Visited: June 2010
N-Rating: 3.5/5
A-Rating: 2.5/5
This was our first time at the Take 5 Restaurant in Agawam, MA. We went in expecting fine quality and service. We were seated automatically as soon as we entered the door. The restaurant had a very rustic Italian feel with a low lit dinining room with low hanging chandeliers over the tables. Our server was young and seemed to have an opinion of us that we were not going to be good tippers because we were not only young but also had a coupon for a free appetizer with any two en tree's. She got us our drinks, a coke for A and a unsweetened tea for me. We ordered a Giant Bloomin Onion for our appetizer, a Chicken Parmigiana for A and Chicken and Sausage Carbonara for myself. With our entrees we received salad bar and family-style Chicken Rice soup. The soup was full of flavor but a bit on the salty side but both A and I enjoyed it. The salad bar was a run of the mill salad bar with lettuce, various toppings and dressings.
By this point A had gone through her drink, as she usually does and when she asks for another Coke it seems the drink is not a free refill, what? She now has to drink an ice water for the rest of the meal, yet it turns out my unsweetened ice-tea which is house brewed is actually free refill, what?
The Giant Bloomin Onion was lacking on the Giant side, it was served on a large plate on a bed of kale and pickle and honey mustard sauce. Our first complaint is that the batter they used on the onion is not very flavorful and the onion is not fully cooked. The sauce with the onion was an alright pair.
Finally our entrees are brought out. My Carbonara is served in a large bowl sprinkled with paprika both on the food and the inside. It is steaming and hot and the tortellini, chicken and sausage are all cooked and hot. But the sauce tastes like a thick cream sauce mildly flavored and lacks what I'd expect out of what I feel should be a slightly spicy dish.
A's Chicken Parm is good, the chicken is well breaded and fried then coated with hot sauce and cheese. But not only is the penne pasta watery but the sauce lacks flavor, not something I'd expect from a restaurant claiming to be fine dining. The water is filled with pepper, the sauce a little on the peppery side tastes like tomato and pepper there seems to be no herbs infused within.
The server, was nice at times but also seemed to be a little unfamiliar with her job, having to come back around and tell us we had the salad bar instead of telling us when we ordered our food. It took a couple minutes for A to get a glass of water and my second ice tea was warm even with ice in it.
We give the Take 5 Restaurant in Agawam, MA a SOUR
