"First and foremost, I want to attest -in writing- that no individual associated with Il Poeta asked me to submit a review. I mention this as we have enough societal charlatans who try to control every aspect of our responses, reactions, and thought process. That being said, the experience this restaurant affords is magically splendid to say the least. Our dignified and utterly charming server was Sergio. He exudes class by being a thoughtful, caring and conscientiously intelligent man. He is the type of assiduous gentleman who will not idolize an athletic or movie celebrity if that person is not a thoroughly decent human being. His food recommendations were on point and he simply makes you feel like you are the only party in the room without being overbearing. Total class. Then, we have the head chef and owner, Mario, whose reputation precedes him. He is a dignified bon vivant who does not allow his own happiness or ambition to exceed a win win collective attitude. He seems most galvanized when others in his milleu advance and progress. His gastronomic creations are sublime but not pretentious. A deceivingly simple menu item like like the potato leek soup of the day was exemplary. Few ingredients and directness intertwined with humble industriousness. Like the master opera composers or Italian poets whose stanzas seamlessly touched every element of the emotional spectrum, his multifaceted mastery of texture, taste and transparency has no rival. The gnocchi had character and definition in the periphery but were light as a carefree feather in the essentially expansive center. Mario has warmth and unwavering sincerity that is manifested when you realize you taste a collective flavor buttressed by and celebrated by individual nuances of flavor which simultaneously explode and implode by simply existing, giving you a sense of epicurean living and not only a sense of purpose. This restaurant is a great destination and I look forward to interacting more with Serio and Mario. The staff is replete with those you would want to have as friends. Un abbraccio"
