L'Impero--CLOSED

07/02/07

Top Flight Italian

by charlesmstam

I went here for lunch the other day and was pleased. The service was competent but not outstanding, but the pasta was the best I've had. The decor is lush. My olive oil dessert cake was very interesting and delicious. This place is worth checking out.

• Pros: Terrifc Pasta, Nice Decor
• Cons: Very Expensive

02/14/07

SO BAD, NEVER AGAIN

by belley

Went to this restaurant based on Adam Platt of the New York Magazine rating it as a top 5 best Italian restaurant in NYC as well as an excellent Zagat's rating. No way close in my opinion.

The starters were great, the goat cheese salad and the polenta with mushrooms. We were so excited about the rest of the dinner. We love Italian food. The pastas were horrible, inedible, so we sent it back. We never send back things but this was just not edible. We chose a seafood pasta and the eel risotto, both were horrible and fishy in a bad way. We sent it back immediately. Took more than 30 minutes for the next course, the highly touted goat which was just mediocre at best; rather salty at best.

The wait staff were nice but not very experienced and sophisticated as one would expect in a top restaurant.

I would not recommend this restaurant at all. Would not give it a second chance.

• Pros: appetizers
• Cons: bad food and mediocre service

02/13/07

Excellent food, service, atmosphere and value

by bootsny

All round great experience as a business meeting place or date atmosphere. Great wine list and knowledgeable sommelier.