Revisited

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		Provi, Provi
		Revisited

One significant measure of the quality of a restaurant is its concern for its customers. Good restaurants offer to change or exchange served food that does not meet with the diner's expectations, for whatever reason, graciously trying to accommodate the needs of their clientele. Thus, it was gratifying when Provi Provi invited me back to try their pasta dishes a second time. Although, I thought I had written a generally positive review of their food, I had expressed some disenchantment with the pasta entrees, which seemed to fall short of their claims. Unhappy, but confident, manager Hershel called and insisted that we try their pasta again. Recognizing that every restaurant can have an off day and that greater number of samplings increase the accuracy of a reviewer's evaluations, I gladly accepted the invitation.

My companion and I ordered three dishes from the pasta menu: the Fettuccine alla Principessa (fettuccinne withbaby artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, onions and garlic in a cream sauce), the Ravioli di Spinacci (spinach ravioli filled with a combination of three cheeses in white mushroom sauce) and the Lasagna (Eggplant lasagna layered with tomato, fresh basil, oregano and mozzarella). This time the texture of the homemade pasta was firm and not starchy. The fresh flavor came through and now can be duly acknowledged. But, what really won me over this time were the sauces. Previously, they were undistinguished and lacked definition and depth. On this occasion, however, all the sauces were sublime. One could enjoy different nuances with each mouthful. Each sauce was not only distinctive, but savory in its own right.

The Fettuccine alla Principessa was not on the menu on our first visit and proved to be an instant favorite. Its medley of flavors was perfectly highlighted by the asparagus. The vegetables were firm and blended perfectly with the pasta. The Ravioli di Spinacci in its white mushroom sauce, already held some sway, given my preference for mushrooms. However, it thereby was also held up to my most critical scrutiny. Happily, it did not disappoint. The sauce had a nice consistency and its seasonings were well balanced. The ravioli, though still meagerly filled with the cheese, reveled in the sauce. The Lasagna, turned out to lack pasta altogether. Made with eggplant slices, it is actually an eggplant parmigan. It had a wonderful, fresh tomato sauce that lacked the acridity that characterizes many Italian tomato sauces. Its seasonings created a harmonious balance which did not grow tiresome after a few mouthfuls, but rather excited the palate and left you wanting for more.

The restaurant was not notified in advance when we planned to come and did not have anyway of knowing what we would order, but the manager did place our order. Although some may say that our satisfaction was therefore guaranteed, I would argue that this merely illustrates the level the restaurant is capable of performing at. It also illustrates the importance of letting a restaurant know when you are not satisfied. Most Jewish diners in particular don't like to offend and will not complain when served with unsatisfactory dishes. They would rather suffer in silence and would then simply not return to the offending restaurant. Restaurants need customer feed back so that they can better serve their customers. They rely on diner input when structuring their menus and their food preparation. Finally, diners deserve to be satisfied. After all, eating out can be quite expensive. The better restaurants want to please and are usually grateful for your honesty.


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