EMRE @ The Ava Hotel - Paso Robles (CA)

4 /5 Ron: Enjoyed EMRE last nite for the first time. The Atmosphere, wine and most of the food was outstanding. The exception was the Etto Lump Crab pasta.....it was one of the worst dishes Ive had. First, there was little if any crab meat and second its taste was of old dish-water. I immediately sent it back thinking it would be removed from my bill.....wrong on my part to assume, because it wasnt. Its my fault that I didnt review the bill until this morning. In addition, it being our first time their I would have thought our server (who was very polite) would have guided us in the amount of food we should order. We had the Roasted Baby Beet salad (the best Ive ever had), the Prawn Souvlakis (amazing), then the catch of the day (delicious) and the Etto Fettuccini Lump Crab pasta. Before our server submitted the order, we asked if we had ordered properly and was it too much? They responded, no....well it was enough food to serve 6 to 8 vs. just the two of us. Would I be back, yes.....

5 /5 Dan Penkauskas: We went to Emre at The Ava Hotel for the first time last night, New Years Eve, and had an outstanding experience. All four of us loved everything. (Background note: Both couples moved to Paso over ten years ago specifically for its rural location and the wine country vibe, so this type of restaurant is right in our wheelhouse). Firstly, the hotel and restaurant are beautiful in a elegant and spare style, not fussy or ostentatiously ornate. The large lobby was packed with folks out on the town for New Years Eve - too bad the rain put a damper on the bonfire in the park. We were quickly seated and our drinks arrived in only moments. We had both a server and an assistant server wait on us. Both were charming and very knowledgeable about the food choices and the amount to order. This was helpful due to the abundance small plates and food for the table that may have otherwise been confusing. Between the four of us we ordered the lamb kefka, the charred octopus, Moroccan carrots, crispy potatoes, whole branzino, and the Souvlakis with beef and prawn skewers. The only thing I didnt personally try was the branzino, but was assured by our friends that it was excellent too. The kefka, octopus, carrots, branzino, and Souvlakis were all grilled over a wood fire giving them a smoky charred flavor. All the items I ate were spicy in both senses of meaning - highly seasoned with wonderful complex Middle Eastern flavors and fairly hot spicy too. This was surprising as I had not experienced hot spicy in Middle Eastern food before. I love how the chef made this rather bold choice in seasoning and hope this trend continues in the future should the menu evolve over time. The background noise and lighting were both spot on. Even though there are lots of hard surfaces to reflect noise, you could describe it as lively and not excessive. All four of us could converse easily. The lighting was similarly dialed in properly - subdued, but no one felt the need to light up a menu with a phone. Emre is an excellent destination for fine dining. Certainly unique in Paso Robles, Im pretty sure nothing quite like it (food-wise) is available in either San Francisco or LA. If you like different assertive flavors, this is the place for you.

5 /5 Jessica Otter: We LOVE a restaurant that is unique yet still hits the mark when it comes to taste and service. This is not your typical faire and each dish is well prepared and presented well. The atmosphere is chic and fun, fancy but not snobby! The drinks are OFF THE HOOK (bartender Jillian is a master crafter!) and the wine list is impressive. The service is impeccible. If you are a person who appreciates the little details you will love this experience! Everything from how they serve the beverages and food, to caring for your utensils and napkins- its above and beyond. This is a place that strives for unreasobale hospitality and we will be back! Thank you to all the staff we had tonight, Kerby, Bella, and Jillian!

1 /5 Dawn Ventura: I wanted to like this place so badly. First bad experience was when we showed up at 7:50 pm on a Saturday to have a night cap in the bar and they turned us way because they were “done serving.” What a way to leave a bad taste in a local’s mouth. They’re new though so we thought we’d give them another try with a reservation. We went on a Thursday and the food and vibes were good. Service was ok. Lighting was changing every few minutes (again, I blamed it on being new). But then, we made the massive mistake of bringing my parents and family here for Christmas Eve. Without going too far into the details, the hostess was rude, the server was rude and absent, the manager was careless and it took 2 hours to get our food. The kitchen was a disaster and putting out no food. We have two very polite and patient children who sat for hours and then their pasta with butter dish was forgotten when our food finally arrived. One of my kids fell asleep at the table because we had been waiting so long. The table next to us said it took 15 minutes to get a menu. It was a horrible experience and I don’t have any desire to go back. Save yourself hundreds of dollars on a mediocre experience with rude staff and go visit one of the 10 other wonderful downtown restaurants with servers and staff who care one bit about you.

1 /5 Russ Hanush: I hate leaving bad reviews, but you deserve to be warned off of this one. Ambiance:0 Food:2 Service:-5 Prices:0 Integrity:-10 First off, the background music was so loud we couldnt hear each other talk across a table for two. The food was bland. My Etto pasta dish tasted like they just threw pasta on a plate straight out of the pot and slopped some butter on it. The best part was a pretty basic endive salad. The service was horrible. The restaurant wasnt even half full when we got there, and it was only about 60% full by the time we left. We ordered a second round of drinks just before they brought our main course, and they didnt arrive until after we were done. Parmessan wasnt even offered with my Etto pasta dish, and when I asked for it they acted like theyd never heard of parmessan on pasta. I didnt want to eat my main course cold, so after waiting a while I just started eating without the parmessan. By the time they brought it I was more than 3/4 done. The prices started out a bit high for a restaurant like this. Then, we ordered an upgrade from a single shot of well tequilla to top shelf tequilla. When the bill came, they had charged us $22 on a $12 drink just for the upgrade. There was no mention that they were going to almost TRIPLE THE PRICE for that little upgrade. They took full advantage of us without any warning. All in all, I have to say that this is the worst restaurant experience in Paso Robles.