Warrior: Mandolin Taverna reminds me of the new Japanese restaurant Kodō a few blocks away. Cool space, seems like they’re making effort with dish design and ingredients, but the cooking is amateurish (overcooked fish, watery cauliflower risotto, soggy fries, etc.). It would be a good place to bring a non-foodie group. I wouldn’t recommend to folks here.
Peony: I feel this is a place that you go more for the atmosphere than the food. It’s a cute place with a lovely patio in the Arts District. The wait staff are very courteous and friendly. The other customers are a good crowd too. I feel they are missing a strong Greek identity in this place, which is a shame.
I’m with @PeonyWarrior on this spot. It’s a really pretty space, but the food is achingly mediocre. There wasn’t really anything exciting and while the food was fine, I could feel this restaurant put more attention on the vibe than putting out really great food. Which is situationally could work for some people, but not really for us.
