ONLYWOOD

SHADE-O-METER RATING

4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”

What’s Onlywood? It’s an Italian “trattoria” (Notably, there are three Italian-dinning styles. Osteria, which is tantamount to American take-out, is the least formal. Trattoria, which is casual but still consists of table service. And ristorante, which is the most formal and emphasizes haute cuisine) in Key West. The restaurant is right off of Duval Street, but it’s rather easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Hence, there’s a slight air of the “hidden gem” going on with it.

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Was there an age restriction? No. What time did we go? Around 9:30 p.m. How was the maître d’? No complaints. What was the décor like? The lighting is low in the alley that leads to the restaurant, so there’s a haunted-house vibe that exudes as one enters. The décor of the restaurant itself is done in typical Key West style.

What was the seating like? The inside seating is more illuminated and less quaint than the al fresco area. What was the atmosphere like? Casual. In addition, many of the staff speak Italian. What was the crowd like? Mostly tourists.

How was the cruising? The days of Key West as a gay mecca are long gone. No cruising. When’s happy hour? Daily, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. What libations were ordered? One glass of white wine, which was $9. Were they served timely? Yes.

How were the drinks? There was nothing great, but nothing bad, about the wine. What was ordered? An Alla Caprese salad for $13.50, Fettucine alla Bolognese for $17.50, Fettucine Parma e Parmigiano for $15.50, and a 4 Maiali pizza for $18.50. Was the food served timely? Yes.

How was the food? The mozzarella in the caprese salad was advertised as homemade, and possessed a wonderful richness to it. The tomatoes in the dish were less impressive. The fettucine in the bolognese was homemade and egg-based. The noodles were excellent, but the meat was a bit bland. The noodles were the same kind in the parmigiana dish, and the sauce in this dish was authentic and first-rate. Regarding the pizza, the restaurant has an imported brick oven, and if there’s one standout to the place, it would likely be their pizzas. The sauce in the pizza pops in the mouth on the first bite, and the prosciutto and pepperoni in it was delicious. However, the pizza’s crust was bit of a disappointment, as there was no required crunch.

How was the service? Fine, but there was nothing special about it, either. What stands out about the place? The pizza and the al fresco dinning. What could be improved? The food needs to be a little more consistent. In addition, the plant on the table with the price tag kind-of blew the “trattoria” bucolic theme.

What was surprising? The music. It was all Italian, but each song was basically a rip-off of non-Italian artists. The music went from an early-rock Buddy Holly-ish song, to The Stones, to Bob Dylan and then to Abba.