First look: Dolci, New Haven

The look

Done up in shades of cabernet and mustard, with real guest towels on the marble sink in the bathroom, Dolci aims to impress. The cozy enclave features shiny hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, tea lights, dark brown leather seating and vertical mirrors. One downfall is that Dolci's dining area is incredibly dark. So dark, in fact, that you might need a flashlight to read the glossy black menu. Unfortunately, the lonely floor lamp in the corner—the only source of lighting outside the bar area—doesn’t help much.