[Always David]

We've eaten twice at this new restaurant on Revolucion, just past Rollie's, and the food, atmosphere and owners are all absolutely wonderful. The owners are Italian and make a lot of their own pasta (pasta fresca) and it's incredibly good. The sauces are rich and flavourful without being overpowering. The portions are a bit small but that's good because it leaves room for the incredible tiramisu (probably the best I've ever had). Really really good food, wonderful atmosphere, great hosts. Highly recommended!

[Concerned Joe]

Jason, on May 9 2008, 11:50 AM, said:

I've eaten here twice as well, and after a couple of mediocre experiences during 2 days that they were closed, I don't think I will eat anywhere else for the rest of my stay!
I've eaten a lot of Italian food in my life, and also own a small restaurant further down the coast of Jalisco. This place really does offer some of the best food you will eat outside Italy - I promise you won't be disappointed!

I hope the service has improved and the terrible, over-amplified, live music has disappeared. I rarely complain about service. After all, this is Mexico and in addition, dinner is our main source of entertainment. The night that I was there with a party of five, there were only four or five other diners. Although the hostess was very charming, she was not very professional. It also looks like the kitchen is severely understaffed. (read: no help), so that the chef was doing all the prep work. As for the food, I don't know how familiar the people who rave about it are with Italian food. It was okay. Not, in my opinion deserving of such accolades. As for the ambiance, before they opened, there was a typical small kitchen Mexican place there that seemed to mostly serve the residents of the neighborhood. I didn't notice much change from the funky, backyard feeling of before. Our entrees took about an hour or more, with individual servings arriving at different times. Finally, considering the location and distinct LACK of ambience, they are charging top dollar for Sayulita. As I said, I rarely complain about service--or food for that matter--I'm writing because my experience was so different from the previous commentators.

[Concerned Joe]

Hi Jason--I'm glad that things seem to have improved. I'm certainly interested in seeing new restaurants open and thrive. The feeling I got when I was there was that the owners had kind of serendipitously decided: Hey, this is a great place. Let's open a restaurant! As a restaurant owner, you are certainly aware that there is much more to it than knowing how to cook and offering great food. The same could be said for any business. I grew up in the New York area and now live in Foodie Central, the Bay Area. I am not a foodie myself, but can appreciate good food when I have it. I stand by my skepticism when I hear this place being described as having the "best Italian food outside of Italy". I don't think such hype does the place justice, as it raises expectations too high. As for the music, I have noticed a disturbing trend in local restaurants to push life musicians, no matter how amateurish and annoying they are, in order to attract business. The effect has been the opposite. Dinner music should be just that, something to add to the atmosphere, not dominate it. All that said, I sincerely hope that they learn from their mistakes and make a go of it.

[Always David]

As Jason said, the music is no longer live or intrusive. You're absolutely right about some local restaurants bringing in truly awful live music, which can ruin anyone's meal. As for seeing the location and saying "hey, let's open a restaurant!" I think you do Luca and Sasa a disservice. They, together, owned and operated a very successful Italian restaurant in Playa del Carmen for 15 years before moving to Sayulita last October, so I do think they know what they're doing. Give it another try, Joe, go with an open mind, and I really hope you enjoy yourself and your meal more than you did before. And if not, let them know what the problem was and I'm sure they'll do their best to make it better the next time.

[Concerned Joe]

I'm glad about the music, and we will give it another try. As for my take on what was going on that night, that is what it seemed like. The other four people in my party--all permanent Sayulita residents and patrons of every restaurant in town--felt the same way. And please don't get me wrong about the atmosphere. I grew up in a Sicilian neighborhood and nothing makes me happier than to be welcomed to a restaurant by Italians; ESPECIALLY in little Sayulita. I just feel that if you are going to charge top dollar, you need to provide a little more than just good food and intentions. Speaking of bad music, what's up with that wacky band playing at Don Pedro's. It's a nightmarish blend of Klezmer, Ska and who knows what the hell else. Really bad. We haven't been to Don Pedro's at night since they started playing there.

[Concerned Joe]

I guess I should have said a little more. I am well aware that there are other bands playing at Don Pedro's and in fact have been patronizing the place regularly for 6 years. There have been times when we have eaten there every day for a week. I love the place and recommend it to everybody I know who is planning a vacation to Sayulita. It was just a coincidence that three times in a row when we went there, that band was playing. I am glad my message got across because management should know when loyal customers are being turned off by annoying music. Frankly, I really regretted when the house music--I understand created by the owner--was the only music. The mixes were great and I and others miss them. I will continue to patronize what I consider to be the best restaurant in Sayulita and I am sorry that I didn't express that clearly.

[Wine Wahine]

Great food! Fresh and tasty, but the service was non-existent. Our server seemed unimpressed and not happy to be working and the music was loud and depressing to say the least. Really too bad, since we will not return if the service doesn't improve.

[lunaj]

I would also like to add my feelings to the food and the music...the food is good, music is horrible, especially on Thursday nights, same music, same group, loud until the early morning hours, completely disrespectful to the community, and despite requests, continues with the same boring, loud venue week after week...and the music is really loud, seems to turn it up after midnight! I am really disgusted and do not frequent the restaurant, nor do I refer travelers to them. Enough said...