Rione XIII — Restaurant in Seattle

It’s hard for me to write these but seeing that the bar manager ruined my Valentine’s day I think I have to. I have a tradition of taking myself out as a single person - got dressed up and sat at the bar around 9PM. Originally wanted to get one pasta, but they had the Vday prix fix so I thought why not treat myself, even though I knew I should be watching my dollars. Self care, right?

I ordered one glass of wine, which made it through the first course of apps and the raviolo. I asked for one more glass to pair with my short ribs and dessert, and the bartender Daniel, who was very kind, let me know his bar manager was cutting me off… I was shocked. He asked if I’d be anywhere before and I laughed while I explained that I was at home having an unpleasant phone call before walking into the restaurant (I walked from my apartment). I told him I’d be happy to chat with his manager. The bar manager came over and simply said “Hi.” so I said hi, it’s my understanding you’re wanting to not serve me anymore. I told her I understand she has a job to do but there must be a mistake… She replied that she “saw me do things that made her question me.” When I asked what that was she replied… that I ate cheese with my hands…. I was completely floored. I responded, “The brie… that I ran out of crackers for? The brie that I used a fork to spread onto the meat and eat with my hand?” She replied that she didn’t know if that’s what happened but she saw me eat with my hands…. and I awkwardly said “okay well… I’m sorry. I’m not drunk?” She said okay, and walked away. No apology for a misunderstanding, no regard for completely embarrassing me at the bar.

Never in my life have I felt more insulted to be honest. Never in my life as a previous bartender would I go as far as to cut someone off after drinking ONE glass of wine on grounds of “she ate cheese with her hands.” There was no witness of slurring words, wobbling on a chair… nothing. It hurt my feelings… it was Valentine’s day… and here I am, alone, post call with a guy who I’d hoped to be spending time with, now feeling shameful at what was supposed to be my special tradition. Not only was there no apology on her behalf but I paid $150 in total. Maybe comp the glass of wine you tried to cut me off from? I ate the meat from the short rib dish and had him box the rest.

Daniel apologized to me and tried to keep a chipper attitude but… I went home crying, lol. Luckily only two couples I feel overheard and saw our interaction but, I’m very disappointed and felt pretty disrespected. Again, I’m all for doing your job, but if there’s a misunderstanding, at-least make it right by apologizing and making me feel comfortable? I’m spending $150 as a SINGULAR person… come on.

Kudos to...

Such earnestness from the kitchen, and even more from the staff. These are wonderful, wonderful people trying to slay it as chefs, servers, and restaurateurs. Which is why this review is going to hurt a little.

The happy-hour menu is delicious and insanely well priced. The wine selection is focused and it’s good; you’ll have a hard time going wrong with a glass or bottle of wine.

But stay for dinner, and things may get odd. The carciofi alla giudia were delicious, as close to anything I’ve had outside the Jewish Quarter in Roma (which is in Rione XI, not XIII, but so what?). Delicious, although not pressed quite perfectly. The supplì were excellent (come molti ristoranti romani), as was the bolognese that came with them. Those were the hits.

These were the misses: The gnocchi alla romana was strange. Sure, there may be somewhere in Rome which prepares it like a slab of vaguely cheesy unsauced overdone potato, but in Rome, even when it’s baked in the pan, gnocchi (the word literally means “dumplings” not “slabs”) are light little pillows, and they can be made large and sliced and laid into a pan to bake in layers, but that’s not what we received at the table.

Rione XIII serves all of the “big four” Roman pastas, and I got to try three in one go: pasta all’amatriciana, ciaccio e pepe, and carbonara. The amatriciana was quite good (though was that guanciale?). The cacio e pepe was good, but did I detect cream of some sort? Maybe not, but it tasted that way, which isn’t traditional. The recipe usually calls for butter, no cream.

The carbonara, though. No, no. No, non era coretto. It tasted like the cacio e pepe, plus bacon, with an egg yolk on top. Daje tutti!

I didn’t mind the yolk on top. That’s a neat trick, and allows the whirling of the yolk into the pasta to be at a great temperature, without any unintended, accidental scrambled eggs. I’m stealing that.

But great carbonara is guanciale, pecorino romano (parmigiana in a pinch), eggs, salt, black pepper, and pasta. That’s it. It doesn’t even use olive oil, and there’s no butter or cream. Deviations from this make it… something else, not carbonara.

I loved my experience at Rione XIII, and will be back, but oh boy, dobbiamo parlare di quella pasta alla carbonara.

La prossima volta che sarai a Roma, ragazzi, ti incoraggio a provare il ristorante, Giulio Passami L'olio. Their carbonara may be the...

This place has amazing food. The pasta cacio de pepe and the bucatini were delicious and the focaccia was TO DIE FOR with that truffle butter.

On the flip side, our server was RUDE. Consistently, and throughout the ENTIRE meal....comments on how "he wished vegetarians didn't bring that up when he asked if anyone had an allergy " which were exactly his words to our guest of honor for our party of 6, who is in fact vegetarian and mentioned it when he asked... Then he mentioned that we needed to order "family style" because the kitchen 'knows best' and wouldn't be able to have everything ready at the same time if we chose to order that way. Also that we would need to order for our friend who was arriving 20 mins late.

He mansplained a few other things about pizza and wine before he told us that he never heard of a drink called the 'damp January' in all his service years (which was on their website) and how the bartenders don't know how to make it and don't have any of the ingredients. Huh.

I stacked the plates to make room since we finished lots of things and had more coming ...but mentioned how he can't take them like that because they have to separate them so thanks but no thanks.

As a person who's worked 15 years in the service industry I can't believe this guy still has a job. They are lucky the food was good and my birthday friend loved this place before this atrocious interaction...