We had a group of 15 high school students go to Dal Toro for homecoming dinner. They were running a bit late... Homecoming photos can take time;D One Mom called the restaurant & they were so kind. No problem, they would hold the reservation. They totally understood that homecoming photos are a big part of the occasion and encouraged her not to worry. When they arrived at the restaurant, they allowed the kids to select where they wanted to sit & even though it was obviously going to be a no alcohol table, they gave them a lovely table on the patio. Muero was their waiter & he took special care of them. They all said the food was very good & they would love to go back anytime. The restaurant was very kind about their budget and offered to give them desperate checks, which usually is frowned upon by restaurants with large groups. This is an elegant venue, with tasty food & a very considerate staff. Over the past few years... We have had many a great meal here & I did not realize that I had not posted a Yelp review previously. They have a great wine selection, with some very reasonable prices & good values. We have found that asking the experienced waiters for some recommends has always been successful. The owner is from Italy & many of the dishes originate from their family. Ask for Muero. You will have a wonderful dinner!!

positive

Lovely decor. Good attempt, but honestly every thing was bland or way too salty! Ugh! Prices are horrendous for the amount I food that you get. So skimpy. The food: -sweet and sour spare ribs. Seriously where were the meat in this? All you got was bone and fat...and the sauce was way too vinegary. -fried yellow fish: mini pan fried fishes... crispy yes, salty? yes...way too salty. Any other flavors that redeemed the dish? NO, not at all. For like $12 you got 6 pieces of fish.. really not worth it -stir fried veggies assortment: There were celery, carrots, bamboo sprouts, button mushrooms, and this one root vegetable. This was good..but you really can't mess up a stir fry. Nothing spectacular though. Definitely some I can recreate for a lot less at home. -Stir Fry noodles: Specialty! according to the staff.. umm yea no. Basically thick udon noodles cooked with cabbage and dressed with LOTS of soy sauce.. common people -pan friend veggie rice cake: This dish was good. Lots of shanghainese food includes some assortment of rice cakes.. This was actually good, that is until we found a big long piece of hair in it. YEA.... All in all the experience was quite horrible. Upon telling the waitress that we found hair in our food she just stood there looking confused. Took our credit card and said nothing else... REALLY??????? No apologies nothing? Give me a break. My mother was so furious that she didn't even want to stay to complain. We just walked out. Really would NEVER visit this place again. The funny thing is upon us leaving the restaurant another party was complaining about how bad their experience were as well. Apparently they were served RAW pork and chicken. That is a big no no no no. Also, they received very bad service and had to get up and ask just to have their tea kettle refilled with water. I give them props for having such a nice decor and making their menu look very appetizing, but really, this place is a disgrace to Shanghai style food. I would not recommend it to anyone. Honestly too, i never give out one stars..but this time with the poor service...they definitely deserve it.

negative

This is a hidden jewel for sure. I took my wife on a surprise outing this morning, as a friend of mine who volunteers here told me about it. The $5 admission price gets you a slice of peace and tranquility. Spend the morning walking around the large koi pond, which contains some of the biggest and most colorful fish I've had the pleasure of gazing upon. I was told that on the 2nd Saturday of each month, they host an authentic tea ceremony, back in the tea gardens. The general public is not allowed in that area without a 'docent', which is kind of a tour guide. You should call to make a reservation if you wish to attend. The current per person price is $25. If you are looking for some quiet volunteer work, they will allow you to come down and lend a hand. Not sure if you need to make arrangements first. Is this a Japanese Garden, or a Japanese Style Garden? I suggest you take up that conversation with volunteer Fred.

positive

Stunning. Foliage can be bitey
positive