Firenze

The restaurant moved to a nicer location but the food is still warmed up frozen dinners. I don’t understand the concept. All this place seems to do is take something out the freezer and heat it up, or sell it so you can heat it up. I can go to WholeFoods and get way better pre-​prepared dinners at a fraction of the price with a much, much better selection. What’s the point of this place?
The food was OK — about what you would expect for frozen dinner food. Our Lasagna featured tough, almost uncuttable, noodles but the flavor was passable. The presentation was about a charming as the factory this stuff seems to have been manufactured in.
Better than starving, though…

Firenze is nothing more than the frozen section of the grocery store. Nothing is fresh, everything is brought in frozen. There isn’t even consistency in how bad it is. I had bad, and on my second and final visit, I had inedible. Also, their customer service is poor. I tried to explain that my pizza crust was soggy, and their «manager», a dark-​haired woman in her mid-​thirties whose name I never caught (but was not in the standard uniform), rolled her eyes and said the pizzas are pre-​made. Thanks, I know they’re pre-​made, but can you do something to fix my problem? Apparently not. Go somewhere else where the food is better.

Firenze To Go saves my life more times than not when I have to throw something good together for dinner on short notice.
Tonight was no exception. I got a call at 4:45 that a friend was on the 5:10 train and coming out to the «burbs» for dinner at my house. Hmm. . I’m sure we had talked about it– but I didn’t think it was confirmed. Talk about a mis-​communication! And I was still at work!
Did I panic? Yes. But then sanity returned as I thought about Firenze. Wonderful Italian entrees ranging from fettuccine with chicken and spinach, 8 finger cavetelli, stuffed shells and lasagna. Grabed an antipasto salad and some dressing, a few brownies for dessert and I was as good as gold.
I raced home– put the refrigerated dishes in the oven and viola! Within 40 minutes I was serving food that looked like I had slaved over a hot stove for hours. Served with a few glasses of chilled white wine out in the garden and no one was the wiser that it wasn’t home crafted.
My friend left, with his stomach full and marveling how I get it all done,(yeah right!) and I’ve got some great leftovers for another night.
Oh. And if you are really in a bind? Call Firenze and order over the phone. They will put it in their own ovens and you can pick it up hot from them– all ready to serve.
Entrees come in three sizes– individual, small (serves 3) and large (serves 5) ranging in price from $ 7.95 to $ 28 and they also have a pizza menu that you can order cooked or take home for «homemade».
I usually am a better hostess and have a plan in place, but when I don’t. . I’m glad Firenze is just around the corner. And I bet so are my guests!