San Remo

San Remo has been going for over twenty years in the same, relatively cramped, location, and it is consistently full and buzzy, which is a good indication of its quality. It makes no pretensions about being modern or chic, it is an old-fashioned trattoria (rather like San Frediano was) with tables closely packed and the walls covered with old photos. It is not dissimilar to La Famiglia, but more chaotic and cramped.

The service is excellent but I am afraid that the food presented to me last night was poor. My wife loved her veal, even though she had asked for no wine sauce and it came dripping in it. But her pretty poor selection of vegetables were running in water and had to be sent back. Instead of providing more, they simply draiined off some of the water and returned them to us, accompanied by a silly reason as to why there was still juice at the bottom of the dish.

My tortelloni with sage and butter was effectively not very nice pasta in a soup of water and butter: the pasta was swimming in sauce. I sent it back, and again, they drained some of it so I got left with squidgy and tired pasta. Ah well, the tiramisu was good.

It is local so I would like to go back. However, it is no cheaper than better places, so I can see no reason to do so. One doesn't want to ruin a good time by spending the evening complaining to the excellent staff, so the restaurant gets away with this sort of sub-standard cooking.
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James - View all reviews by this user
5 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Sunday, January 22, 2012

The food here is very good, especially the fish. The atmosphere and service is excellent.

I have one major complaint and it is the reason I will not return...............

service is added to the bill at 12.5%. The staff do not get a share of this so had to pay twice for the service. So very expensive over all. To have the service charge removed is a big problem here and causes upset to the staff, the manager being less than a gentleman.
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A. Mackay
7 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 1
Thursday, March 03, 2011

I visit San Remo about 8 times a year. I take vegetarian, fish and meat eating friends there because the food is so consistantly good.

Whichever type of food has been ordered it comes with a smile, good service and in a lovely atmosphere.

There has never been anything other than delicious, authentic food served to us.

Well presented real food, not fiddly or pretentious.

The tables are cosy. Mama mia! I love it. How I wish it was open on Sundays.
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Dorothy Cowan
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, February 17, 2011

Had my juiciest ever seafood risotto here. Decent portion sizes, too.

Not particularly cheap and I wouldn't want to eat outside as that means sitting on the pavement next door to the cars whizzing or stop-starting along the busy Castelnau. But it feels like a proper family-run business.

Better grub than in most more lavishly-appointed posh nosh establishments which are also sited in this flat little loop in the river.
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New Cross Eyes
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 7
Monday, August 02, 2010