Undercover Diner Visits Fratelli Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar

New ownership, a revamped menu and higher prices greeted the Undercover Diner at Fratelli. But will there be a return visit?

I was really looking forward to trying the newly owned Fratelli Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, especially with the anticipation of half-price wine. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The restaurant no longer offers happy hour, and the menu has been completely revamped. While changing a menu can be a good thing, prices have increased.

My sister and I had made reservations and were initially seated toward the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen. Since the entire restaurant was practically empty, I requested a different table. We were moved toward the front to a much better spot, which made me wonder why we had been seated in the back to begin with.

Our waitress came over, but she was not particularly knowledgeable about the wine selection. I had to look up some information myself. The first bottle we requested was unavailable, something I would have expected her to know. When we selected a second bottle, she had to lean over the table and write down all the names because she wasn't familiar with the options. I split the bottle with my sister.

The service continued to be a little frustrating. Our waitress repeatedly asked if we were ready to order, even though we had just gotten settled. We finally ordered an appetizer, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the evening. It was a goat cheese appetizer with fig jam and pine nuts, and that combination really made the dish. It was delicious.

But as soon as the appetizer arrived, our waitress was back asking if we were ready to order entrees. We said no, and she asked, "Where y'all gonna be getting entrees?" I wasn't sure why that mattered, so I asked if she needed the table for another reservation. She said no. It just felt like we were being rushed for no apparent reason. I've never really had to push back with a waitress before, but I felt like we weren't being given the opportunity to enjoy our evening.

We eventually ordered some bread, which was good, served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. We took our time looking over the menu before deciding to split a chicken entree. Even then, the waitress was not sure whether the dish contained mushrooms, which was another example of her seeming unfamiliar with the menu.

We ordered another serving of bread, and this time the pieces were a little bigger. We joked that you get more bread when you order an entree!

The chicken itself was good. It was two pieces of chicken served with a nice creamy sauce. However, the carrots and potatoes that accompanied it were cold, which was disappointing.

The food had some bright spots, particularly the appetizer and the chicken, but the overall experience was overshadowed by the service. Our waitress just didn't seem particularly knowledgeable about the menu or wine list, and the repeated attempts to hurry us along made for an uncomfortable dining experience. 

Will I be back? I'm honestly not sure. It may be a long time before I give Fratelli another try.