The interior screams with a traditional esthetic, but there’s no sense in screaming for faster service.

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San Remo Ristorante (3574 Garrison Gate)

I am slightly disheartened by my recent visit to San Remo in Garrison Woods.

After a hectic day, my boyfriend and I arrive for our 7:30 reservation on a Saturday night. We’re hungry. Seated beside a large party, we soak up the intimate atmosphere of the bustling Italian restaurant. With high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling drapery and banquettes, the room screams with a traditional esthetic. Having heard good things about the simplicity and innovation in the dishes, we are excited to explore the menu.

We decide to start with the carpaccio dish featuring seared veal strip loin, Asiago and fried capers ($14). The dish is sold out, which is usually a good indicator of freshness. Our second option is the braised beef short rib appetizer served on Parmesan polenta and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes ($13). This dish is also sold out for the evening. Bummer.

We skip the appetizers and instead start with the lobster bisque ($9) and Insalata San Remo ($10). The salad is lovely, with balsamic-glazed roasted peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices. Tossed with fresh basil and goat cheese in a lemon olive oil vinaigrette, the crunchy asparagus and flavourful peppers make for an inspired beginning.

The bisque is less enchanting. Influenced by Mexican cuisine, the soup is topped with a lobster picco di gallo (tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro), making it more acidic than it should be. We definitely don’t hate the dish, but the richness of the bisque is compromised by the spicy addition.

For his entree, my boyfriend has the Salmone Al San Remo ($29), a pan-seared salmon filet served on a bed of fried gnocchi with braised leeks, roasted cherry tomatoes and a dollop of garlic aioli. While he enjoys the flavours of the dish, the salmon is overcooked. The gnocchi is also tasty but like the fish may have been left in the fry pan a little too long.

I opt for the herb-marinated chicken ($20) with Parmesan-mashed potatoes. I wish I could say it’s juicy, but it’s not. That’s too bad, because the balsamic glaze is delicious and the topping of crispy fried onions adds a fantastic flavour. Overall, I’m happy with the dish, but wish the kitchen was a little more on the ball.

Before ordering dessert we ask how long it will take. The time is now 9:15 p.m. and our entrees took about 40 minutes to arrive at the table. Our courteous server acknowledges our question with a sympathetic trip to the kitchen to inquire. After assuring us it will only be five minutes we order the apple ravioli ($8).

Arriving promptly, the perfectly crisp pockets of cinnamon and brown sugar ravioli are stuffed with apple and mascarpone. They ooze with a nicely balanced sweetness. Served with a brandy maple butter sauce the dish is the clear winner of the night.

My heart goes out to San Remo for trying to make the best of an extremely busy evening. After overhearing complaints of overcooked ribeyes from the table next to us, it is clear this is an off night for the kitchen. It’s just too bad there was a reviewer in the midst.

I will definitely return to San Remo for another shot at trying those appetizers, and to sample their take on carbonara (pancetta sautéed with garlic and green peas, tossed with parpadelle pasta and topped with honey-candied pancetta).