Expected Decadence a Disappointment

There's something so decadent about a long leisurely lunch during the week. I have to admit that I feel a little smug watching people rush back to work after a hurried hour. Today I'm not rushing back to work; I'm enjoying a long overdue lunch with my cousin, Brenda. We decided that Sorrentino’s on Calgary Trail would be a perfect place to catch up.

I'm perpetually early, so I had a half an hour to wait for my dining companion. I was promptly shown to our table where I was offered a beverage while I waited. I settled on a cappuccino. It arrived at my table full of frothy goodness. The espresso was smooth and the bitterness that is often found with espresso was noticeably absent.

I wasn't halfway through my coffee house treat when Brenda arrived. We had plenty of time to catch up on the latest news and gossip before our server arrived at our table to offer Brenda a beverage.

The lunch menu had a good assortment of salads, pizza, paninis and pastas. I settled on the Penne Mediterranean sans chicken with whole-wheat pasta while Brenda opted for the Panino Pollo with a side Caesar Salad.

We continued to catch up while we waited for our meals. My pasta serving was enough for 2 meals. The whole-wheat penne was al dente and was ensconced in sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic. There was only 1 small piece of the feta that was described in the menu. The mushrooms tasted pickled which added tanginess to the dish. Despite this, I was let down by my pasta. It lacked in flavour and reminded me of something that I would throw together for a quick meal at home.

Brenda didn't fare much better with her meal. The lettuce in her side Caesar Salad was brown and appeared to be of the bagged salad variety. Although the chicken and filling in her sandwich were tasty and well seasoned her sandwich wasn't grilled like a panini typically is. Instead her filling was surrounded by 2 thick pieces of focaccia that overwhelmed the chicken.

Brenda had asked for a refill on her decaf while we relaxed after eating our lunch. It didn't arrive at our table until we were about to leave.

Sadly this time Sorrentino's disappointed. Although the food was palatable, it was nothing special. Brown lettuce in the salad is not what I am accustomed to when visiting Sorrentinos's. Perhaps it was just an off day? It's not likely that I will be back soon to find out.

Sorrentino’s South
4208 – Calgary Trail South
(780) 434-7607

Restaurant Review by Laurie Young.