Shrodi's - Cucina di Maria — Restaurant in Plum

We decided to splurge a bit for our anniversary and you usually cant go wrong with Italian. We got there and everything seemed fine. The waitress brought our drinks and took our order, no problems. But after we got our drinks the waitress disappeared for about an hour. Tables next to us that had arrived after us at this point were getting their checks (different waitress). An hour later our waitress did come by and asks if everything is alright. We asked if it was going to be much longer as we had somewhere to be and had not gotten the appetizer, soup & salad, or entrees. She said she was sorry and it should be soon.

The other waitress then does bring out our appetizer. Another half hour and we got the soup and salad. They apologized for the wait and offered a free dessert. The appetizer was very good and the soup/salad were as well, so we continued to wait hoping the entrees will be worth it. but then after another half hour/45 minutes we ask again where is our food. The waitress said they are just finishing up it should be a couple of minutes.

A half hour later we finally get our entrées and they couldn't be more disappointing. The chefs special was ok but the veal cutlets my wife got were almost insulting. The "breaded veal cutlets with pasta" had no breading, was an extremely small portion, and looked like chopped steak off a grill from subway. The pasta looked like it was just slapped onto the plate angrily and overall looked gross. We had looked at their Facebook page beforehand and decided on the food via the pictures the owner had posted. The exact meal my wife ordered was dog food compared to what they advertised as a midscale restaurant. We are not even picky people when it comes to food and my wife was rightly dissapointed. Up until this point the food was actually really good, we have no idea what happened.

When the food came we asked for the dessert and check as we just wanted to be done and get out of there, it was obvious we were rushing and not happy with the service. We immediately signed the check and were ready to go. We had to wait another ~20 minutes for the check to get picked up, and ultimately had to ask the other waitress to get the check as our waitress was no where to be seen, again.

As we got up to leave the waitress immediately came and grabbed the check up, as we were on our way out...interesting.

Overall we shouldn't have waited for the food or should have asked for the owner to intervene, but we are very nonconfrontational and didn't want to deal with this on our anniversary night.

Still, how we were treated was unacceptable, and being offered a piece of cake after waiting an absurd amount of time with obviously subpar food was...

Before I express my review, I want to say that I think the idea of the Feast of The Seven Fishes was fabulous and from the get-go the food was quite good. We were quite excited to plan and attend what we thought was going to be a unique experience, as part of our holiday celebration for this year. The cost was $110 per person, so it qualified as a special expenditure for our family. Special consideration was given to us to be able to add a child to our party at no charge ,by adding a serving of a plain pasta dish for his main dinner while we shared bites from our specialty plates during the progression of the meal. Dinner was to commence at 6:00 so we arrived just a few minutes early please make sure we were seated in time. The wait staff, as always, were kind and attentive and we were seated quickly. We were placed in a smaller room just off the front entrance and it was a bit disappointing as there was no decor, no special table settings and no heat. It was their common room with no special touches, warmth or seasonal invitation. There were no silverware settings and we didn't actually get any until after the first course arrived. As I said, we arrived well in time but we received no food until 6:50. Later questions to the server informed us that a number of people who had made reservations iactually did not show up, or call to cancel, so those of us who were on time were made to wait to see if others were going to show up. I get that it was intended to be a family style progression, but seriously? Penalizing your actual clientele in a freezing room may not be the best move. I can totally recommend the menu choices and most of the execution of the food. It was authentic, well-prepared, interesting and portioned beautifully. Some items were a little under seasoned (with no salt and pepper on the table)and servers did not offer grated cheese and had to be asked to provide that and bread for the table, but that oversight appeared to be more a matter of servers not being informed that those touches would have been appropriate for the significance of the meal itself. A lady who appeared to be an owner came around with a Christmas Witch who gave out hard candy to guests. ??? I will always recommend Schrodi's for their food and service. They have wonderful standards in their regular business and it has always been a pleasure to be their customer. Unfortunately I would have to give this Holiday venture a bit of a fail, and it pains me to do so. The price tag was steep for an anticipated experience that was not what it could have been with just a little more thought...

What is better than a quaint stone building restaurant with a Basil garden thriving as you walk up? Well, a family tradition and staff who all welcome you as family .. yes, we know the family history of Shrodi.

The menu was plentiful and very reasonable. The selections took much time to choose and with the outstanding help of Natalie, we made our picks! What is cool is my mom is not a big eater anymore and chose the veal piccata with a side of pasta and salad off the senior menu which is very clever to have available and still had enough leftovers for lunch today.

The stuffed banana peppers with Sunday sauce were amazing. Three served generously and one went home!

Veal piccata was delish with a nice zest of lemon. Large portions! Also a side of spaghetti with the sauce of your choice, which after tasting the Sunday sauce I wanted more!

House salad with their house dressing to add according to our taste. Many kalamata Olives. Cherry tomatoes Fresh mushrooms. And the freshest mixed greens

Our Irishman picked his favorite penne with vodka sauce. It was the best he’s ever had. I have to agree! The added prosciutti and seasonings were truly delicious.

The chef is masterful in the kitchen and believe me, every mouth watering taste was worth it! We enjoyed our beverages from the talented bartender.

Natalie was fabulous and attentive to us from hello to see you again soon goodbye.

Oh I almost forgot to mention, they are building a bocce court out back to really add to its authentic Italian tradition and flair. It’s a little bit of Heaven tucked away in Penn Hills! Do not pass it up! Can’t wait to bring my family and friends! Continued success be yours! We love a true Italian restaurant using family recipes of your family....