Restaurant Review: Tomasso

Tomasso

154 Turnpike Road
Southborough, MA 01772-2120

(508) 481-8484

Full Disclosure: Shortly after Thomas Prince opened Tomasso in October 2004, I was asked to leave the restaurant. While I’ll refrain from saying, “I've been kicked out of better places than this!”, the dirty secret is our party of four went to enjoy, “the full spray” of appetizers, wine, food, wine, desert, wine, coffee, followed by, “Would you please leave. We have other patrons waiting for the table.” Were we having a leisurely dinner? Yes. Were we spending generously along the way? No question. Alas, we all left with a “bad taste” in our mouths.    

Yes, I’ve seen the reviews. From the beginning, Tomasso was on the radar. Frankly, I didn’t get it then, and I still don’t.

After receiving the boot, I decided not to spend my money there. It’s a personal choice, one we all make every day “on the fly.” As a number of work events were held there in the mid-2000s, I’d dutifully attended and was sociable. I was there for work, not as a critic, and was happy someone (normally “the boss”) wanted to have an event.

Then, for me, Tomasso fell off the radar. 

Recently, a (Southborough-housed) client asked to have dinner there, and so my business partner and I dutifully obliged.

There was simply no parking on our recent visit. We circled for 15 minutes, when I decided to park parallel to a backhoe in the parking lot (this is why we pay for insurance). Where were all these people? We did notice a sign to “ask inside” if lot was full, but we had already double parked. Wouldn’t a valet be easier??

The Partners arrived before the client, and of course beverages were in order. Stepping up to the busy and edgily decorated bar, the bartender eventually came our way, “What would you like?,” were the last words from her as she immediately turned and walked away.

“Maybe she knows I was asked to leave in November 2004 and doesn’t want to wait on us.”

She eventually returned, and like she never saw us said, “What would you like?” We immediately replied, “A Chardonnay and a draft beer.” Well, Tomasso doesn’t have draft beer, we’d have to go with the ever elegant bottle.

As we quenched our thirst, the client arrived. His preference was to immediately sit at the table we had reserved, so I offered to settle our beverage order at the bar (I always pay at the bar, so the bartender is assured their “full” tip. 

The bartender folded the tab, and immediately ran away again. When I picked up the paper, I saw why….just under $22. Twelve dollars for the glass of house Chardonnay and nearly $10 for a bottle of beer! In Southborough MA. In a suburban shopping plaza with Quiznos Subs, Starbucks Coffee, Cold Stone Creamery, A Beautiful You Medical Spa, Panzano Market, Star Cleaners, and Bodyscapes Fitness. Remember White’s Corner? This is the replacement location.

This place won’t make DrinkOwl for cost effectiveness. 

There are many things going into a nice evening at a restaurant, and I submit they are different at various times.

Great food is a must, ambiance is important for date/client/friends, and then there’s value. 

Tomasso was rapidly failing on the value measure.

When we sat down, we were presented with the weekly menu. While I know a regularly changing menu “keeps it fresh,” my own preference is for a standard menu changing quarterly, augmented with specials.

We each ordered specials as recited by the pleasant server. From our dining table, we had eyesight of the (relatively bright) kitchen. And then, the next failure. Our food started coming out a person at a time.

We know some places do this to preserve the freshness, and I really like hot food. The apologies of the server indicated this wasn’t the Tomasso norm.

Clearly this wasn’t a case of the other food will be right up. Somewhere there was a miss, and we were caught in the middle of it.

We prefer everything coming out at the same time…looking at the other entrees, often informally sharing (and very occasionally trading) and always tasting. It turns out it’s really awkward to do this when the food comes out with significant time between orders.

At this point, I started fading on Tomasso. The bar experience was odd and a little irritating, and the experience at the table was not coming together for a place with Tomasso’s laurels. And….the food was pretty good overall.

The bill came with an iPhone for recording our thoughts….and there was an iPad at the reception area for doing the same. Cute….someone must want out thoughts…..

You have better options for Italian, including Tavolino, the vastly improved Arturos (don’t believe the website, there has been a new owner for a couple years), and the ever popular & casual Zitis. (Note…. The Chateau is not on my list.) Want to go out of town? Head to Boston’s North End or Worcester’s Via.  

Tomasso gets a:

       Red Light – Save your time and money

About the RAG scale:

       Green Light – Go and enjoy

       Amber Light – Use caution

       Red Light – Save your time and money

The Author

Gary Kelley has lived in Westborough since 1994. His reviews are what he would tell friends, and are not an academic analysis.