Tombolinos sits at the busy corner of Kimball and Yonkers Avenues. Parking seems somewhat limited -- a couple of unmarked spots just in front of the restaurant and metered street parking along Yonkers Ave. Inside, one is welcomed by a newly redecorated dining area with...soft lighting, linen-clad tables, a wooden showcase and an alarmingly large TV that is sometimes distracting.
We were the first dinner reservation for the evening and had the attention of the hostess, the new waitress and the restaurant manager for most of the evening. Water and bread were provided right away, and we were early enough to enjoy the mid-week happy hour prices which included $5 glasses of wine and reduced prices on appetizers. We selected the Burrata ($10) and two glasses of Cabernet to start.
I typically love Burrata-based appetizers, as it’s hard to improve upon the gooey, creamy, rich pulled curd cheese. The cheese was served room temp and covered in a sweet balsamic reduction with cracked pepper, but the sliced tomato bed it sat on was hard and icicle cold, clearly just out of the fridge, and perhaps out of season. Sourcing good tomatoes during the winter can be a challenge, but serving them at the same temperature as the cheese requires just a little forethought.
Our waitress was a young woman who was new to the restaurant and still learning the menu. She was however, extremely attentive and professional, as were all the staff that served us that evening. We really appreciated their vigilant, yet unobtrusive presence that ensured we didn’t lack for anything throughout our dinner. A few small things that were a little disruptive to our experience: the music being piped in overhead was punctuated by loud commercials. The dining area we were in had a giant TV just behind us with sports playing. I would have preferred a more formal setting with fewer distractions.
Although we spent some time looking through the menu, two of the specials presented to us caught our attention and we decided to give them a chance. The broiled leg of lamb served with risotto ($27) and an Agnolotti served with a Bolognese sauce ($22). The lamb was near perfect – tender, moist and falling off the bone, and the side of risotto was light, fluffy and mildly creamy. The stuffed pasta was also tasty, finished with a sweet tomato sauce and enhanced by the delicate flavor of truffle oil. Of course, a little Parmesan and cracked pepper on top is nearly irresistible on any dish. There were a few minor mistakes with the menu but these were totally forgivable as the waitress was in training and the kitchen resolved these issues quickly – almost not worth mentioning due to the excellent service.
For dessert we were tempted by the tiramisu. This rendition was forward on the coffee flavor, but extremely watery. More so than any other version I’ve had. Tasty none-the-less, but I would have preferred an execution that was either a little more syrupy or a little drier. It was very nicely plated with a beautiful herringbone-patterned cream/chocolate/raspberry coulis on the side.
We enjoyed our dining experience at Tombolinos and would definitely come back again.More