Waaaaaaaah! And Grrrrrrrrrrr!\nI'd leave it at that, but I think you need to hear just why I am so pained. \n\nHoney and I decided to go all out for a biggie New Year's dinner extravaganza. It had been a while since we got all gussied and spent the big bucks. We were due for some eye-rolling, table-thomping deliciousness. \n\nPerusing the short list of our local faves, we both spied the prix-fixe at Sassi and did a little dance. Limited menus at a swank venue usually equate to exceptional dishes, well worth the limitedness of it all. We wanted them to BRING IT. We deserved it!\n\nWe arrived just a few minutes late (even got a car/driver so as to be sated AND safe), and were immediately seated. The restaurant was not crowded, we liked our table and saddled up. As is always the case, a pre-dinner cocktail was ordered while perusing the menu. A few minutes later our martinis arrived, poured at the table and we were left to make our New Year's toast. Enter click glasses, raising to lips........screeeeech! \"Excuse me, miss? Sorry, you were given the wrong drink.\" No big deal. It happens.\n\nWe ordered our courses with delight and within minutes the appetizer course appeared. This was a trio of selected appetizers, all tasty and complementary. Our empty plates were quickly whisked away, along with our silverware, and whallah, a second plate of the same appetizers appeared. Er, um, we just had this course. No big deal. It happens. \n\nMinutes go by and here comes the appropriate second course. The plates were delivered and we all-to-late realized our silverware was not replaced. A few minutes of trying to discreetly flag someone down and then on to the eating. Salmon - yum, Sausage, pretty yum. Neither as noteworthy as expected, but so far so good. \n\nNext was the highly anticipated lobster gnocchi course. We didn't bother to order two different entrees, we both wanted this to ourselves. Oooooh here it comes! \"Be careful these plates are hot.\" Oh. Wait. This is wrong. These are the selections for the next course. WHERE IS MY LOBSTER GNOCCHI? \n\nHot plates removed. Hmmmm. Starting to waver between angry and sad. Lobster Gnocchi arrives. Nothing a little lobster can't fix, right?  \nWell, wrong. Overcooked, tough shards of lobster...but worse, the gnocchi (black) was so overpowered with anise that we could barely get it down. It was one of the most terrible dishes I have had in ages. We were destroyed. And we eat everything. \n\nOh goodie. Here come the hot plates we were served 10 minutes ago. Now it's been a good 20+ minutes under the warmer. Another warning for \"extremely hot plates\". I'm not sure there is ever a time for appreciating this, save for a cast-iron skillet, or ooey gooey Mexican fare that actually tastes better when all fired up. Well, it cooled a bit considering we had to wait yet again for someone to return with silverware. \n\nMy sea bass was fine. It wasn't great. The plate didn't offer much for texture. Rice with sauteed spinach and fish. Mush and mush. Honey's veal was terrible. Tasteless, overcooked discs of mystery meat positioned next to the most horrific attempt at truffled potato gratin (the main reason he ordered the dish) we have ever been served. \n\nBy this time we just wanted out. The service, the food, the whole night was throwing us into a funk that was so undeserved for the price and the holiday. Dessert was *shockingly* unspectacular. Two unfinished plates (and I have a mouth full of sweet teeth) were proof that the meal didn't even end well. \n\nSo over $400 later, the joke was on us. We were so distraught we decided to call the car early and just go home. In bed by 11:45 instead of ringing in the New Year at the bar at Sassi. Enough said. \n\nA year ago Sassi's butternut squash ravioli haunted me. Now I wake up in cold sweats dreaming I have to endure New Year's Eve all over again.