A Cautious Restaurant Recommendation: Xacutti
ellesse
Food on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) I would give it a 81/2!
Ambiance:8
Service: 41/2
Beverages: 8
Dessert: 8
Value: 8
Dinner for 2 + drinks with dessert, tip, and taxes was $130.00
Xacutti (sha-koo-tee) restaurant's specialty is BBQ cinnamon guava
pork ribs, which we didn't have this time around due to some service
issues. Service at this trendy, minimalist - eatery is all hit and
miss. It has been all miss, and less hit the last two trips out. So
much so, that the service staff inevitably takes food items off, or
offers free drinks for ridiculously long wait times. Your party may
order ahead of other customers, but you will watch in amazement and
frustration as everyone around you eats and you are still waiting for
your beverages!
If you are willing to chance it, you will enjoy Xacutti's minimalist
design. In the main room the ambient tones of brown and white, rich
hardwood floors, and gauzy curtain separating the dining room from the
lounge area. White walls are minimally adorned to match the white
stools that flank a long communal table off to the side of the room.
The lounge area at the very back of the room serves it's purpose as a
hang out spot.
We sat outside on their summer patio which can hold about 16 people
comfortably.
After a wait of 45 minutes our appetizers arrived. We sampled the
"Punjabi fish & chips with mango mint chutney", Xacutti's delicious
"naan bread", "green-pea and corn samosa" with it's own delectable
sauces.
For dinner I had the char-grilled "jingas" aka prawn, with an
assortment of accompaniments. My W4WT girlfriend had the "Bengali wild
salmon" with her own sides. Both dishes were scrumptious, flavorful,
and well prepared. They were however, small portions, so we were happy
that we filled up on the appetizers.
If Xacutti were more consistent in terms of providing food and drinks
within reasonable times, it could be recommended as a romantic date
restaurant. I certainly would not recommend it as a a place to close a
deal, or to impress your out of town friends.
Dessert: No signature dessert. I did try a dessert which consisted of
vanilla ice cream and an apple sort of something, but it was actually
quite unremarkable.