A fine dining concept in the middle of the downtown Columbus hustle and bustle, Due Amici has an eclectic menu which defies genre. Large pizza and pasta offerings give it a definitively Italian feel, while ribs, seafood and sandwiches take different directions with the whole feel. Altogether the downtown concept has a very clean looking interior, but the food there is not to the level the rest of the restaurant emulates. It’s a shame to say, really, but the food does not impress me.
With such an eclectic menu, it may seem like the restaurant is just trying to do too much. This is not the problem. The assorted items have different problems. The Chicken parmesan, for example, is superbly bland. It’s crunchy and the textures are just right, yet the flavor is missing. It’s the first time I can think of I have had to describe breaded chicken as “bland.” The bread isn’t always fresh either, so take note of the complementary appetizers served to you, as well as the sandwiches. At the same time, the vegetables in the salad are very fresh so it is likely just an occasional problem affecting some of the ingredients.
The sides aren’t terribly great either. House vegetable sides vary by season, but in the end they taste just as disappointing. What I received was neither hot nor crisp. It was all undercooked and limp. This is a shame because I love grilled vegetables and a place like this should be able to turn them out relatively easily.
Where the food did not impress me, the rest of the environment is certainly outstanding for a concept like this. The service is on par with a fine dining concept, with wait staff covering tables and keeping customer’s glasses full. Such friendly, motivated staff tend to indicate good leadership in a restaurant, so the environment stays pleasant.
The decor is simple and very crisp; a black and white theme brings the entire restaurant together. This is a great place to have a business lunch, and I saw quite a few of them taking place there; the food is simple enough to allow for clean eating. There’s also a bar for the professional type looking for something a little more upscale. There seems to be deals on lunch drinks on weekends, though I’m not sure I know anyone who drinks at lunch on Sunday so it confuses me a little.
While the place is one of the nicer looking restaurants I’ve seen, it can not mask bad food in a pretty decor. I found a lot of what I tried bland and unimpressive, which should not stand, especially at the prices Due Amici is asking.
Recommendations
- This is a good place for business meetings, and definitely an upscale type eatery.
- Salads and the like are fresher and better than some of the other items; be careful what you order.
- Avoid some of the grilled items like house vegetables, they come off a little bland.
Another Food Critic 