"This is a review for the three restaurants of the same owner: Café Calamari, Harpoon Willies, and Priváto.I first came to Café Calamari in June of this year. Immediately, after taking my seat at the bar, which is very elegant, I was treated by Don, the manager, as a recognized local patron. He took great care of me, brought me delicious food, and treated me like I was the only guest there. At the end of the evening, he treated me to a flaming Sambuca, which I never had (no restaurant I’ve dined at since is willing to make one). That same night, Don gave me permission to stay overnight my 40-foot motor coach in the parking lot. My mention of this is not a suggestion that visitors request this because it’s easy for one to overstay his welcome with something so large, but it was yet another unwarranted gesture of hospitality.The following night, at Don’s suggestion, I dined at the sister restaurant, Priváto. It’s billed as a “pizza bistro,” but is also very elegant, and is more accurately characterized as a fine dining establishment in its own right. That night, at Don’t suggestion, the bartender made me the most amazing hickory-smoked old fashioned. I had at least two. Again, no restaurant since has been willing or able to make one. The drink was amazing. And the food was amazing.As a result of these experiences, I went out of my way on a trip from Chicago, and returned again in October, and I was again treated to an amazing dining experience for three nights in a row. One thing I noticed is that the restaurant is full of locals who all know each other, love the restaurants’ owners and staff, and are good to each other and also to people passing through. I would also like to add that the pizza at Priváto was some of the best I’ve had in a long time (being mindful, of course, that there are many styles of pizza).In conclusion, let me share this: the ingredients for a fine dining experience are simple: good hospitality; good atmosphere; and good food. If any of these is absent, the experience will not be good. In my home town of Prescott, WI —which is also a tourist town— we have spent as much as $800/month, and the staff still didn’t recognize us when we went in. Instead, they are strictly oriented toward the tourists, and really don’t seem to care if the food, service, or atmosphere is acceptable, because every diner is replaceable by new tourists the next day and the next year.I don’t know the owners of Café Calamari, Harpoon Willies, and Priváto, but they’ve hit it out of the park with hospitality, food, and atmosphere. It is worth going out of your way to dine here."
