Tony C's in Cary... we ate there so you don't have to! (Raleigh: home, neighborhood)

[Petunia16]

We were so excited when Tony C's opened off of 10-10 and Kildaire. We decided to run over there on their 3rd day open and hoped this would be our new favorite restaurant.

We wanted to like it, we really did.

The first thing you notice is the story on the menu. It's sad, depressing and not something you want to read when you sit down for a meal. I understand the owners went through quite a few hardships to get the place open... the customers don't need to know that. Their son has had numerous obstacles in his life including a lisp... totally heartbreaking... doesn't need to be on the menu. I feel heartless saying that but... hey, perhaps it made us drink more?

We started with the spinach artichoke dip. Not terrible, but not the best, either. Lots of cream cheese and you use a flat bread to dip it. Not a lot of texture... but, it was loaded with cheese so that made us all happy.

We ordered a bottle of wine and that was completely confusing for the staff. They had a wine list, they could give us a glass of wine, but to get a bottle... it was a bit of a scramble.

We ordered 4 pasta dishes and our friends shared a small garden salad. Chicken penne rustico, stuffed shells, chicken parmesan and a tortellini in a carbonara sauce.

The salad... was the entertainment for the evening. It came out without something that was supposed to be on it, then with whole anchovies (not supposed to be on it), then no anchovies then other assorted things. I think they made 4 to get 1 right. The chef even came out to ask us what was wrong and to throw down the final salad on the table straight from the kitchen. It was so hard to get it right.

Chicken penne rustico was pretty good... but not $14.99 good. My husband's stuffed shells were clearly frozen 40 minutes prior and hard as a rock and completely dried out, but hot, when they got to us. Hubby had to saw at them with his knife to eat them. The chicken parm was also overcooked and hardly edible and well... the tortellini was good. I will say that. We all thought the sauce on the tortellini was good.

Service... well... our drinks were empty a lot of the time, but there was a huge wait staff there. I just don't get it. We should have complained, but... ugh... we just felt so sorry for them.

Total for the four meals, appetizer, one salad and a $22 bottle of wine from Raleigh? Just over $120.00 with the tip.

I'm hoping that they are still working out the kinks and this was just a fluke. But, I doubt we'll be venturing over there any time soon.

Go to Daniel's in Apex... you'll enjoy it a lot more.

[Janecj]

It's always been my experience to never go to a new restaurant that opens. They don't know how to run it yet, everyone is new, and the procedures and familiarity with the wait staff just isn't there yet. I always wait a couple months to try a new restaurant nowadays. I know I went to Biaggis when it first opened and I thought it was terrible-food mediocre - not so good service. Now I can never go back, but I hear many that have said it is one of their favorites.

[ragdolls4me]

Oh I'm sad to hear this. Hopefully things will smooth out and get better! We live very close to there and had hoped this would become our "neighborhood spot". We like Cinelli's so figured this place would be good, also. We thought it was odd that they were (apparently) open last weekend but absolutely no signs up or other way to tell that they were open except for lights on inside and people sitting at tables. I see that they do now have some temporary signs. The paper this morning said that that owner is donating 5% of his net proceeds to children's health charities in gratitude to the drs who have treated his son. I guess he's just very passionate about what they've been through.

Also see that Giovanni's (I think that was the name!) has opened down TenTen in the strip closer to US1--anyone tried it yet?

[Francois]

Yes, I agree about not going to a new place that JUST opened--this isn't Sex in the City where it's the "in thing" to go to a restaurant as soon as it opens, before it becomes "passe' " . And do they really have their whole "sob story" printed on their MENU? OMG...

I think I can cross that one off my list...

[NewUser]

Originally Posted by ragdolls4me

Also see that Giovanni's (I think that was the name!) has opened down TenTen in the strip closer to US1--anyone tried it yet?

Yeah, saw that yesterday too. Took over the old Blue Rain Cafe spot. I liked Blue Rain's food, but prices were way too high for what you got.

[MAtoNC!]

Originally Posted by NewUser

Yeah, saw that yesterday too. Took over the old Blue Rain Cafe spot. I liked Blue Rain's food, but prices were way too high for what you got.

No, I haven't. But I noticed it's only open for breakfast and lunch -- and it's closed on Saturday and Sunday

[DanielChang]

Petunia, thanks for sharing your impressions. The kinks with the food quality, wine logistics, and that whole salad fiasco are pretty comical, and unfortunately, pretty typical of a new restaurant opening.

[ty320f]

Yeah we just got home from Tony C's and had a similar experience. I understand that it's new so they were a few kinks. Our appetizer (fried calamari) was slightly bland and we told our waitress. Now the chef knows to experiment with spices. When the burgers arrived, they were VERY undercooked, so we sent them back. The manager did come by and offer his apologies and took the calamari off the menu. We will probably go back just because it is so close. I really hope all this can be blamed on the newness of it.
Oh and yeah that sob story on the menu was sooo weird... haha

[cncsmomndad]

I noticed they have a "now open" sign up this week and was interested in trying it, but I think we'll hold off...maybe forever. Too bad since it is so close to our house.

[Lossie23]

Sad to see everyone's sub par experiences at Tony C's--my husband and I went with a friend this past Saturday and loved it! We had spinach dip, a pasta dish (can't remember which) and split a pizza. No complaints and I looooved the pizza. I would definitely go back just for that .