VIA 417 — Restaurant in Jenkintown

From the moment you step into Via 417, you'll sense that you're in for a genuinely good Italian dining experience. Although our initial encounter with the hostess was somewhat lukewarm, the commendable service from our attentive server quickly redeemed the situation. We were particularly grateful for their understanding when we realized we'd forgotten our bottle at home.

The menu at Via 417 is an exciting journey through Italian cuisine, with a range of dishes that promise hearty comfort and culinary delight. I decided to try the parpadelle pasta special, a choice I found utterly satisfying. The sausage provided a pleasing kick that contrasted beautifully with the subtler flavors of the pasta and shrimp, which was cooked to perfection. Each bite showcased the evident expertise and attention to detail in the kitchen.

Next on our gastronomic adventure was the crispy salmon. The portion size was ideal, delivering a hearty and satisfying dish that proved incredibly filling. Perfectly cooked with a tantalizing crispiness on the outside, it offered a lovely take on a classic dish.

The highlight, however, was undoubtedly the short rib. Its tender, fall-off-the-bone consistency showcased the slow-cooking methods that Italian cuisine is renowned for. This dish left us craving for more, underscoring the adept skills of the chefs at Via 417.

Despite our overall satisfaction, it's worth noting that none of the dishes delivered an 'oh wow' factor, a striking moment that elevates an already enjoyable dining experience into something extraordinary. However, the consistency of good quality food and service at Via 417 is something to be lauded.

In conclusion, Via 417 may not offer an earth-shattering culinary revelation, but it presents a reliable, enjoyable dining experience with its well-crafted Italian cuisine and overall warm service. It's definitely a place we plan to revisit to further explore their enticing menu. If you're a fan of Italian cuisine and appreciate consistently good food and service, Via 417 is well...

Very nice people. Great ambiance. SUPER disappointing food. We knew something was off when the bread wasn't good. At an Italian restaurant, I expect excellent bread on the table. Their bread tasted like there was a lot of extra baking soda in it. Then the cheese platter came. It was decent. 4 or 5 cheeses, orange marmalade, crackers, grapes, and strawberries, You can't mess up a cheese platter, right? Well, the menu said the platter was to come with walnuts, but instead, there was a little container of really bad, stale bar-style mix with peanuts, little pretzels, etc. No walnuts. So when we asked about this, the waiter said, "I think the menu just says nuts, not walnuts." (It says "walnut," see the photo). But he was pleasant and said if they had walnuts, they would bring us some, and they did. Again, very nice staff. My wife ordered gorgonzola gnocchi. It was mediocre. But the weird thing was that it was supposed to be topped with candied walnuts, which actually might have elevated it. Instead, it was sprinkled with, again, plain old peanuts. What is with the peanuts?! And she found, bizarrely, a chunk of shrimp in the dish as she was chewing it. Not a whole shrimp, not a small shrimp; a chunk of shrimp. We didn't complain, but we did advise the (manager?), and they said they'd tell the chef. Now, to my dish, the Via Chicken. It was also a mediocre dish to begin with. The potato wedges were bland without seasoning or with very little. The greenbeans were good, though. But the sauce covering the chicken and shrimp (no, my shrimp did not get onto my wife's plate) was so salty as to be difficult to eat. Someone was VERY heavy-handed with the salt. It had the makings to be a good meal, but we were sadly disappointed. Maybe they had a really off night, but we won't be back to find out. Not when there are other Italian restaurants nearby that are proven to be...

I came here with my girlfriend for a date night because it had such high reviews.

The service is good and friendly, atmosphere is nice and my girlfriend really liked the vibes, but thats about the best I can say for the experience.

We came on a Wednesday night for what thats worth.

First we got some bread, it was fine, not great not terrible, but we got literally 2 pieces. Just enough for each of us to have 1 piece. Furthermore there was some olive oil on the table but we weren’t brought cheese to mix into the oil or anything, so we dipped into the oil. It was decent, but very strange to only get 2 pieces of bread. We were offered more bread and accepted and got…another 2 pieces. Strange.

Then we got a Caesar salad to split, the salad was average and kinda dry, in fact, I had to go to the bathroom as I somehow managed to choke on a piece of the salad.

For main entrees my girlfriend got the special they had, pasta with shrimp and mushrooms and I got the chicken piccata.

My girlfriend really enjoyed her meal and liked the taste.

I found my meal decent overall but TBH I was afraid to eat it mostly due to choking previously so ate very small pieces making it difficult to truly enjoy it. I did eat the rest the next day and overall it was solid.

Then the bill came, and for 1 salad split, 1 pasta special and 1 chicken piccata, with 20 percent tip I ended up paying nearly $90. Far too much for a place that has mediocre quality food and smaller portion sizes.

We wont be returning but we seem to be in the minority based on...