Cinqueterre
22 East 38th Street (at Madison, at the Jolly Hotel Madison Towers)

Oh, what a dreadful mistake! We had left our Saturday evening plans late and this was the only place I could find a table for that evening. What a dreadful mistake to pick this place! I had read a few nice reviews and the menu looked okay, but there were many bad reviews too. Now I know why. What a disaster!

The service at this restaurant is a total joke. The lethargic staff, despite a nearly empty restaurant (that is telling too), made a bad experience even worse. I asked for a romantic, quiet table -- and was promptly put next to two loud groups. It took 10 minutes for the water to come -- even though the two waiters only had 3 tables to serve! Ridiculous! If it wasn't for my girlfriend calming me down, I would have stormed out by now (not that I didn't suggest it).

The atmosphere was horrible. The acoustics were just awful; I could barely hear my girlfriend while the adjacent tables' noises were extremely loud -- as was the music and shouting from the kitchen! The decor was boring and we were put in a lighted area -- next to the noisy bar section. Total joke.

The food was nothing special -- way too oily. This is not an Italian kitchen at all, the methods are wrong. It was oily and heavy and missed the real quality of the Ligurian coast villages that are the namesakes of this 'restaurant'. My starter of grilled octopus was okay, but nearly burnt. The pappardelle was okay, but it was extremely oily and the 'wild boar ragu' was so rigid and flavourless I wonder if it was from 2004's hunting season... My girlfriend's "grilled" salmon was so oily it looked as if it was pan fried in lard!

Ugh...at least the panna cotta was acceptable. But it took another 10 minutes to get the bill (by then there were just 2 tables for the 2 waiters!). After I got home I saw the food we took with us...wrapped in a thin clear wrap, leaking into each other! What a total joke!

If there's a worse restaurant in New York, I don't know it. Jolly is an Italian hotel chain, and I should have known better when no Italians actually dined there. This is totally shambolic!!!

Food: D
Atmosphere: F
For Lone Diners: D (*)