When they first opened the restaurant to name it Table d’Hote and to adopt the format of the pensione. Out of necessity, they started small: service then was limited to dinner, with only one seating a night; the menu offered just one option nightly, depending on what was fresh and available at market. Within six months, they had caught the attention of New York Times critic Mimi Sheraton, who awarded the restaurant one star, describing it as “romantically charming,” and noting already that “it has begun to enjoy a growing following.” In the thirty years since, that loyal following of neighbors and visitors has indeed grown, and so has the menu, but dining at Table d’Hôte is still characterized by a sense of intimacy among friends and meticulously good taste that has distinguished the restaurant since the beginning.