you've...

Warning, Do not Valet your vehicle here

High end steak house feel and pricing with a Fazzoli's quality food experience. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants really missed the mark with Cento. The atmosphere is great, service was good, the food however was a huge disappointment. The food is where everything went downhill fast...not what I was expecting. Their "signature" table side made cesar salad (which we were told they no longer make table side by the way) was the main and only hype around this restaurant I had heard prior to eating there. I ordered the salad anyway to give it a try, it was average at best and grossly overpriced for the portion size served. We ordered several main dishes from the menu and they were all unfortunately pedestrian attempts at quality italian dishes. We were not impressed whatsoever and left highly disappointed. As far as Italian restaurants are concerned in the Columbus area Cento doesn't even make the top 10 list. And now for the best part of the Cento experience...due to the lack of parking we used their Valet service. The valet, upon returning my vehicle, swiped a pole down the entire side of my vehicle. Putting the damage to my vehicle aside, the overall experience was underwhelming and grossly overpriced for the quality of food served. Basi Italia, Pasqualone's, La Tavola, Marcella, Martini's to name a few are head and toes above comparatively for the food and experience.

Update: Dealing with the valet service, managed by Citrin, has been a complete disaster. They lied to me and told me that if the damages were under $10K they would prefer to pay out of pocket and not file a claim. Fast forward several weeks, after providing the quote to them (which was well below the threshold they advised me of) they now reversed course and want to file a claim, which starts the entire process over again...why waste 4 weeks of my time? Spoke to Cameron Mitchell's corporate, they said this was unacceptable and that they would contact Citrin to resolve. after waiting 2 weeks and reaching back out to them due to a lack of their response.. I was then told there was nothing they could do, again a waste of time. Citrin provided the insurance company the wrong number to reach me and provided me with the wrong claim number... The main issue in this entire situation is Rusty Furno with Citrin. He is incompetent, a liar, and could care less about the inconvenience this has caused and showed zero remorse or understanding of the situation. There are several other Cameron Mitchell restaurants I will eat at excluding Cento's however I will never valet a vehicle at one of their...

We have been here 3 times. The first time was when it first opened. It was amazing, the food was delicious, we had a great experience, and they brought these cute yummy little cookies with the check. The second time we went (maybe 6 weeks later) we had a great time. Food was good, the bread was still amazing, but we noticed they took the cookies away 😕which was such a cute thing at the end, but oh well. So here’s why I’m actually leaving this review… The THIRD time we visited was a few nights ago. The waitress came by and told us the specials : Chilean Sea Bass with toasted pistachios, a fennel citrus salad, and candied pistachios, the other is a mushroom cheese pasta (I don’t remember the mushrooms or cheese she said). So we ordered both of the specials along with the octopus and burrata as appetizers. The bread came and was still good but the garlic one was toasted a lot this time, almost burnt. The appetizers came and they were good, but then they brought the specials we ordered… I couldn’t believe what I was looking at, I wish I would have taken photos, but honestly I didn’t think about it at the moment, I was just really underwhelmed and disappointed after being so excited for this sea bass dish. The sea bass looked like it was just fried in some butter and thrown on the plate, there were orange slices next to it with pieces of black olives on the slices (the black olives didn’t fit the dish at all and were not mentioned), 3 tiny slivers of fennel, and literally 2 chopped pieces of pistachios (I’m not even joking). After hearing her say so many pistachios on this dish I was shocked there was none, the fish was cooked nice inside, but that’s about it. The mushroom pasta looked like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for 15 mins. That shiny film pasta gets when it drys up after sitting out… yeah that’s what it looked like. It was bland, tasted like (I don’t like saying) dishwater, and we had to ask them for some cheese to put on it so it was edible, the noodles were also extremely over cooked. Again no cookies and so we are kinda wondering are they just not caring now… idk, but I can say spending that much on meals I expect wayyyyy better plating, wayyyy better food not just throwing 2 tiny pieces of chopped pistachio on the plate, 3 thin strips of fennel, and thinking that’s ok. I don’t think we will be back now, which is upsetting because we were so excited about this place the first...