I was very surprised too! We actually had higher hope for Oriole than Alinea after reading reviews, and we generally like the style of food served at Oriole. Our menu was about 13-14 courses total, with 4 of them being desserts, and the rest were mostly 1-2 biters. The ingredients used were definitely very high quality, but we thought they were mostly poorly executed compared to restaurants of similar caliber.
Another sign that there wasn't enough food -- everyone around us who got the wine pairing was leaving behind about half of each pour untouched!
Originally Posted by
CappuccinoAddict
Wow, that is very surprising but good to know about Oriole. I've only ever seen rave reviews, akin to Grace when it opened. Oriole has been oft-discussed as being in contention for a 3rd star. Even after the 18 courses you were hungry? That's a problem!