Felina — Restaurant in Ridgewood

We made a reservation that required a deposit on my Amex. That should've been a warning right away, locking me into a reservation by warning to charge my card a cancelation or no-show fee. Meanwhile, when we arrived, there were seats-a-plenty and not just because of social distancing...

The staff and servers are all very cordial and polite, thank you for that, but the Maitre'D, a young man, decided to sit us up against a dark wall behind the bar so we can be exposed to the most noise and least amount of visual exposure and light. The noise level in this dining room is astounding. Lots of hard surfaces, chattering, clanging makes for a cacophony of noise that disables your conversation. I have a slight hearing disability in my right ear, so you can just imagine how I was doing...

We immediately requested a seat in the dining room where other less dressed diners were seated ( so much for "smart casual" dress code - jeans and a Polo shirt is suitable). The wine list: extensively filled with wines most people never heard of unless you own a wine shop and outrageously expensive ( not one single table had a bottle on their table...because the wine prices are off the charts) We had wine by the glass, 4 glasses-$66, Italian wine from both Northern Italy and Sicily, and I will say, they're wines by the glass are decent. My Eduardo Torres Acosta Versante Nord, $17 per glass for a bottle that retails for $30 ( I guess that's fair ), My wife's Oddero Riesling, $18 per glass for a bottle that costs $20 on average. (I've have 30+ years of education in wine, I make wine, excellent wine, I collect wine and store hundreds of bottles in my cellar- so I know a thing or two about wine )

We had the Beet Salad and it was very good but let's be realistic, how difficult it is to prepare beets, huh?? And we had the Octopus Entree, which was undercooked, a little towards slimy, and tasted a little fishy and sea-salty, like when you get sea water in your mouth. Octopus should be marinated and grilled to a point where it's no longer rubbery and I'll be the first to say, Octopus is delicate so cooking it perfectly is not easy. ( I come from a family of cooks chefs and restaurant owners here in America and Italy so..)

Our Entrees, my wife had the scallops and they were excellent, the whole dish was done right. I had the Duck, and it was okay, a little undercooked but okay, the broccoli that it came with was burned, not char-grilled, burned, and they tasted burned. (Unfortunately an hour after I arrived home, my stomach agreed with my dissatisfaction and sent me running...if you catch my drift.)

The food prices are reasonable but the food is supposed to be perfect especially when they require a credit card to hold a reservation. I could be wrong, but it appears Felina is a catering/event/banquet facility that has a restaurant on the side vs being a restaurant that also offers catering... the difference being their focus. If your focusing on the catering and the party taking place, I'm betting the restaurant is taking a back seat. ( my uncle owned a massive restaurant and catering hall in Italy for 40+ years - he had two kitchens and two staffs ).

So, If you want to be in a blingy wannabe "Scene" restaurant with loads of pretension, a wine list only wealthy big showy spenders can afford, good service and mediocre food where dinner for two is north of $200, this the place for you.

If you're going to require a credit card to hold a reservation and warn of a cancelation fee, you better deliver a culinary experience that's next to flawless...There are dozens and of restaurants in Ridgewood, many are BYOs. Go to the wine shop on Broad Ave, pick a great bottle or two and go someplace else... and if you rather not BYO, Roots is right across...

Felina restaurant & Bar is an innovative Italian restaurant in a modern atmosphere. Prices are reasonable, and portions are a decent size. I waited so long to try this restaurant because I thought the portions were going to be tiny as one reviewer wrote, but this is not the case! I had the Pizzetta Bianca as my appetizer which was really good! It was topped with Brussels sprouts, Meyer lemon, and hot honey. The hot honey gave it such a delicious flavor! For entree I had the house made whole wheat rigatoni with delicata squash, kale, and pumpkin seeds. The pasta was cooked al dente, and it was EXCELLENT! It was very unique, and I’m glad I ordered it. For dessert I was hoping they were going to have a s’mores cake as I saw someone had posted. Unfortunately, it was not on the menu, but maybe next time. I like to end my meal with something chocolate, but the only offering chocolate was a budino. I ended up ordering a salted caramel apple crostata. I’m usually not into Apple crostatas, but the salted caramel sounded really good! It was delicious! The pastry was delicate, and it was complimented with powdered sugar. The only thing there was no salted caramel anywhere on the apple crostata so for me that was disappointing. But, still a delicious dessert! This restaurant should be packed, and I honestly cant understand why it wasn’t. This restaurant is owned by a top chef Anthony Bucco, prices are reasonable, and the food is delicious and unique! The only complaint I have is I don’t like to be charged for each coffee. I’m very generous, and definitely not cheap! I just think it shows customer appreciation when you get charged for one even if your have two. However, that won’t stop me from coming back! I highly recommend dining at Felina Restaurant & Bar for a fantastic, innovative...

Dined last night with family - thirty of us after a wedding ceremony around the block. Food served family style were nicely done - although the “antipasta” platters were thin aka light on content. We are all hungry upon arrival and the olives, pickled eggplant, and focaccia squares didn’t satisfy. Later, the chicken doneness was spot on - sous vide perhaps? - but platters were laden with oils / fats. Pasta dish was soft - a mash up - would have benefited from accurate cooking or less hold time. Inclusions were lost in the mash up. Salmon was solid - crispy skin for a crowd - nice job! Drinks were well-crafted.

Here’s my issue and yours if you book a group. Management was skimpy on the real estate. Our tables were to close together - less than 3’ between table edges from where I was sitting. We were prisoners and could not freely move around to visit each other. The servers had an extremely difficult time getting in and out, and I aided from my sitting position having them hand me food that I placed on the table. I also handed plates back to them.

I use a metaphor in my work and that is “build your house before you cook”. The decision to not have proper clearances for guests and service adversely affected most in our group - and especially Yalima and Russel - the two excellent staff that has to endure. To watch them carry dishes held on a tilt against their bodies and aprons was difficult. Yalima’s apron was soiled with oils and food.

Looking around the restaurant - all the other patrons seem to have ample room. We did not. No fair. Booking a party or a large group here? Be sure to require that management show you the set up and there is at least 5 feet between the table edges where your guests will be seated. I...