Teatro Italian Food & Wine — Restaurant in Flagstaff

I really wanted to love this restaurant! I love Tinderbox and Shift, but I was ready for another spot to add into the mix to show off to friends when they visit. Unfortunately, I had a pretty disappointing experience. There were pros and cons, though, so I'll start with the pros:

-Our server, Cody, was lovely! Very attentive and helpful. 5 stars for Cody. -We got the bread and butter to start—delicious. So flavorful and soft. I would eat that every day. -I didn't want any of the cocktails on the menu, so I ordered a tequila sour with egg white, and it was perfection. Also, it was so great of them to accommodate that off-script request.

The cons: -The hostess sat me and left the wine menu. I asked her if I could also have a cocktail menu, and she said, "I don't do that. Your server does." I was very confused and responded, "My server has to bring the cocktail menu? You can't bring it?" And she responded by over-enunciating and speaking slowly—like I was a four-year-old: "Your server does that. I don't do that." I was so shocked—I couldn't understand why she could leave a wine menu but not a cocktail menu, and thought it must be because the server had to explain the cocktails to me (maybe there are cocktails of the day? maybe they're made in a particular way that needs to be discussed?). But when Cody showed up and I asked him about the cocktail menu, he just went and grabbed it for me. The end. The hostess was incredibly unhelpful and rude, and to have that be my initial interaction with the restaurant—having never been there before—I was already put off before I'd been served anything. -We ordered the duck and the sea bass, and they were WAY too salty. The duck was okay if you didn't eat the skin, but with the skin on, it was nearly inedible. -The cocktail selection was super disappointing. If you don't want bitters in your cocktail, you have very few options. It's summer—such a perfect time to lean into florals, basil, berries, mint, St. Germaine, cucumber—but the selection was so unimaginative and limited (unless you love bitters).

There were some highlights, but for the price point, they just didn't outweigh the cons in the end, especially with over-salted mains and being spoken to like a child for asking for a...

Having worked in the industry, I can't recommend this place. My enthusiasm for Northern Italian food led me here with high hopes, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment in my quest for good Italian cuisine since returning from Italy.

On Christmas Eve, despite my reluctance to critique on such a busy night, I realize it was a true test of the restaurant's capabilities and consistency. Our small party of two was seated at a smaller table. However the constant bustling of servers made it uncomfortably crowded. A better table layout or training servers to approach from one side of the table could have improved the dining experience, elevating both the ambiance and service quality.

Our server, Lexy (if I recall her name correctly), seemed inexperienced for such a busy night. Timing on serving wine was way off. We've waited roughly 40 minutes until our wine arrived yet tables seated after us were served promptly. We requested our pasta and main dishes to be served together, treating antipasto as a dessert to pair with our wine but the timing of our dishes was chaotic. Gnocchi and risotto arrived simultaneously, while the lamb, delayed by 20 minutes, was disappointingly cold. We had to put in a request to serve antipasto first as we waited for the lamb.

Regarding the food: Focaccia: Dry and served cold, resembling old bread. Not much of a flavor other than the tomato flavored piece. Antipasto: Ingredients were in a good combination, but excessively salty. Could have used more sweetness on the board to balance our the flavors or add more bread. We were served 1 full and 2 half pieces of bread. Risotto: Excellent texture and consistency, but overwhelmed by grana padano. The cheese dominated the flavor. Gnocchi: Oversalted but a highlight of the night, true to Chef Art's recipe. Lamb dinner special: Lukewarm lamb. Flavorless au jus. Mashed potato must have been seating under the heat lamp for prolonged amount of time, evident by the shell created. Gelato trio: Fantastic flavors, highly recommend. Only let down by the dessert chef's lack of expertise in quenelling.

Overall, the experience fell short of expectations, ruined by service timing and inconsistencies in food...

Now in my top 5 restaurants experiences thus far. I called 20 minutes ahead and asked if it was okay that I was a walk in at the bar on a Friday night…the response was in my favor (thanks Grace). I showed up, I was greeted upon arrival and fortunately I was seated at a table instead, which was beyond what I expected. Upon entry the wall of wine bottles set the tone of this fine dining establishment. Elegant and refreshing with an intimate atmosphere. Lexie was my server for the evening, Lexie is well attentive and definitely one of the best! I ordered the bread service along with a Chianti by the glass and it was superb. I then followed up with the charcuterie board, by the way great presentation. I was going to order a gin martini but the selection was cumbersome with hopes in the future to add more variety of spirits. I planned this was the end of my experience but no. I ask Lexie what dish would be best that is light and served with red sauce. Lexie informed me of a dish that was out of order and offered a coworker’s favorite dish as a replacement. Caramelle Al Sugo Di Polpo, was Lexie’s recommendation and it was a new experience to say the least. The pasta, obviously made in-house, was good and the octopus tender. I was looking forward to the red sauce and unfortunately it was comparable to Chef Boyardee’s in a can. I paired this entree with a glass of Montepulciano, which was ok for $12 and I should’ve ordered another glass of the Chianti instead. I observed the environment and it seemed great. The floor was well attentive with staff and even what seems to be upper management. The well dressed man in suits were talking to all guests at the tables and never bother to stop by to greet or check in with me (not a big deal) but I happened to be of color, just speculation of course. I enjoyed the sight of the smoked cocktail presentations which filled the restaurant with a wonderful aroma. Overall, the experience for this brand new fine dining establishment set the tone right, which I will definitely recommend and will be back for more. Thank you to the Teatro staff and THAT...