Caitlin Merritt

Review of Ristorante Pulcinella

While the food at Pulcinella was relatively good, ...

While the food at Pulcinella was relatively good, the service and ambiance left something to be desired. At every turn, we felt rushed. Starters were out within 5 minutes of ordering and mains were out less than 3 after our starters were cleared. We were asked if we wanted dessert while people were obviously still eating their mains Fast service is generally good, but we were looking to have a nice night out, and it was much, much too rushed. As a result, some of us ate too quickly and felt ill. The service, likely as a result of this need to rush, was somehow worse. We felt pressured to eat quickly and make room for other patrons, and at one point, our server asked one of the other diners a direct question and turned and walked away mid-sentence during his reply. Unforgivable! This rudeness left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. I should note that we did not take hours to eat, but around 40 minutes. Finally, the noise level was far too high for this type of restaurant. It was difficult to hear each other speak because of the volume of the music and amplified sounds of other patrons talking. Even our server admitted he could barely hear anything near where we were sitting when we complained. He claimed he couldn't do anything about it. All in all, I wouldn't go back to Pulcinella. At these prices, I want to be able to sit for at least an hour to enjoy the evening out and talk with my dinner party. I also expect not to be treated with rudeness and to be able to hear people when they talk to me. It seems as though Pulcinella is trying too hard to be trendy, and they miss the mark. There are too many excellent restaurants in the Kensington area to waste your time and money here.