La Dolce Vita at 36th Street Restaurant

501 N. Belt Hwy
St Joseph, MO 64506
(816) 364-1565
Near Hy-Vee (Belt & Faraon)

Visit date: 2/16/09
Meal ordered: KC Strip Steak

Cleanliness of restaurant - 3
Value for food - 3
Food appearance - 3
Taste of food - 2
Staff (overall) - 4
NON-SMOKING RESTAURANT - YEAH!

*Rated on a scale of 1-5

Remarks: Since I came with a larger group, I expected my waitress to be frazzled and hurried. It was certainly not so today. Our waitress was spot-on, friendly, and ensured each order was correct. Our spinach-artichoke dip was mouth watering - I would definitely encourage other patrons to try it, but I was disappointed with my steak entree - for $30, I expected better quality than a more "casual" restaurant, and mine was overly fatty. My entree was not appealing to the eye - it looked like a slab of meat with mashed potatoes hastily thrown on the plate. No garnish or attempt to make a delightful presentation. The restrooms were clean, but understocked - no paper towels.

Overall recommendation:
This restaurant is excellent for the after-work crowd. Perfect to grab a beverage, help yourself to freshly-popped popcorn or other appetizers and talk your worries away. Expect to spend approx. $15 per person. Luckily, this restaurant is one of a few who has a website with an online menu: http://www.36thstreet.com/menu.html. The restaurant accommodates everyone from large groups to intimate dates. I would define this as an adult restaurant - perfect for date night. An outdoor sign recommends reservations; however, our group did not have to wait at all, and in previous visits, I have not had to worry about being seated promptly.