Dine at Doria's? Fuhgeddaboudit!

Author: Ken Lazo

Upon entering Doria's Restaurant, the Yin-Yang effect of the interior decor is immediately noticeable. To the left is a charming arrangement of pews and tables overlooking the quaint Merchant's Row. Off to the right sits a standard American bar, that, according to one of the hostesses, "aims to attract a good hockey crowd." Monday Night Football is also a big draw, and customers are encouraged to enter their weekly pools.

Owner Jim Doria hopes his restaurant will foster local appeal with a traditional Italian menu, using the freshest foods and Vermont-grown produce. His endorsement encouraged me to anticipate a scrumptious sampling of ambitious Italian fare such as the sautéed scallops with a white wine and butter sauce served over spaghetti, and the crab cakes with a spicy tomato pesto on risotto.

At first glance, the prices seemed exorbitant, but my dining companion and I waited patiently for our appetizer (baked sea scallops with garlic, white wine, and lemon topped with parmesan bread crumbs, $9.75) before we grumbled about the price. Unfortunately our appetizer never made it - our waitress accidentally had a mental slip. That's okay. We forgive and forget, although we were really looking forward to those scallops.

Knowing that we had saved some money (and some tummy room), we decided we might as well splurge on the entrée and perhaps even get a dessert.

My salmon fillet served with basil pesto over wilted spinach and risotto ($18.95) was excellent. It was lean, soft, and flaky, and the pesto sauce added a critical element to an otherwise simple risotto fish combo. My companion's dish was not as elegantly arranged. The grilled chicken tortellini over alfredo sauce ($14.95) arrived blanketed in a heavy blob of alfredo. There was a generous amount of the thick sauce left over once the tortellini was gone. But this turned out to be a good thing after we realized we could dunk the delicious garlic bread into the sauce. However, two meager slices of bread were not enough to polish off the rich white sauce.

Overall, the dinner entrées do have a lot of the fresh vegetables and homemade sauces that Doria's prides itself in. But the menu is missing the supposed emphasis on locally grown foods, and it really comes off as generic and ordinary, which does not measure up to the prices-none of the desserts are homemade except for the cannoli.

And then there was the cannoli. My companion and I were excited to get dessert because it is unusual for us to crave a slice of rich pie, cake, or mousse. To our dismay, our cannoli came in the form of a simple cheesecake, with hints of strawberry jam on the side.

We understand that serving is stressful. Waiters and waitresses are allowed a certain number (and degree) of gaffes before I start to worry. However, a first impression is crucial and there is no excuse, especially when there are only two other tables being served and the average price of an entrée is almost $14 for such clumsy service.

That said, the setting is great, although with so few people there it was very quiet, and I got lonely when my companion went to take a restroom break. I am not sure that I will be visiting Monday Night Football nights soon, but the hostess said they were going to begin serving only micro-brewed beer fairly soon.

I look forward to visiting again if better service is guaranteed.