Portofino **

I were looking forward to trying the "Best Restaurant in Lexington," so it pains me to say it was quite the disappointment. Maybe it's having eaten at the likes of The French Laundry, Le Bernadin and Per Se, but Portofino simply didn't live up to its hype or justify its prices. The food wasn't bad, mind you, but a lot of little things nagged me. Several of the entrees featured the same sides (mashed potatoes to be exact). My sun-dried tomatoe risotto was finished with an incongruous garlic wine sauce and topped with a huge piece of tilapia, making it three dishes that don't go great together. The salads were pedestrian and the starter of fried calamari and rock shrimp was only a few steps above your average bar & grille. And for $20-$30 an entree, someone ought to sweep up the table crumbs between courses.