New Segment: Kosher Reviews on VINnews with Isaac Shadpour

NEW YORK (VINnews) There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the wonderful experience I had at Dolcetto restaurant in Chestnut Ridge, NY. I was extremely impressed by their customer service even before I set foot in the building. I called the restaurant to confirm my reservation for the evening, but I hung up right away after realizing it was too early in the day for anyone to pick up the phone. Just a few seconds later I received a call from a very nice lady at Dolcetto who noticed my missed call and was following up. I have never had such an experience where a restaurant called me back after seeing my missed call. This is what I call world class customer service!

The weather outside was abysmally cold and dreary when I arrived at the restaurant. I therefore took a minute just to soak in and appreciate the warm and inviting ambiance inside the restaurant. I then asked the waiter to make me a flaming drink so that I can provide some eye candy for my tribe on Instagram. The kind waiter suggested their “bourbon and passion” cocktail and we were off to the races. The apple wood on top of the glass was lit on fire, infusing the drink with the most wonderful aroma and flavor. I honestly wanted this drink just for the show, but I got much much more. With every sip I could taste and smell the amazing smoky goodness of the apple wood. This lasted to the very last sip; but astonishingly, it did not overpower the mixture of bourbon and passion fruit puree. Every nuance of this drink contributed to making it the best cocktail I have had in a restaurant for a very long time! No other cocktail stimulated all my senses (especially the sense of smell) as much as this one did!

For appetizers I started with the very popular tongue buns. For me, the best cut of the beef is the tongue. And I have to say, this was among the best tongue I’ve ever tasted. Every delectable piece was perfectly accentuated by the hoisin glaze as it layed nestled inside a bao bun.

Another popular dish that was suggested was the chicken & waffles. At first I was very apprehensive about trying this. But I was turned into a believer after taking my first bite. It turns out that the sweetness of the maple drizzle along with the kick from the pickled jalapeños do a great job of bringing out the flavor of the tender chicken cutlet! The sourdough waffles were also a great fit into the whole equation.

One of my favorite goto appetizers at any meat restaurant is carpaccio. Dolcetto’s carpaccio really delivered both in flavor and in presentation! There is nothing else like the taste of the paper-thin slices of ribeye filet accentuated by their wonderful balsamic vinegar reduction.

For the main course, the lamb chops were an absolutely phenomenal experience for my palate. I love the fact that the chops are sous vide. This process ensures that all the juice is locked in as the lamb is cooked. I could definitely tell the difference, as every morsel of meat was bursting with the lamb’s own natural juices! The rosemary scented lamb jus was divine and served as the perfect accompaniment to the rest of the dish.

I happen to be a big chocolate fiend. so, naturally my eyes gravitated towards, and locked onto the chocolate fondant on the dessert menu. This treat looks like a mini lava cake sprinkled with some powdered sugar. Eating the molten chocolate that flows out of the cake is my favorite part, and it’s the perfect way of ending a great meal!

The great customer service and amazing dishes at Dolcetto make it one of the top restaurants I have visited in New York! I definitely plan on visiting again soon.

I also want to give a big shoutout to our waiter Ivan. I really had a blast hearing about his experiences. He has very big things planned for the future and I wish him and his family much success!