ASSAGGIO DEL FORNO HAS CLOSED!!

So another restaurant has decided to try to succeed in the Regency Shops by Woodfield Country Club. Assaggio del Forno recently finished their build out and opened their doors to the public, at least that is what it seemed. We will get to that in a bit. Anyways, many places before Assaggio del Forno tried to survive with the discriminating clientele that tends to frequent the establishments in the Regency Shops. If you haven't been shopping in this part of Boca Raton, in the Regency Shops, it might be worth visiting just to see how much plastic surgery could be found in one shopping center.

Once I saw the signs up for Assaggio del Forno, which is a new casual dining restaurant that will serve Neapolitan pizzas with some "artisanal" flare, as well as other Italian dishes that can be described with some chic trendy terms, I was excited to go in and try it. This was the latest restaurant to open around here from restauranteur Dennis Max.

Wanting to be one of the first to try Assaggio del Forno, I pulled into the Regency Shopping Center when I noticed the lights were on the new Assaggio del Forno Boca Raton sign itself. The place seemed happening with quite a few patrons, and even the valet parker appeared busy. So I went home and picked up my wife and anxiously headed over to Assaggio del Forno. We eventually found a spot, after having swerve around all the bentley faces who thought they had the privilege of the parking spots when they became available, and headed into this new Italian Styled Restaurant.

Upon walking in, we couldn't help but notice how nice the decor was. Dennis Max, like Gary Rack, usually spares no expense in making sure the restaurant is alluring and comfortable. We headed over to the hostess stand, and asked for a table for two. We were asked if we had a reservation. I said no, we just passed by and decided to try the pizza. She explained to us that Assaggio del Forno wasn't actually open yet, and there was only food for friends and family. It was more of a "soft launch" to see if the servers know what they are doing. I asked her, why the lights on the sign were turned on, if they weren't opened? And if there were no signs on the door saying private party - invite only, why wouldn't I think they were open? She said we would have to wait until next week and tried handing me a menu.

Assaggio del Forno I've got news for you. I am not coming back. In my opinion if you are having a private event, label the doors with proper signage informing prospective customers that you aren't open to the public yet. Do not make them deal with the hectic parking lot, to walk in and first try to hand them a menu and tell them you aren't open to the public. That is quite shady. If I am not considered a "friend" now, I do not want to be one later. You not only lost our business, but you have lost several others who have sent in messages complaining to us, who had the same exact experience we did.

Well done guys, hope these "friends and family" actually come back and support you. There is a reason many of the other places in this location have failed, and that is because of the way they treated customers. It would truly be a shame to see you guys fail after putting so much effort into the place, only to push paying customers away. It had so much promise in my eyes.........