The food is incredible - for a second you forget that you are in the US - until the mispronunciation of most Italian terms rouses you from your slumbers.
Don't try the Short North location on weekends, it is loud and crowded. The service is mostly done by undergraduates (as it is on Polaris); that brings a certain unprofessionalism with it. As with all restaurants, if you feel that the staff is under pressure, you don't deal with well-trained personnel.
The antipasti are fresh and delicious, the cheese is extraordinary (especially the Taleggio). The pizza is as good as only Gatto's pizza on High St. is. The Pasta is fine, the seafood is fresh and the meat is great.
They do have a good selection of wines, many of them by the glass or quarto litro - which is ideal if no bottle would accommodate all orders. The wine pricing is unbelievably reasonable compared to other Columbus etablissements which rank on the same food quality level.
There are a few adjustments to the average American substandard: nobody dips bread in olive oil as an aperitif, the desert sizes are way too large and they are too reluctant with the garlic. The Profiterol is not crispy enough (the choux pastry is not well done), it is lacking the fresh whipped cream and comes with far too much ice cream. The Tiramisu is too sweet, the cream not fluffy enough, there are not enough beaten egg whites and definitively far too little alcohol in it. They do not feature Panna Cotta, unbelievable. Go with just some ice cream instead.
Pros: The Polaris Location
Cons: The Short North Location
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