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The only real thing this place has going for it is that it is a sports bar and it is in a location that is desperate need of more options to watch sports.
I arrived with my boyfriend on a Sunday morning to try to watch a big soccer game (FA Cup). He had called in advance because he wanted to ensure that the game would be playing. Someone told him yes, they could turn it on. Once we stepped in, we were greeted by a panel of girls at the hostess stand. My boyfriend asked if a TV could be changed and they said yes it wouldn't be a problem. We plopped down at a high table in front of a TV. Our waitress (who I will not name) came to introduce herself. May I just say she was weird... friendly but weird. And not very effective. She asked us if we had ever been before, and we both said no, so she started with a rehearsed couple of sentences about the place. I remember Kildare's and I thought Tilted Kilt was a step up in terms of what it could offer, but the experience was very "blah" and frustrating for my boyfriend. Our waitress continues to speak in what appeared to be a seductive manner. She asked my boyfriend what his name was and shook his hand. Then it occurred to her that she should ask for my name and shake my hand too. Very awkward weird interactions that I don't really need at a sports bar when all I want to do is eat and watch the TV.
After about 5 minutes, the TV was finally changed (we didn't order until it had been changed for us). My boyfriend ordered a wrap and onion rings and side of garlic bread, and I ordered the grilled wings. Everything was just okay.
Throughout our meal, our waitress kept coming to see how we were doing. Her timing was a bit off as she seemed to be more of a bother than a help. I kept feeling as though my meal and sports watching were being interrupted. On two occasions, our TV channel changed (this happened when the TVs above the bar changed to the same channel). The first time it happened, my boyfriend told a hostess (who I told him would not get anything done quickly), our waitress (who was MIA when this happened), and the bartender. It took 10 minutes for the channel to be changed back. Quite annoying. The second time it happened, it was about 3 min left in the match and it changed again. My boyfriend was soooo frustrated, couldn't get anyone's attention, and just went to the back of the restaurant to try to see the match on a TV there (the only TV on the first floor that had it on). As he walked back there, that TV changed to a different channel again. THIS IS SUPER ANNOYING. FIX YOUR TVs. We ended up missing the last goal of the game.
Another issue to point out is the sports credibility of a place like this. The sports being played when we arrived included bowling and some TVs were dedicated to the women in the Tilted Kilt calendar. Super annoying. My boyfriend wanted to complain to someone but didn't ask to speak to the manager who was in that day. Instead our waitress came over with the names of people we could email (unfortunately she forgot business cards with their emails...... ahem ahem).
There is much potential here but certain things need real fixing. 1) Don't have your waitresses focus on seduction at the expense of real, solid, well-timed service. 2) Fix your TVs so that channels don't change randomly. It was not a matter of someone else asking for the TV to be changed as we were the only ones in the section. Something is inappropriately linked. 3) I looked around and noticed the girls just plop themselves down to talk to guys. I also felt like our waitress was intruding on our time more than she was being of any real help/service. I've never been to a Tilted Kilt but really, is it really necessary?? If you want to attract patrons who aren't disgusting men or "a man's man" girl, I would suggest changing this... 4) I don't need breasts in my face while watching sports. If I wanted that, I'd go to Hooters. I also don't need to see a reel of women on the beach during a calendar photo shoot 5) I don't need waitresses feeling like they need to speak to the woman at the table too. Our waitress clearly was trained to focus on the guy (my boyfriend) and as an afterthought, acknowledge that a woman was at the table too (after a pause, she realized she should ask my name and shake my hand too).
Would only recommend if real changes are made to offer a great venue for watching sports in King of Prussia, without the seduction/sex appeal to draw in customers. I mean, it's King of Prussia. If a business thinks that is the type of service it needs to provide to draw customers, then I guess it considers the typical patrons in King of Prussia to be nasty men who need to go to a bar to get excited about themselves and feel attractive... this may be the case in this small town, but I hope not! | 0negative
| 913 |
Live Oak catered my wedding. We originally chose this caterer because we felt that the food was good, the pricing was competitive, and the caterer was willing to be flexible both in terms of menu and venue. However, things did not go so well for us.
We had our wedding and reception on the beach. However, our cocktail hour was to be on a patio by the property that we had rented. The house and the beach were a short walk away from each other, but certainly presented a bit of a challenge in terms of getting things between the two. It was about a 5 minute walk. I know this is not the simplest set-up, but I assure you that I paid through the nose for this service and they charged us extra because of that 5 minute walk.
Originally the caterer asked if they could just do wine and beer during the cocktail hour. This made no sense to us because it's called "cocktail hour" and we bought all the alcohol necessary. So, we asked them to actually serve cocktails and gave them a recipe for a signature drink. When we got up to the patio, there was a HUGE line waiting for drinks. Instead of premixing some of the signature drink so they could hand things out quickly to the crowd, every single drink was being made to order and the line was ridiculous. For me, that was a strike against them. It's an open bar- there's no reason why someone should be in line for 20 minutes to get a drink! Have they not heard of making pitchers??
Next, it turns out that the caterer hadn't split the alcohol supply between the patio and the beach. They had everything up on the patio, including things that really didn't need to be there, like the bubbly and the wine- things not being served at cocktail hour. So, they had to carry everything down with them. That took them a very long time. This meant that no one got any alcohol at the actual reception until after everyone had already eaten dinner!! Not to mention that the bubbly was never served, nevermind that it wasn't available during the big toasts.
It gets better though. By the time they drag all the alcohol down, everyone's done eating and they are once again incapable of figuring out how to serve the crowd. Again a large queue forms. At this point I can't take this anymore and I just grab the bottles and start opening them and handing them out to various tables. Honestly, a wedding for which you bought all the alcohol and where you intended to have an open bar, is not so much fun when after all that it's pretty much a dry wedding! No one is feeling courageous enough to get on the dance floor.
Now to finish the bar story- on top of everything, they run out of glasses!! They're talking to me about this issue and I'm amazed that they run out of glasses. You would think this would be just one of the most basic things a caterer does and prepares for. To top it off- the staff suggests picking up people's dirty glasses and reusing them, dirty! I was appalled. My wedding coordinator had to go drive to a supermarket and pick up plastic cups.
Now on to the food. We had a buffet - with metal trays that were heated from the bottom. The food tasted good. However, after the last table was called to get their food, the caterer started taking food away. They made no announcement that they were taking away the food. When I asked him what he was doing he said that food couldn't be out for too long or it would go bad and then he'd be liable for making people sick. Folks, I'm a lawyer and here to say that if that were true, then you'd see waiters coming to take people's plates out from under them if they didn't eat fast enough. So, no one got to get seconds, even though people had taken little in the first round to make sure everyone got enough. And because the bar was so slow in opening up, now I have a bunch of guests who are drinking but no longer eating. That's a great recipe for alcohol poisoning. They hauled away tons of perfectly good that I paid good money for. I have never ever seen anyone do that before at any event. ADDITIONALLY the waitstaff went around to all the tables and took all the plates away for anyone who was dancing or not in their seat. So, without any indication that someone was actually done, they took their food away and they closed the buffet. We had a lot of hungry people!!
The food was good, but the service was absolutely abominable. I really wouldn't recommend this company to anyone trying to do an event that requires any serious planning or foresight. These people showed themselves really incapable of problem-solving and really did not care at all whether the guests were getting everything they needed. When they ran out of cups, instead of figuring something out, they just didn't serve people! They also did not give a damn about my protestations with regard to the food. To think- picking a fight with a bride on her wedding day! If I knew that's how they were going to do things, I would have never in a million years signed up for this caterer | 0negative
| 927 |
I have been here twice in the last two months and I can officially say I probably won't be going back. I had heard great things about the food so when I got a postcard mailer with a free entree, I decided to bite the bullet and try something new.
I went with a neighbor and our girls at a time when the restaurant was nearly empty. We were one of two tables in the whole restaurant and yet I would have gotten faster service if I had driven home and gotten things for ourselves. My friend asked for water that didn't arrive (even after reminders) until almost the meal and the meals themselves while simple, took quite a bit of time. We were enjoying a "girls night" so we didn't have to be anywhere but finally at one point, the time everything was taking got to be too much and we just wanted to be done. We each had one of the mailers which said "one per household" and being that we were two different households together didn't think this would be a problem but it was and after even more of a wait, the unseen manager, owner or giant voice behind the curtain finally told our server to split up the check and use one for each...which, when you consider that they are using a manual, non-digital register doesn't make much sense but at least we were finally getting to leave. The food was "meh", nothing too great, very small portion and I had ordered no rice, just beans. I guess when they made the mistake of putting rice on the plate they figured taking some of it off and covering the rest with beans means it would go away...but if you don't like spanish rice and you get a spoonful of it sneakily tucked away in the yummy beans you were thought you were eating, it doesn't go away. Even so, I figured maybe this was just a one time incident and to give them another chance. Boy was I wrong!
We also had BOGO coupons in a book we bought for a fundraiser so when the occasion arose a few weeks later to not have to cook AND stay in the neighborhood, the entire family and us took our coupons down to the restaurant for a second go. There were four of us, I put the coupons out on the edge of the table to be seen, discussed with the server and the family that all of us had to order drinks to use the coupons and ordered our drinks. My husband and I ordered meals in the $12.99 range and my kids each got meals for $8.99. This time we had a different server, a female and yet, despite the restaurant again not being very full...everything once again took forever, plates weren't removed, drinks weren't refilled (and I get iced tea, all that takes is a quick pour out of a pitcher) and we waited and waited and waited. The meal tasted a little better this time around and they didn't mix rice in with my beans but the portions again were pretty small. However, my son and daughter's taquitos were meh and neither of them finished them which isn't like either of them considering the meals were pretty small. When it finally came time to get the check, we handed her the coupons which read "one per person, per day". Since there were four of us I knew this would be alright but she tried to tell us that it was only one per table. We argued over the disclaimers that THEY put on their own coupon and finally I told her to just split the checks. She went back to find this again, floating head that we never saw and came back to angrily split the checks which I went with her to the register to do. She tried to then tell me that it had to be the two cheapest items we got but as I said, my husband and I got meals equivalent to price and so did the kids. After much hassle and she being obviously angry about doing it, she put mine and my husbands on one check and the kids on the other. Both kids got adult meals so we weren't haggling over kids prices. She was so bitchy about it that I didn't tip a dime...something I never do even when the service is subpar (which it was anyway) and left.
Save yourself the trouble and the hassle, coupons or no and go to somewhere decent like Los Trojes or anywhere else. There are plenty of good Mexican restaurants in town who have both great food and great service. Fiesta Mexicana isn't one of them and if you have a coupon...toss it. It's better to pay full price somewhere else than go here. | 0negative
| 816 |
I was craving Thai summer rolls. Had I not remembered reading some decent Yelp reviews for this place I would have passed it by given the location in a seedy strip mall. Bottom line from our experience: Chiang Mai isn't a bad place to stop if you're in the area for food that is Southeast Asian or Chinese in concept if not authentic in execution. It isn't a place we'll go back to again but glad we tried it. Once.
Let's start with the GOOD THINGS:.
1) Summer rolls were freshly filled and expertly rolled. I would have been a bigger fan if they contained some SE Asian herbs in the mix, like cilantro, Thai basil and mint instead of only lettuce as the greens element. I liked the dipping sauce served with them was a vinegar tart, sweet, salty offering (although not fish sauce prominent as one might find for traditional nuac cham) instead of peanut sauce. I used red chili paste on the table to add spicy heat to the mix.
2) Very friendly service. It seemed virtually a wave of people were leaving through the narrow entry as we tried to enter just after 1:00 and we had the then advantage of few tables being occupied and attentive servers. Food was delivered promptly with hot food served hot and cold food served cold.
3) Decent seating options including booths with elephant pattern woven tablecloths topped with glass or formica topped tables and chairs all at standard height.
4) Music selection on the sound system of rock ancients like Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger. (Embarrasingly, I know all the lyrics to all the songs and wanted to sing along.) Set at at a low enough level to know it was there but not to override all else.
5) Prices were low ($19 before tax for three dishes at lunch) and servings were large. But I'd rather have higher prices and smaller servings of better food.
Now the 'NOT SO MUCH' things:
1) Like many Thai restaurants in the area the menu seems an amalgam of Chinese - American and Thai items with the latter tamed down from the robust flavors I have enjoyed at Thai restaurants in cities like Portland, San Franciso, Las Vegas or even my former hometown of Bend. For a city of Bosie's size it is surprising to find so many Asian restaurants don't "pick a lane and drive in it" for authentic food.
2) The food is just OK "minus". Pad Thai is one of those dishes I am almost ashamed to hear myself order as it is sometimes so poorly done, but when it is well made it is a treasure. It was on the lunch menu here and so I ordered it as a good litmus test for any Thai restaurant which arguably ought to get this rice noodle dish right. (Like say an Italian restaurant's ability to turn out spaghetti marinara right.) This was not the worst Pad Thai I've ever had, but it was not good either.
My husband veered to a Chinese food item selecting Hoonan (not a typo, that is how it appeared on menu) vegetables. The mix of veggies, which included bok choy, napa cabbage and pea pods, was cooked to just right toothsome doneness. Oversauced, but that seems to be a trend in Chinese - American food service, with too much soy sauce in the mix of things, another trend, and just barely a hint of the Hunan heat as promised on the menu.
3) The infrastructure of the restaurant looks like it is falling apart, from the parking lot through the door and all around. Which may be nothing the restaurant owners can do anything about unless they own the building.
4) Getting in the door can be a challenge at the narrow entry as people are going out and you are coming in given they have a host station set up as "traffic stop". It is awkward and uninviting. This they could fix.
THIS N THAT:
1) PARKING: The ramshakle lot shows looks rode hard and put away wet, but it is a lot with parking and that is a good thing in spite of the condition.
2) NEIGHBORS: Bar to the left, Asian Market 2 to the right. The latter is an interesting place if you're trying to find some harder to find SE Asian ingredients like shrimp paste or a choice of half a dozen plus brands of fish sauce.
3) ACCESSIBILITY: One blue wheelchair marked spot in the entire lot is outside the Asian Market. It is not van accessible. Restaurant is level in and throughout. Table seating is standard height. Adequate path of travel to several tables. | 0negative
| 787 |
This place used to be amazing and I LOVED coming here, but lately it has gone down hill. And when I say down hill, I mean DOWN HILL. It absolutely SUCKS now.
Curious as to why? Please read below:
Wait Time:
The wait is always forever. I feel like I could knit myself a sweater in the time it takes to go through that drive through and that's if I'm the only car in the drive through. I completely understand that Starbucks is popular and very busy, especially during peak times, but why is it that management cannot staff to demand? Is it really to difficult to know that during peak hours, the establishment might need a few extra hands? Now, I know the reasonable thing many might be thinking: Mobile Ordering. An absolutely fantastic idea. And for a while, worked wonderfully. Unfortunately, it seems as though it is impossible for these orders to be made correctly. Not sure why mobile orders are any different from ordering at the drive through or in store, but there's something that just makes them impossible to be made correctly. Also, in case anyone is curious, I haven't ordered anything complicated, especially through mobile ordering. If I want non-fat milk or sugar free substitutes, I order at the Starbucks.
Cups:
Most recently, my sister and I came in and ordered some frappes and we received very liquid and disgusting drinks in sticky cups. Now I know I shouldn't have high expectations, but I really do not think expecting a clean cup is too much to ask for.
What really put this trip over the edge was that when I asked for new cups, the barista ignored the fact that they gave me sticky, dripping cups and just put my drink (in the same cup) into another cup. So I walked out with my drink in literally two cups. Now, I know it technically solved the problem, but this is not the first time this has happened. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I received a drink from this Starbucks and the cup was not dripping or sticky. The absolute worst is when you stop before work, in your work clothes, and you don't notice the liquid on the outside of the cup and it drips all over your clothes. Sorry Starbucks, didn't realize I needed to watch out for part of my drink on the outside of my cup. Is it too much to ask for my drink not to be on the outside its holder?
Quality:
I would also like to mention the quality of the drinks at this Starbucks. Now, I'm not a connoisseur of coffee. I do not have high standards when it comes to the quality and taste. As long as it tastes like it's supposed to - I'm good. That being said, I cannot remember the last time my drink from this Starbucks was actually right. It's been close, it's been drinkable, but it has absolutely not been correct/perfect, or what it is supposed to taste like. One might then ask, "Well how do you know what it's supposed to taste like?" My response: "I've been drinking Starbs for years - it's what got me through college. There's no way they changed their recipes for all my favorite drinks in the past few months." It's honestly just sad. I'm not a barista nor do I pretend to know the trials and tribulations of what it might be to be one, I'm sure it's difficult and my respect to all the amazing baristas out there, BUT don't many of your barista instruments have measurement marks on them? Doesn't Starbs use specific measurements for many, if not all, their drinks? Again, I'm not a barista, but it just seems like it would be really difficult to use the incorrect ingredient measurements. I'm sure if someone was new, of course it would be difficult to remember all the measurements and what goes in what drink, but come on. Eventually, after making so many drinks, it would have to become second nature or at least somewhat of a habit. Also, the amount of Starbucks trips that have resulted in a cup of milk being handed to me has been one to many. At this point, we must have to realize that there's something wrong in the coffee making process. I would never go to Starbucks and pay $5 for a cup of steamed milk.
Overall:
I'm just really disappointed in this specific Starbucks location. When I say it got me through college, it literally got me through college. I loved coming to Starbucks. It was my treat for the day and it just made my day better. That being said, I know it's silly to base my entire day on how my cup of coffee was, but is it really too much to go to an establishment which specializes in a product and expect their product to meet a certain set of expectations? The purpose of this review is not to hurt anyone or be rude, it's to help someone in charge realize that there is a problem and there are many coffee drinkers who want this problem to be resolved. It just makes me sad how down hill this place has gone.
I really hope this review makes it to someone who can do something to help this caterpillar of a store because I KNOW it has the potential to be a beautiful butterfly. Until then, I guess I'm reaping the benefits of saving $5/day. | 0negative
| 925 |
I will never go back to guppys again. After the scene the Bartender John caused last Sunday, it is a disgrace. Story below. This is also not the first of these stories I have heard from numerous people.
My three friends and I arrived to Guppys and walked into the bar area. We were greeted by the bartender (not John) and asked what we wanted to drink. I did not order the beverages, my friends sitting at the bar did. We received four beers and walked to the back area to get a little more room. While we were near the back, we saw a table with four empty chairs outside. Since it was nice out, we went out and sat down. We talked to the couple behind us with their dog, very friendly. We were out there for maybe 10-15 minutes and had not seen one bartender or server pass us. We just sipped out drinks and chatted. I received a phone call and took it at the table, outside. About two minutes into my phone call, John comes out and asks if we are ordering food. We said no and he then proceeds to tell me we need to order food to sit at the table. Understandable, so i asked for menus. He brought out menus and not even 5 minutes later asked what we had wanted. Since i was still on the phone and my friends were talking, we hadn't taken a good look at the menu yet.. I ordered 2 appetizers immediately so we can have a bit more time to look. When i ordered the two, John comes back and tells me "no, you need to have one item per person." Now, what i don't understand is why i need one appetizer per person. They are appetizers and meant to be shared. I complied and ordered four appetizers. He corrected me to tell me i only had mentioned three. My friend now has chimed in and with my phone call who heard me says " no she ordered four" and listed them again. John was obviously annoyed and went back in. He came back after 2-3 minutes to tell me then that I was too drunk to be there and we all had to leave. He proceeded to take all of my friends beers from them. We had already paid for these beers and they were MAYBE 1/3 of the way finished. That is it. He didn't take mine and i told him, we already paid and I"m no where near drunk. I also said i ordered the food you asked me to. He then goes to say you are so drunk you don't even know what beer you have and then asked me to name my beer. I didn't order the beers, my friend did. I've know him for 20 years and trust his beer choice. So now I'm EXTREMELY embarrassed. He went in, got my friends card, came out and said you were not charged you now need to leave. All of this was EXTREMELY humiliating, especially because i had had 2 beers since 11am being that i was the driver that night. So i was not drunk and I was VERY willing to order the food amount asked, even though you cant MAKE someone order a plate per person. He was very rude and condescending putting on a scene.
We left and as soon as we were across the street, a table of four ladies were sat.
I was so distraught and annoyed that i was kicked out for doing what was asked. We were just at guppys the weekend prior and were around EXTREMELY drunk people. We love going there so i didn't get it. I decided to go back to talk to a manager and see what and why i was singled out and humiliated.
My friend and i walked back to Guppys. We walk in and John is still behind the bar. The place was not busy at all. I went up to John and asked for a manager. He said he was the manager. So i asked why that incident happened. He claims again that I'm drunk and was slurring my words. He said we were drunk when we got there and too drunk to stay. IF this is the case, why were we served? When I asked him this, his answer was it wasn't him that served us. SO as acting manager, he CLEARLY was in the wrong then. Also, if we were so drunk by his standards, why did he tell me to order food, order more food than i had to, and make a scene of kicking of out of the bar? I asked this as well, he then changed his story to tell me he got two noise complaints from each table next to us. This isn't true, we A ) were not there long enough to be doing anything B) NO sever or bartender had come outside and C) the couple behind us we were chatting with perfectly find and had not left the table the entire 10-15 minutes we were there. So, now when i ask him this and tell him we were friendly with the couple, he asked me to say her name. I didn't know her name because i don't always need someones name to have a friends conversation with. He is now INTENTIONALLY embarrassing me again and in front of another (obviously drunk) customer at the bar. I also asked when i ordered food, why did you change your mind again. He said i needed to order 1 main entree per person and i didn't. he NEVER said that nor is that a rule. Also, i ordered four appetizer $10-$13 each, which VERY WELL could have been a meal per person. He told us we needed to leave and i asked for the managers name and number. He was clearly annoyed with that but got information and scribbled it down. | 0negative
| 1,001 |
Have you ever seen The Sopranos? This restaurant feels like Tony and the gang had business dealings over eggplant parmesan in a booth here. I dined at Bazil's just a few short weeks ago and have been thinking about it ever since. Allow me to paint a picture...
The ambiance....When you walk in there is a small waiting area with benches on either side of the main entrance to sit on. The night I went was very busy with a lot of reservations so we had to wait a bit. The hostess was really friendly and stood her ground when a woman came in and claimed to have made a reservation at 11am that morning (the phones weren't even turned on until 4) and this added to my love of this place. Back to the setting...you can't really see the restaurant from the front area where you're waiting, but to the left is a bar that looks awesome and to the right is the main seating area. The bar itself is sunken so you sit in a chair of normal height instead of a tall chair (as a short person, I appreciate this). A side note, the sign that says "pizza only available in the bar" means that if you want pizza you have to sit in the bar - not that it's the only thing you can get in the bar. The main dining area is fabulous! The booths are very private and each one has a dimmer to control the light. The tables in the middle are large enough to fit parties of eight. We sat in a booth and felt like we had a private dining area. There are little lights (Christmas lights in some cases) strung all around the restaurant and the ambiance in general is wonderful. It is good for friends looking to grab a good meal or for a romantic dinner.
The food....oh my gosh the food!!! I ordered the sausage and peppers which was delicious!! The only comparison I have for how good it was is the sausage that Corleone's had before it closed (which is a darn shame because that was my favorite east side restaurant). The sausage comes with a side of pasta and you can get fettuccine alfredo instead of spaghetti with a meat sauce. DO THIS! Make the substitution! You will not regret it. The alfredo sauce is simply the best I've ever had in a restaurant. The meals come with a delicious salad and bread. I cannot wait to go back to try other things on the menu. A woman at the table next to us had the clam sauce and it looked wonderful.
The service....this felt a little slow. We were in our booth for over an hour (probably close to two) but as my friend said, "it's an experience." That is a very true statement. They don't rush anyone through and we were never made to feel that we were taking up space when we finished our meals. Our server was very polite and made sure we had everything we needed or wanted, although there seemed to be long stretches that we didn't see him. This didn't take away from the overall experience.
The clientele....it's a lot of older people, which isn't surprising based on the location. A lot of reviews mention the outdated decor, but in reality it should be a hipster's dream because it's so dated. The restaurant is run the same way a restaurant would run in the 70s or 80s and the interior matches. I am in my 30s and was easily the youngest person there. A lot of the interaction I saw between diners and the staff were off putting. The diners were rude and demeaning at times, with one older gentleman making a very crude comment to his waiter. The same gentleman also took a napkin off of a stack that a young lady was folding and walked out with it. There seems to be a sense of entitlement among some of the guests (at least the night I was there) that was surprising because we tend to think of teenagers and very young adults as being entitled. The employees remained polite throughout each interaction, which made me appreciate the whole place even more. A lot of people who were waiting to be seated claimed to be regulars, although it was obvious they were not because the hostess knew the regulars. A lot of these regulars also knew each other and would stop to chat on their way out.
Overall - Bazil's is awesome. It may feel outdated but that's because the bulk of their customers tend to be older and don't need many upgrades or modern technology to function. The service may seem slow, but this just means that there's more time for you to enjoy everything about this place. The decor may seem outdated, but this just adds to the charm. Bazil's isn't trying to be something it's not; it's simply focused on great food and allowing guests to enjoy their experience. | 2positive
| 844 |
What was I looking for? I don't know, but I may have found it in Butcher & Singe. This place...hit every nail I needed it to this year. I expected it to be like Musso & Frank In Los Angeles, and it is, just a little darker and a little taller, and obviously not true Old Hollywood. But it tries, and it tries well.
The large dinner room had very tall ceilings with mirrors lining the tops, which give it the appearance that it's even larger. The tables, while spaced somewhat close together, still have an intimacy to them that makes you feel alone. It could be the general buzz of the patrons so perhaps it's a real-life Muffliato charm. Harry Potter, you infiltrate my life. Anyway...the servers are prompt without being annoying, specific though almost too specific, but helpful and gracious. We were there for more than two hours, happily conversing our way through a lot of food. Food! I almost forgot this was a food review. Or...is it?
I started with my vodka martini with three olives, ice cold. Mr. V always with his iced tea.
We started with a half dozen raw oysters, steak tartare, and escargot. The first one, we split; the second one was mine; the third was his. I, of course, ate some of everything and he ate mostly the escargot. Some tidbits about those dishes:
Raw oysters-on-the-half-shell - pretty much exactly what you'd expect from fresh oysters that were both West Coast and East Coast. They were chilled, still in their shells, and served quickly. I thought they were refreshing with my martini, a nice mixture of texture and flavor.
Steak tartare - I really liked this dish and I was served more than I expected to be. The steak was rich and flavorful, served with little toasted bread bits that could hold the weight of the piles I loaded on each one.
Escargot - Super garlicky with lots o' butter. I am not complaining in the slightest, as they were tender and warm with succulent juices, but the garlic was not the best mixture with my martini, so I tried one or two, and let Mr. V scoop out each snail and mop up the remnants with some of my leftover bread bits.
Our entrees took some time deciding. Mr. V immediately went for the porterhouse, but after the server's good, if long, explanation of each steak, he changed his mind and chose the Delmonico. I went with the filet mignon. Sides are listed below.
Delmonico - Mr. V ordered it medium rare - something I have had to coax him to do since we started dating, and my efforts have finally paid off. It was fatty, rich, tender and uber flavorful. It also was not for the faint of heart - bother literally and figuratively. He actually stopped eating it about half way through due to the richness, but hey, it's a special day...feed yo'self, free yo'self. I won't judge.
Filet Mignon - this is my go to choice for steak when I'm out. Most because I don't eat portion sizes larger than 8 ounces of meat, but also because I do like this cut very much. I ordered my Pittsburgh style rare. I order most things rare, and since I rarely eat poultry or pork, I can get away with it. Mine was warm (well, duh), very tender, and cooked almost perfect. The filet was almost sweet, but so much savory that I was surprised when I ate it all.
Brussels sprouts - Brussels sprouts are something I've learned that I like when made FOR me rather than when I make them myself. I liked these a lot and even ate them from the to-go box next day.
Stuffed hash browns ¬- Stuffed hash browns were their specialty and Mr. V said these were "the f*****g s**t". Nuff' said. They were pie-sized, crispy brown, and stuffed galore. We barely could eat a quarter of them, so we gave them to a less fortunate individual on Walnut Street after dinner.
Lobster mac and cheese - Actual freaking chunks of lobster in this ooey-gooey mac and cheese dish. Warm and toeing the line of properly cooked pasta. With Parmesan on top! So. Much. Cheese. Cheese = land life and seafood = water life. Add those together = spiritual zen.
Yes, we really ate all this food. It didn't end there - He had cheesecake and I had Baked Alaska (because it's old school and I needed to fit in).
I guess this adds up to a "We would go here again". | 2positive
| 769 |
It's only because Calvin Trillin, wrote a piece about Mosca's in the New Yorker last year that we found ourselves last week, driving over night-darkened two lane blacktops to find this restaurant in the middle of what seems like nowhere Louisiana.
As Calvin Trillin quotes a local friend: " 'Mosca's always had the feel of a neighborhood restaurant, without the neighborhood.' "
There is simply nothing else around here but road.
It was an adventure, the kind of mysterious road trip that I love. And when we finally arrived and saw this old-timey roadhouse as the only beacon lighting up the dark, I felt ridiculously happy.
And believe it or not out here, reservations really are a must .
The locals have known about and loved this place since 1946.
I don't think of Louisiana as an Italian-food kind of destination but the history and lore surrounding Mosca's was intriguing enough to take a chance.
We entered and felt like it was still 1946. It feels frozen in time leaving one to wonder if you've fallen down the rabbit hole and done some time travel.
You walk into a main room with a bar, a few tables and an old jukebox filled with oldies crooners. Love!
We were then ushered into a second room which is the main dining room. It was little bit like walking into someone's great-aunt's dining room .
From the moment we walked in we were greeted warmly and immediately brought to our table which was situated near a faux fireplace. I swear it made me feel warmer but in reality the undulating "embers" gave off no heat.
What happened here has happened to me in a couple of other Louisiana restaurants and that is, we were waited on by everyone.
Rather than being confusing, it simply felt like all the staff was really looking out for us and making sure we felt cared for and attended to.
Nothing was duplicated, it's just that everyone made sure our water and wine glasses were filled, that the warm and tasty bread basket was at the ready, and that our every need was being met.
You are told upfront that each dish is cooked to order and depending on what you've selected, your meal could take up to 50 minutes to prepare.
So sit back, relax and have an appetizer and a drink, no one is rushing you.
We ordered wine and what's simply called "an Italian salad" to share. The portions we were told are large and indeed they are.
Out came a very big mixed salad which was plenty for two of us. It was iceberg lettuce (which I happen to love) with a variety of raw and pickled veggies. It was simple, a bit different and quite delicious.
We heard the oyster casserole was a must, so we ordered it. While the flavors were good it was unfortunately much too salty. This was a disappointment because I think it otherwise would have been a wonderful dish.
For my main I ordered a simple bowl of spaghetti with the Mosca's version of a red sauce. For me this can be the true test of a southern Italian-style restaurant. How the pasta is cooked and the flavor of the sauce is often a barometer of authentic goodness...or not.
I was also in the mood for some familiar comfort food after a few days that had been heavy on ultra spicy Cajun-Creole delights.
While the dish was good, it wasn't amazing. I wondered how Calvin Trillin was waxing poetic about his decades of visiting this restaurant.
Yet the restaurant was filled.
For us as it turned out, it was less about the food and more about the experience.
The menu has stayed the same over the years of Mosca's long existence.
There are never any "specials". The menu is what the menu is and always will be.
One of the favorites is something called Chicken a la Grande.
There are a couple of shrimp options including Shrimp Mosca which is a simple saute version with white wine. There are sausage and peppers, quail dishes and a steak dish.
This is not a vegetarian's paradise and therefore does vary from other southern Italian restaurants with which I'm familiar.
Nonetheless, this is the tried and true menu for this beloved Lousiana shrine and who am I to quibble with it?
We may not have ordered the entrees that put Mosca's on the locals' radar for all these years.
I don't know. But it was still a good adventure.
Even if the food didn't transport us, the experience in many ways did. It's hard to describe why. It's a place that reminded me of something vaguely very good from my past. That's all I can tell you.
The food we ordered was a 3 star experience but this is unfortunately based on one meal in one visit. Clearly, others would strongly disagree. If you come, note that it's cash only.
Lots of times, just being in Louisiana and interacting with people who hail from these parts, trumps everything else. This visit counts as memorable on that front.
I'd say go visit Mosca's and let me know if you fell down that same magical rabbit hole too.
P.S. Happy Thanksgiving to all my cherished Yelp friends. | 1neutral
| 884 |
Back in my college days Nimbus was my favorite local brewery but their location left much to be desired. I am so happy that they have now created some friendly, accessible, comfortable spaces where fans can enjoy their beers... which have only gotten better with time. From reading the other reviews it sounds like we all agree that this is a pretty cool environment with great bartenders and fantastic beer. But maybe the food is not so good? Well, I sat at the bar and did not order any food so I can't comment on that.
I did a full tasting flight when I was there with my husband last weekend and I really enjoyed the experience though I will say these guys are pretty heavy handed with the hops! Whoa, settle down fellas!!! How about making something for those of us with a more bitter sensitive palate? On the plus side, in almost all of their beers they do balance it out with some sweetness. The six four ounce pours I received were arranged light to dark which in my humble opinion was a mistake since the super-duper hoppy pale ale should be tasted last so that the bitterness doesn't wreck the palate. Fortunately the barkeep was Johnny on the spot with some water when he saw me make the bitter beer face after sampling that one. So, here are my impressions on what I tried... please note the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.. you must try for yourself to see what you will like. You never know until you try it. That is the beauty of the craft beer movement. Each one is unique!
1. Dirty Guera - Love the beer, love the name (so perfect for a Tucson brewed blonde ale). This is light and very drinkable. If you are not a regular beer drinker then go with this one and you can't miss.
2. Pale Ale - Description mentions "intense bitterness" and that is accurate. This beer is not messing around. I can handle some American pale ales but this was way to hoppy for me! If you are an IPA fan you'll love it.
3. Red Ale - A bit less malt and more bitterness there than I expected. But I found it to be pretty light and drinkable and the caramel flavor came thru in the finish so overall a pretty good beer. It also had a beautiful color.
4. Brown Ale - This tastes exactly like the Oak Creek Nut Brown to me. And I mean that as a compliment since that beer has won a bunch of awards and stuff and is probably the most famous AZ beer. I love the nuttiness of course but also there's a little sugar and spice thrown it. Really great beer.
5. Oatmeal Stout - Of course the stout was destined to be my favorite because that is just what I like. I will say that this was the most hoppy stout I have ever had. Usually a stout will have very little hop flavor. However, there was also a good amount of malt in there so it was still delicious. Also much lighter bodied than some other stouts... it's not too heavy where you feel full after half a pint. I could drink this one all night. Which was surprising since the color was pitch black. Try holding it up to the light. Seriously, its like a black hole or something.
6. Old Monkeyshine - I sampled this one at the Strong Beer Festival in Phoenix last year and fell in love from there. Watch out, its got an ABV of 8.2%. I think the one at the festival may have even been stronger. Even if you are a light weight you need to try this beer because of the flavor. It has an awesome sweetness so that makes it very appealing to me but there is also a lot of complexity. I can't even put my finger on exactly what it tastes like but I just know I like it!
7. Sonoran White Chocolate - This one was a bonus sample since the super nice bartender heard me say that it sounded good but I didn't want to order a whole pint (hey, I'd already had the equivalent of 2 beers worth of sampling). Unfortunately I didn't care for this one at all. It was too dry and the chocolate flavor tasted very artificial to me. I will say I think it is really, really cool that they offer a wide selection of beers from other breweries (esp. AZ ones) in addition to their own. Not a lot of breweries do that but I don't know why because it just gets more people in the door who may not be fans of your beers but maybe while they are there they'll give yours a try too! | 2positive
| 814 |
Let me preface my review by saying that we have known Nick's family for a very long time. We have known his family since the mid-90s. We are very familiar with the quality that his mother @ Nippon Tei, as well as his aunt @ Saffron. Flawless execution day-in, day-out, with tireless attention to detail. Nick's grandmother was indeed part of the royal family and she learned how to cook great food. All of her techniques and recipes have been handed down to all of her family. Nick is the third generation to inherit the skills and it shows with this new establishment.
The name iNDO is supposed to signify Indo-Chinese cuisine, with a splash of what already knows: pan-Asian cuisine. His focus is more towards specific types of sushi with very clean execution. It's an experience unlike anything I've seen in Saint Louis. After reading several local articles regarding the opening of his own place in Saint Louis, I was intrigued to try his nigiri due to what he's learned by moving to Austin.
First up to bat were the sea urchin and the fatty bluefin. Each serving of nigiri had two pieces. This is enough to get an idea on his skill. Sea urchin was a splash of the ocean in your mouth; fatty bluefin was a seafood version of American Wagyu beef, if there's such a thing. Both were not fishy; quite fresh indeed. Hard to believe, considering STL is landlocked for at least 900 miles. His supply is flown in and fresh, NOT frozen. Many upscale restaurants have to do this and it is reflected in their scarcity and their pricing. If the quality is there, I'm willing to pay the price.
Next up was the salmon belly. This was another banger...BUTTERY and melted in your mouth. My 7yo didn't really care for any type of nigri, but this salmon belly made him a believer, insomuch as to put in another order just for him.
We ordered a round of enchante's...think Long Island Iced Tea, but with Thai Iced Tea. The spicy basil is nice touch. It might have been July, but we were lit like Christmas at iNDO.
Main entrees were the cabbage salad, chili prawns, japanese eggplant, seafood laksa, and dungeness crab in the clay pot. The japanese eggplant was well-executed, no complaints. The seafood laksa left much to be desired. I may be spoiled, but as a fellow SE Asian with roots in Malaysia, this is not an accurate representation of the laksa that my mother and grandmother made, nor is it what I've experienced during my visits in Indonesia and Singapore. One type of Malay-style laksa that I'm familar with has rice noodles, squeezed tamarind juice, nor was there any hint of ground fresh mackerel with a hint of shrimp paste aka belacan. There is also another type of laksa that is more of a curry-style, i.e. Singaporean. As my wife said...it's not what it's supposed to be; it was more coconut than spice.
Rather than have me compare laksa with what's back home, I will give him the benefit of the doubt that his training is in Japanese cuisine,; perhaps he was trying to tone down the recipe to accommodate a wider audience?
The chili prawns were all right. I noticed the taste for the chili was very similar to the maggi brand sos cili. I expected a bit more out of those.
Cabbage salad and japanese eggplant were just all right as well. They're spot-on for pan-Asian cuisine. Indo-Chinese? Not so.
The dungeness crab was also another dish that we have not encountered during any of my experiences in SE Asia. We have experienced plenty of chili crab by the kilo and that was phenomenal. Again, I will give Nick the benefit of the doubt because the taste seem to be geared towards American taste.
Considering that iNDO just opened a week prior to us trying this place, I'll let them tweak and tune the menu. I'll consider coming back after a few months.
Indo-Chinese cuisine can be quite polarizing at times. Ironically, that is also a charm of the food. Very simple ingredients, bangin' flavor, and exotic tastes with little effort. If it weren't for the missteps from main entrees, I would have given this five stars. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but I think it is fair to be honest. I really do want iNDO to succeed. Please, everyone that is reading this review, give this place a chance.
Most importantly, follow the restaurant on Instagram @indo.stl. He has many more cool features rolling out, such as the omakase. Think of the restaurant as the nightly performer, and the DJ brings in a guest to perform. It will be sure to catch on and keep customers coming. | 2positive
| 800 |
Below is an excerpt of a more in-depth case study of Aldi perfomed by the 2o5 group, but the tldr is Aldi is great!
1.) Lower prices, especially on staple items.
In a game like grocery, price is often the deterring factor, and here is where Aldi comes in the clutch. From eggs and milk that are generally at least 25% cheaper than most large chains, to health foods, dressing, vegetables, almond milk, cheese, meats, nuts, frozen goods, and pretty much anything else you would need that come in minimum 15% cheaper, the price points at Aldi are a no-brainer advantage to shopping. While not every item will be cheaper, and there will be some speciality and specific items they do not carry due to their design, most items are available and significantly cheaper.
2.) Actual really good random weekly deals. and overall selection
In addition to very low prices, Aldi has not only a very well rounded selection of the essentials, but also has weekly specials that are legitimately good deals, from electronics to furniture to all the between. They will also occasionally carry name brands at a lower price and items like flowers are consistently half the price of conventional stores. While Aldi does not overwhelm you with numerous choices and brands, for most items you can choose between standard or organic if appropriate. Should I also mention Aldi carries quality beer and whine for reasonable prices.
3.) Employees are well-rounded Hustlers
Despite the fact there never seemed to be more than 6-10 people working (probably more), every single person there is always working very efficiently and focused. In fact, on average I would say that Aldi has the fastest cashiers of any grocery store. While I've never timed it, it seems that their rate is no slower than a cart a minute. Even with the occasional long lines, generally I'm in and out of lines very quickly. Even the people stocking and working in the store seem to be far more focused than any other store. Perhaps due to the smaller size and lower product ambiguity of the store, the people generally woking seem much less lackadaisica and wondering you might see at a Walmart or larger chain.
4.) In and Out Fashion of the store.
Most grocery stores are designed by sociopathic business people who want to keep you inside the grocery store as long as possible, wondering for items, throwing 1000 bright colored ads and discounts aimed directly at your dopamine receptors to get you feeing like you are in a casino. They put the eggs 400 yards away from the vegetables and you essentially become forced into getting your 2000 steps for the day if you want cheese and apples together. Aldi does not do that shit. For the most part, once you know the layout of the store, everything is always in the same place. In addition, Aldi does not carry 1000 competitor brands and used less products in the store. In about the size of a square basketball court, Aldi ranges 3 rows with about 7 isles of 90% of any food you would ever need, and 100 % if you have a normal diet. Instead of a 60 yard line of peanut butter and popcorn choices, Aldi has about 1-3 choices of their different in-store brands. While there remain choices for things like gluten free, the store is not bloated with unnecessary product lines and gimmicks to keep you wandering. In addition to the fast lines, the actual layout and product placement and arrangement is meant you keep you moving and on your way.
5.) Customer First Design and Experience
-minimalism and leanness for the sake of the customer.
-At first, things like paying 25 cents to rent a cart, having to pay for bags, and bagging your own groceries can seem a little underwhelming. After some understanding however, it all made cents.
- I realized Aldi does not have the problem of stray carts or any sense of confusion or carelessness with how they interact with the store. The quarter rental is such a genius tactic because it organizes and attaches carts to customers in a way that is efficient for customers and store staff. Not only do they not have stray carts in the lot and someone who has the push them in, it keep the inside of the store uncluttered and eliminates any confusion in the cart adoption process and user flow.
- In regards to priced and customer bagging, I realized that this allows for not only maximum cost reduction in all their food, but also encourages eco-friendly bag reuse and speeds up the check out process for all parties involved. By saving X dollars on buying bags that are terrible for the environment, they can pass those sayings onto consumers.
- overall layout and selection aids to customer easy decision making and logical arrangement. | 2positive
| 818 |
Wow Wedge. Thank you for taking a risk in this economy to start up such a specialized shop- and doing it well! Service was awesome, thank you Laura, as was ambiance and selection considering they just started up.
I went to Wedge on a Saturday afternoon with a girlfriend. We browsed the modest selection of one free-standing cooler and then two cool cases that made up the counter.
We asked to sample the cheeses of the day and were served promptly, and other customers in were asked to join us as they sliced. It's nice when the tasting host includes everyone- makes for a nicer ambiance and then we all made comments about what we were tasting as a community- no one left out. I loved the feeling of comfort not only in the store but with the strangers around me who were sharing a sensory experience and offering insight that I may not have thought of.
Not particularly loving any of the samples to take home- but making note of a chevre topped with savory fig jam I wanted to buy in a couple weeks as an appetizer for a shower- my girlfriend and I asked if we could sample a few hard cheddar wheels that had peaked our interest in the counter cool case. Without hesitation, 'Of course!" and we were instantly served the six-eight samples we had been interested in, as well as a bright green buttery olive and pate that others in the shop had asked to try and we were invited to partake in. I loved being able to taste everything before deciding if I wanted to take it home.
I've heard you can taste things at Whole Foods, but have never had a sales associate offer- so it's a bit of a mystery what you will be getting. I enjoyed being able to discern the really good from the excellent- and then taking home reasonable sized slices cut to order that I can go through in the next week.
Also- 25% off Cheddar SALE- who could resist!!!
I ended up with five small wedges, wrapped nicely in paper as cheese should be:
Red Dragon Somerdale England Pastuerized Cow's Milk #1306- Softer white cheddar with Mustard seeds. Yes, whole Mustard seeds. It adds an amazing texture and little flavor pop as you burst the tiny spheres amongst the creamy pungent cheese. If you like Mustard- you must try.
Harlech Somerdale England Pasteurized Cow's Milk #1308- So this is one I knew after picking up at Whole Foods. It is a white cheddar, softer and creamy as above, but has Horseradish and a bit of Parsley. I was told it would be an amazing finish on a roast beef sandwich. If you are a person who loves Horseradish, but not the sinus cleansing effect, this cheese is for you. Full of Horseradish flavor and texture without any burn- cut by the creaminess of the cheese perhaps? A must try.
Barely Buzzed Beehive Utah Pastuerized Cow's Milk #1104- SO UNIQUE! If you love Lavender infused foods, this will impress you. This is a hard cheddar with a rind that has been rubbed with Espresso crumbles and Lavender. The dry rub on the outside of the rind makes for a nice textural chew. The flavor results in a creamy cheddar flavor with hints of Espresso flavor and a Lavender scent that fills your nose while you are tasting the cream of the cheese. Does that make sense? Tricky to explain- just TRY IT!
Honey Buzz Chevre Uniekass Holand Pasteurized Goats Milk #1304- A harder chevre that dissolves from the pungent goats milk flavor to creamy honey! It's a wild effect- but so delicious. Would be amazing on a cheese board alongside some raw honeycomb and walnuts. Honey lovers, TRY!
Okay, Last one had no sticker :( But the # is #578 and it is an Apple Smoked Cheddar. The rind is brick red-orange from some kind of spice that could be smoked paprika. The smokiness of this cheese is phenomenal- not too overpowering- and will gently remind you of campfires. It is a dry and pungent cheddar, and I look forward to trying some with my home made apple butter to add some sweet and spice to the smoky and dry pungent cheese.
Please stop in, try at least one of these, and others you may be interested in, and support a small business in MidTown!
*I think I will keep a small book with the cheese title stickers and flavor notes for future reference. | 2positive
| 757 |
"Food Castle Express" - is it a good name for a Indian Restaurant? Or any Restaurant, for that matter? Clearly, the answer is no.
The name brings about images of a grease laden fast-food pushed, conveyor-belt style, down the hungry gullets of the American populace and Grade D meat. Consequently, I am sure this restaurants name has scared many a potential client off and, frankly, whoever named this place needs their head examined. But yet again what is in a name? For rosewater, by another name, would taste just as sweet. (see what i did there, rose, rosewater... sweet..Indian cuisine, nah, forget it) And that is doubly so in the case of Food Castle Express.
All fears of ending up eating at a low-end burger joint vanish once upon entering Food Castle Express and realizing that a good sum of money was spent on this place and its decor. The glassed off kitchen customers can peer into, the tile floors, the LCD televisions playing Bollywood music videos and painted then glass-tiled walls make the place, with its red color scheme, seem modern yet warm. And with one whiff, the aroma brings home the point that this is no fast food joint. Once you peruse the menu you'll notice a quirk, this authentic Indian restaurant features both Southern and Northern Indian cuisine with a Head Chef for each, as well as a third Chef who handles Chines food, along with the few Thai dishes offered on the menu. (I bothered to ask!)
Though Thai, Chinese and Indian, all on one menu, may seem unconventional, the fact that each chief specializes in what they know best makes the food shine here. Particularly the the Northern Indian lamb and Paneer (cheese) dishes. But be warned, spice levels here are, shall we say, are not for the faint of heart. Medium heat in the minds of the Chefs here is a good burn, so order accordingly. Even when you say not hot, there maybe a mild heat to *some* dishes. Moreover, stay away from the Goat dishes and stay with the lamb unless you understand what you are getting into. Many of these dishes are a lot like achar gosht, a Pakistani dish with bone-in goat meat braised with spices, salty pickled vegetables in a dark delicious curry. The bones are part of the lip-smacking, marrow sucking, goodness and they add to the flavor and the experience.( An article i would suggest about goat and a recipe: http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/2008/06/got-your-goat.html)
If neither goat nor lamb is your thing just crack the IMMENSE menu, totaling about 300 dishes, and choose something more to your liking. A task that may be easier said then done since the menu mostly in another language with little to no explanations. Thankfully, however, the menu is broken up into cuisine and category. (i.e Northern Indian - Chicken, Southern Indian -Vegetarian) If you are confused, and you likely will be, this will be of some aid. If you are seeking something with chicken order form the chicken category OR note that the only word that repeats in the Chicken category is "Murgh," hence it is the word for Chicken and if seen elsewhere, such as in the "Non-vegetarian" category, you now have some idea what that dish is. Be dually warned, however, English is not the primary language of the wait-staff and all but one can offer little help in your selection. Safe bets are anything form the tandoori category for your protein,
Somosa is a great starter and garlic or cheese nan (bread). You will also have to shell out for rice but the rice it's worth it, as it is perfect, and there are many variates to choose from (enough for 3 per order). Curd rice is great since it will keep the capsaicin in the spicy dishes in check but if cheesie/milky rice sounds odd take a chance on the 20 or so other verities.
All in all, the prices are mid-range for Indian food, averaging $13-$14 per dish and ranging widely in price, with everything served family style. That is unless you choose to take out, in which case it prices drop 15%. A bargain when considering Food Castle blows every other Indian place in Bensalem and Northeast Philadelphia out of the water both taste, plating and atmosphere wise. Definitely in the top 5 of the best Indian restaurants in Philadelphia.
P.S
The Buffet idea that Food Castle has been trying to create is something of a dying project of theirs it seems. I have not tired it and do not recommend it. I think the problem is that there is not enough turnover during the lunch crowd. Most people choose to order-out, making the restaurant itself relatively quite. (which is ok by me) | 2positive
| 795 |
This was not a pleasant experience like I've had in the past. Masks were not worn by staff. It's fine we chose to wear ours. We were sat at a table but left and not greeted for some time. A table was sat right next to us almost immediately after we were sat. My mother and I looked over the menu some and realize we had not been greeted yet but the table that was sat next to us and after us had already been greeted and given drinks. After another 5 or so minutes I looked up and finally made eye contact with someone and she came over and was not very polite and asked us what we would like to drink. We just asked for some coffees and she brought them back and said someone else would be taking our order. More time had gone by and no one had come over to the table yet but that same woman who took our coffee order asked us to move over a table to a booth so we did that. Then someone was sat immediately after at our previous table and they had been greeted. So finally the server does come over. She had acknowledged that I had taken some time for her to get over there and asked if we were ready to order. the food came out in a timely manner. I got chicken and waffles and a scrambled egg on the side. The chicken was very overcooked and the waffle was extremely dry. I do also work in a restaurant so I get that they are very understaffed because our current restaurant is going through the same exact thing as is my husband's that he works in. Although I tried to eat the food it was in edible for myself. I waited for her to come back so I could simply just get New chicken tenders that weren't overcooked. The server never came back for at least 20 minutes and I had my plate pushed to the side of the table and when she came over she said she would bring a box. She tried to walk by so quickly but I finally asked her to stay and explain to her why I wouldn't be needing a box and she just kept trying to ask me to explain what I meant by the food being dry. I think it may have been a language barrier but nevertheless the chicken tenders were super dry and the waffle just didn't taste very buttery and I had to use a lot of syrup but the syrup just wasn't enough. So she looked at me and said "that's how they make their waffles: dry."Again why I think it may have been a language barrier because I think she thought I meant dry because there was no fruit or something on top I meant dry because it literally just tasted like Batter that was cooked. So she said OK I'll take it off the check. So five or so minutes later she finally comes back with a check and walks away immediately we go to look at the check and realized she gave us the wrong check. We tried to flag her down but could not find her until she came back to the other table she had waited on. She was a server to the table that was sat after us and taken care of before us and finally my mother looked at her and said we have their check. She did not even fully turn around to look at us but she took the check, gave it to the other table, and then gave us our check. So when we go to cash out the woman who brought us our coffees was greeting everyone and cashing everyone out and very polite to everyone else but as soon as we came to the register she did not say a word. Did not tell us a total or ask how our food was like she did with the previous guests. She just took my mothers card. After she slid my mothers card she was signing the receipt and the woman reached across and told the gentleman behind us that she would take his payment. Mind you that there are people sitting to the right of where we are signing our check eating their meal and to the left of a wall so that gentleman could not get around my mother to pay his check. It was just simply rude service from the moment we sat down. It just is really a sad time because we as restaurant people are so short staffed and I truly get that in a business you want to make all the money you can especially in times like these. I'm pretty sure there were only three servers on and almost the entire day lace was filled. Just too much chaos and not enough help. It does not justify how we were treated. We unfortunately will not be returning. The food isn't what will keep us from returning but the way we were treated is unacceptable. | 0negative
| 859 |
This was the worst dining experience I have ever had in my entire life. Where do I even begin? From the top....
My husband and I were craving bbq for dinner and it just so happened that same day Groupon was offering a deal for Blues Ship Cafe which was right down the street in historic Ybor in Tampa. Since it was a Saturday night, we thought it would be cool to get some dinner there and then walk to some of the local bars after. The website suggested there was live music on Saturdays at 8:30pm and we timed it so that we could sit down and eat before they started playing and if they were good, we would hang out and have a couple of drinks there to enjoy the live music.
Groupon was purchased and off we went! When we arrived it was drizzling so there didn't seem to be a lot of people walking around like usual but it didn't matter to us. We walked up to the restaurant, the doors were open yet it was so dimly lit we weren't sure if it was even open for business. We tentatively walked in and asked if they were open for dinner and there were two people there, both employees who responded that it was. We were both unsure of the atmosphere, it was not welcoming at all and no one greeted us which only made things more uncomfortable. There were literally 0 patrons except us but we had already purchased the groupon so there was no going back.
There was no background music at all, only one tv mounted on the wall that was blaring Extra or one of those other celebrity entertaining shows. It was so dark (keep in mind, it was about 7:30pm so not dark at all yet outside) that it was difficult to see the menu which was very limited. The groupon consisted of 2 entrees ($18.99 value) 2 drinks ($8.00 value) and two side salads ($3.99 value for $30 total. It was a pretty good deal....or so we thought.
The waitress was an older woman that seemed as though it was her first day, she had a heavy accent and wasn't friendly at all. We let her know we had the groupon, put in our drink orders (a jack & coke and a margarita) and asked for the side salads to start. My drink arrived first, a small glass with a salted rim (I never got asked if I wanted salt) and what appeared to be margarita juice without ANY ice. Not a single ice cube...I also never was asked if I wanted to hold the ice (I didn't.) My husbands came out a few minutes later and I kid you not...it was a small, clear platic cup (not a full solo size cup) which is identical to the cups you get served on an airplane. It looks like a mouth wash cup. It's that small. It was laughable except that we were already getting more frustrated by the minute and were sitting there in shock. It went from bad, to worse quickly.
The salads came out after a long wait...if you put them both together it would *almost* make up a normal side salad portion. This was priced at $3.99 on the menu and if I had to pay that full amount, i'd be pissed. By this point, we are starving and had put our orders in- Mine, pork & chicken with 2 sides. His, ribs & shrimp with 2 sides. After all, the website had close up pictures of fabulous looking bbq ribs with large side items.
The food comes out...again, it would be laughable if we weren't already livid by the entire experience. She brings mine first (who does that??) and tells my husband they won't have the ribs ready. What?? Why didn't you tell us that to begin with? So he orders pork instead. It eventually comes out. Both of our portions are TINY. I'm talking maybe 3-4oz of pork. The shrimp looked like shriveled up popcorn shrimp that were room temperature. Nothing was fresh. Even the corn bread was room temp and stale (I didn't think you could screw up corn bread.) The waitress never apologized, refilled our drinks or asked how anything tasted. Worst service we have ever had.
We scarf down our food because at this point, it's 8:30pm, we are starving and the "band" started playing a few yards in front of us and it was so loud we couldn't talk.
Let me just say, I never complain at restaurants. I always try to give the establishment and hard working employees the benefit of the doubt. Both my husband and I used to work in the restaurant business so we do expect some level of service and quality but are overly easy on people when mistakes are made. However, the biggest mistake that was made was taking a huge leap of faith and going to this place. I only wrote this review because I want other people to avoid the mistake we made. It wasn't on yelp before now and if it had been, I am sure we would have never gone. | 0negative
| 869 |
"You'll never know what heaven means, until you've been down to New Orleans"- King Creole, 1958
For my 400th review: I present, in no particular order, the top 10 things I love about NOLA.
1) The food. Where else in the U.S. can you find a delicious shrimp po-boy in a convenience store that is better than any other fast food out there? New Orleans cuisine is world famous for being some of the best food in the world. Lucky me, I can get it anytime I want. Crawish etouffee, catfish Louisiane, shrimp gumbo, beignets...'nuff said.
2) The culture. New Orleans is a city that was built from the gound up by many different cultures. The ancestors of those who built New Orleans remain here today. Our culture is as diverse as our food and there are many different flavors. Spanish, French, African, Irish, Italian- it's all here. It is reflected in the architecture and music of the city and it is what makes New Orleans unique.
3) The music. Walking through the French Quarter, you can hear the music flowing like the Mississippi River. Musicians stand on street corners and entertain the passers by with their euphony. Their accompaniment is tap dancers and singers. These people don't do this for the few dollars they make, they do it because it is their passion. It is their love. They take pleasure in sharing a piece of New Orleans with the tourists and the locals alike. They take pride in the flavor that they add to the city and we love them for it,
4) The French Quarter. Only in New Orleans can you decide at 4 in the morning that you are tired of being home and you want to go out and party (or eat!) and places are actually open. Make no mistake about it; New Orleans is truly the city that never sleeps. We are up and at it 24/7. You can walk around and listen to the music coursing out of the bars with a beer in your hand. You can dance in the street and have a good time any day of the week and any time of the day.
5) Mardi Gras. It is about more than beads. It is about spending time with family. It's about going out to a parade, with a packed lunch and a lawn chair and sitting on the neutral ground. It is about that smell of 18 wheelers that reminds every New Orleanian about this special day. It is about yelling at strangers to throw you a 10 cent pair of beads that is worth more than gold at this magical time. Spending time with your friends and just forgetting about your worries and troubles for a few hours. It's about getting a day off from school and work in order to just enjoy the day, rest, relax, and celebrate life. Where else in the U.S. is an entire city given the day off just so that it's citizens can go and celebrate life, even if it means going to a parade and yelling at stangers?
6) The streetcars. I love the streetcars. Not only are the environmentally friendly, but they are a fun way to get to where you are going and a good way to see the city (especially if you don't like to walk). I'll take a streetcar over a taxi cab any day of the week.
7) Faith. Say whatever you want about New Orleans being a party town. Just know that we know that there is a time and place for everything. New Orleans is a city with deep religious roots. One of our major landmarks is St. Louis Cathedral. New Orleans is the home of many people who believe many different things. We go to church, we have faith, and we believe in the goodness of people..
8) The architecture. Unique to New Orleans and admired by many. Most who visit the city are quick to notice our unique builidings and our beautiful balconies. Many of them are as old as the city itself and when I walk down the street, I sometimes feel that I am in an old movie. It's classic and it could never be duplicated. Anyone who has ever lived here has driven down St. Charles Avenue and admired the beautiful homes that line the street. Where in New York or LA could you find old, classic, beautful homes such as those?
9) Magazine St. Our very own Rodeo Drive right here in the Big Easy. Ok, not quite, but you can find whatever you need on Magazine, that's for sure. It has antique stores and jewelry stores and vintage clothing boutiques and fine shoe stores. It has bars and restaurants and groceries and chocolate shops and everything else you could possibly want.
10) The people. The people in New Orleans definitely have flavor and are never boring. The people are friendly. They have their traditions and their rituals. They are stubborn and strong. They have seen the worst and lived through it. They have seen the best and told you all about it and celebrated it. They have been through hell and back and they have survived. There is no stopping a true New Orleanian. And even if you weren't born here, they still consider you one of their own.
There are a lot of more things that make New Orleans a great place to live: City Park, the art of the cemetaries, etc. You'll just have to pay us a visit and see for yourself! | 2positive
| 928 |
Came here for a friend's wedding reception, which was held on the patio and in the ballroom concurrently with the inn's regular restaurant operations.
Cocktail Hour on the Patio:
The evening began with a cocktail hour with butlered hors d'oeuvre service in the patio garden, which is an area next to the parking lot enclosed by fences and hedges. The patio had an open bar with heat lamps by the entrance, a gazebo at the far end, and a water fountain and DJ setup in the middle. A few counter-height tables and chairs were available, but most of the guests opted to eat and drink while standing. The hors d'oeuvres selected by the hosts included Tuscan bruschetta, scallops wrapped in bacon, spanakopita, crab cake meatballs, as well as a fresh fruit & cheese display that included grapes, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and three types of cheese. Servers were friendly and professional throughout, quickly clearing away napkins and plates.
Warming Up in the Ballroom:
After an hour, servers announced dinner and instructed guests to enter the ballroom through the inn lobby. Table assignments were printed on paper hearts glued to wooden dowels that were arranged alphabetically in glass jars on a table in the lobby. The main entrée selection for each guest was coded as a letter on the back of each paper heart, which helped when servers came to confirm entrée orders. Each table was set with champagne flutes, a bread basket, and either a candle in a glass case or a floral candelabrum centerpiece.
The front third of the ballroom was taken up by a dance floor, a photo booth, and an open bar.
Dinner:
The four-course meal included pommodoro pasta, a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and a choice of either prime rib, salmon filet, or chicken. Guests who opted for the slow-roasted black angus prime rib, including myself, were given a steak knife after a server came by to individually confirm our entrée selections. (The only person at my table who ordered salmon mistakenly took her neighbor's steak knife when she thought she had been left out.) My medium-done ribeye prime rib was tender and flavorful but still a bit difficult to cut with the unserrated steak knife. The roasted garlic jus, sautéed green beans, and red bliss potato halves were not overly seasoned and paired well with the prime rib.
(On the other hand, the toddler seated at my table [with his parents] received a plate of very salty breaded chicken fingers and French fries--which were arguably saltier than the pasta or potatoes on my adult dinner plate, or anything I'd ever ordered from a fast food joint. After sampling a few bites, I quickly understood why most of his plate remained untouched for the rest of the evening.)
The two tiered wedding cake had a cannoli-like filling and a light pound cake-consistency, and was served with some strange-tasting decaf coffee. Aside from this, a little too much vinaigrette on the garden salad, and way too much salt on the chicken fingers, I thoroughly enjoyed everything that went through my mouth this evening.
Restrooms:
The six restrooms here have candles and those thick, expensive, cloth-like paper towels, though you might find yourself waiting in line to use one, since the restrooms are single-occupancy only. The one behind the piano in the lobby is unisex and the largest (and the cleanest), but the others are gender-specific and on the second floor.
Parking:
Was disappointed that the only parking option was valet, so I opted to rebelliously park in an empty lot of one of the businesses across the street (not telling which one). Apparently, this is against inn parking policy, so I can't openly condone that you imitate my behavior.
Miscellaneous Tips:
-Being directly across from the working fireplace in the lobby, the ballroom was so overheated after three hours that several guests were spotted fleeing to the freezing outdoors for momentary respite. If you can, dress in layers so you don't overheat.
-The inn itself doesn't have free wi-fi, but Optimum customers can use the Optimum wi-fi signal for free.
-Except with the Wells Fargo and Circle K strip mall across the street, street lighting here at night isn't great, so you might want to GPS your way back home since street signs may be hard to read.
-The intersection of George Washington Memorial Boulevard and Rt. 32 is an uncontrolled 4-way intersection, so be prepared to stop for pedestrians and other vehicles.
-Arrive early and enjoy the Washington Crossing Park if you can: the backdrop of the trees and the Delaware at sunset makes for some very romantic photo ops. | 2positive
| 774 |
Why sit here at 5am and write a restaurant review? Confession. I grew up in the UK when all the pubs closed at 11pm and the best way to stay out was to find an open Indian restaurant and 'get a curry'. As a result my early introduction to Indian food was generic mass produced dishes consumed in rooms that all seem to have been decorated with the same red furry wallpaper in 1982, the exception being the Sheba on Brick Lane in London which had mildly pornographic paintings featuring the Taj Mahal, Indian women bathing in a river being watched by a slightly mangy, hungry looking tiger. I digress.
Whether it was the late stage of the evening, alcohol consumed or revenge for 150 years of colonial rule, the spice level for these meals was invariably painfully hot. Strip epithelial cells off your mouth hot. Get it on your clothes and they were permanently stained if they didn't simply dissolve on the spot. The generic go to was the spicy regional chicken Madras, bright red, spicy, and hot hot hot. Garlic, ginger, onion chili, cumin and tomato based, this is a biological warfare recipe for halitosis, night sweats, and a 5 am dash to the bathroom when your digestive system cries havoc and decides to repel boarders.
Since those days I've been lucky enough to visit India many times, over 20 at last count. I've travelled all over and eaten everywhere from hole in the wall dives in Delhi, Puni Puri in Dharamsala, beef curry in Darjeeling (yes, they do eat beef in the Ghorka regions) and so on. In short, I am no stranger to the wide diversity and subtlety that is Indian cuisine. This is something that should not be simply described as 'going for a curry'.
In the US many Indian restaurants are similar to the generic UK formula, but without the spice levels. Regional dishes dumbed down, any fire removed and then overlooked to the point of being colored mush. Our Indian food is, with the exceptions of places like Tamarind and the Bukhara Grill in NYC, a bit shite. You know what it is supposed to be, come in with high hopes, and are often disappointed. Not at IndeBlue.
So last night we went for a curry. We've been going to IndeBlue for a few years, both here and in their old location at Collingswood. And my how the place has evolved? When we first ate here the restaurant served well executed traditional popular dishes from all over India. Good food. Solid food. Stuff you can get anywhere. A decent chicken tikka. A nice saag paneer. The bread, an acid test for any Indian restaurant, is light, fresh from the tandoor, fluffy and perfectly seasoned with traditional Indian recipes. Garlic, keema, paneer and so on. It is, to my mind, perfect.
Since then the food has developed. It has become more complex. It has worked in the layers, textures and complexities of royal Indian food that one only sees in the multi course banquets served at places like the Oberoi in Agra or the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Last night we ate a scallop appetizer that was delicately spiced, multi layered with textures of roe, blini and paneer, and simply the best thing I've had in my mouth for a while. Put simply, you bite it and ride the wave.
Service is crisp, the decor is suitably Indian without the curry wallpaper and there is a well stocked bar where you can eat or wait for a table.
Which leaves the main course. Obviously rice, dal, naan. What to have from their many splendid delights? How to avail myself of the chefs genius? What subtle new cuisine to explore among some old favorites?
Nope. Chicken madras for me. Extra spicy (if you really want it hot ask for Hyderabadi spicy and get a towel, a glass of milk, put a roll of bathroom tissue in the fridge. Then wait, because in 5-6 hour you will prove that a man can indeed pass through the eye of a needle and it's hotter coming out than going in). Because at my age things that remind you of drunken nights in London with 4 guys walking in and ordering 8 beers? Those are to be savored and enjoyed. If that's not you then the subtle flavors of India are truly well represented in this excellent restaurant.
And for that, for making me sweat, both last night and as I sit here in the bathroom enjoying significant temporary weight loss, with a butt that feels like it looks like the Japanese flag, it gets 5 stars. | 2positive
| 779 |
Having heard of California Pizza Kitchen for years now and passing it numerous times in my home state of Tennessee, I finally had their food while in California in LAX Airport at that. For it to have been prepared there, I was very impressed with everything from the aroma, to the taste, and how willing they were to prepare my pie to my vegan specifications especially with airport food being rather underwhelming and uncompromising.
With an ensuing migraine, hangry 3 year old, and family I had bragged about that airport pie to, I decided to treat everyone out to dinner. When we arrived we were told that although the restaurant wasn't "busy", the staff was short. After waiting 10 minutes we were seated and our drinks were taken buy a young man I don't recall telling us his name. I asked for water with lemon. A simple request and yet the drink was brought out with no lemon. "So what", I thought. After our order was placed he asked if we'd like bread while we wait. I was starving so I gave a big smile and bold YES! He left and would return three times to exchange a gross cucumber reviver my husband hated after one sip. He seemed rather annoyed by that remarking "aw, this drink is great" with a tight smirk. His drink was exchanged. I asked about the bread and he said coming right up. He came back to ask if the exchanged drink was good to which my husband shrugged and said it was okay. With lips pressed looking more annoyed he said hmm, okay. I asked if the bread was still coming and he said yep let me check on it. He came back 5 minutes later STILL NO BREAD to tell me that a topping on my pizza that they couldn't do, they were going to put on with manager approval for $2. I said that was fine and thanked him. I followed up with "and the bread"? to which he said he was getting right now.
When the bread came it was hard, came in 5 pieces we all struggled to eat. Carrabas, Maggiano's, and the like all serve the same type of bread with olive oil BUT this bread was exceptionally hard and tough. 20 minutes after all the back and forth, our food was brought out. He sat a very dry looking pie in front of me that appeared sauce less. I ordered the California Veggie and all I saw was spinach, black basil leaves that looked like dead leaves in the fall, huge hunks of artichoke, tomato, and the thinnest thin crust that was crisped to hell with about 8 small dallops of what appeared to be pesto. My migraine was in full swing and i could barely remember what my pizza was supposed to have on it. Before he walked off I said "wait, there is no sauce on here. I didn't want cheese only" to which he said oh there is pesto on there. Frustrated and hungry, I flagged him off. The pizza was akin to eating a tosado. It crunched like no thin crust or flat bread I've ever eaten. Having been vegan for a year and a half I've ordered many pizzas and never have I eaten something so dreadful dry and hard. By the second slice I realized I was eating the spinach Artichoke pizza my husband ordered and he was eating mine. It was comical because we waited so long to eat we just ate whatever he put in front of us which was wrong since we forgot what even ordered at that point.
When he returned he said "so do we need to-go boxes, dessert, or just the tab" and I said "To be honest and I have to give this feedback because everyone else enjoyed their food and mine was dreadful. I just had CPK in California and it was amazing which is why I brought my family here tonight and look at this pie. I understand restaurants have if you eat it you pay for it policies and that's fine because I don't mind paying for what I ate because I was starving but its important to know that" AND THEN he cut me off! With hands on his hip he said "we will remove the cost of the pizza for customer dissatisfaction" He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and ran his fingers through his hair visibly frustrated and continued with "We were understaffed tonight and busy. Anytime to you order a pizza without cheese in a stone fire oven its going to be dry so, I said, we are sorry and don't worry about paying for it. Do you want the ticket now". I wish I could have filmed how he spoke to me as if he was upset about his dining experience. He was completely terse in his response! He brought the check and walked off. We continued the talk and he returned and said "I will take that from you now". I said "well we are still finishing our food and talking. I haven't taken care of the check yet is that okay". He threw hands up and walked off with a slight eye roll. At that point I had had his nasty nice, curt, and smug personality.Being the only patrons of color, I am not sure how he conducted himself with the other patrons but I occasionally watched as he smiled and appeared engaging at other tables except ours.
Needless to say, I was disappointed with the experience. I WOULD NOT recommend this location! I will take my black dollars elsewhere! | 0negative
| 946 |
One thing you have to be careful of when opening a new restaurant is the name. Leading with words like 'best', 'world class', 'greatest', and other superlatives can be a slippery slope, especially when you have to live up to that name. In the world of restaurant ratings, 'five-star' is a term associated with top-of-its-class, none better. So, when I spotted a burger joint in the Clayton area along the busy Maryland strip, I was intrigued. It was pretty obnoxious for them to name a burger joint, Five Star Burgers, as there is really nothing five star about a burger joint. I checked up on some of the reviews to see if there was any buzz surrounding this place, and I was surprised to see that people were giving this eatery some rave reviews. I had to check out what all the fuss was about and on a Sunday afternoon I made my way to the Mid County area with a friend and gave it a go. Here's how it went:
We entered into a tiny, clean space with tightly organized tables and a bar near the front with two televisions. All the servers were dressed in plaid. One of them made way towards us, and we were seated in an elevated area near the back of the restaurant. The place was buzzing with people, and was close to capacity. A menu lay before me and I opened it up to peruse my options. It was a small menu with very little glitz or glamour, and consisted of soups, salads, and burgers. They, also, have a full bar and offer up milkshakes if you're looking to go the burger and shake route. We made our selections and relayed them to our waiter, who was a little awkward, giving him the rundown of roasted tomato soup, a small mixed field greens salad, and a freshly ground lamb burger with a small order of sweet potato fries.
The wait wasn't long, and our food was expedited to our table. I looked down and noticed that I was without a few things. I asked where my sweet potato fries were and the waiter quickly returned with a mini deep fryer basket full of beautifully deep fried sweet potatoes. He, also, realized that my burger was without their fried pickles, and was back with those on a side plate.
My burger looked eerily circular, which was evidence of a burger form, and was visibly juicy. A dollop of tapenade was heaped on top of the patty and a side of tzatziki lay at the side. I piled all of the ingredients onto the sandwich, and cut it in half, revealing a perfectly pink patty. I took a large bite of my burger attempting to get a little bit of each element in the first bite. The olives hit first adding salt, with the creamy, cool tzatziki following. It finished with the fatty flavor of medium rare lamb. It was pretty damn good, but five stars....eh.
I was offered some of the roasted tomato soup, and took a steamy spoonful of the chunky soup. The large chunks of roasted tomato popped in my mouth adding a mix of acidity and smoky flavors straight to my palate. This was a really nicely crafted soup and even contained crispy cheese curds, making it much like eating one of my favorite comfort foods of grilled cheese and tomato soup.
The sweet potato fries awaited my judgement, and by appearance alone, looked like they were going to be a winner. The presentation was magnificent. I grabbed my first spear and dipped it into the maple cream sauce to see if they tasted as good as they looked. These were a complete success, and probably top the list of sweet potato fries I've ever had. The maple cream was a perfect complement to the fries and left me plunging my fingers into the ramekin long after the fries had been thoroughly wolfed down.
Five Star Burgers builds up a big game with their superlative name. It's a really great place, and upon further research, has a few other locations in New Mexico and Colorado each with different menus. But, to go so far as to claim five star is a little bit of a stretch. It's not even my top burger joint in town with a place like Bailey's Range out doing them in ambiance, selection, and execution. It looks like they might need a FORKing new sign and go with the name 'Four Star Burgers' as they are good, just not great. | 2positive
| 763 |
Taking my boyfriend here to celebrate our first dating anniversary was a bit of a gamble for me. The view and the drinks were highly regarded in the reviews, but the problem was that it was cold and raining, and we were bringing our own wine, so we wouldn't be able to experience either of those. Influenced by the sentimental value the name of the restaurant had for us, and that the stuff on their online menu sounded pretty good, we decided to go for it and check the place out.
I am SO glad we did. This was a five star experience, hands down.
It's everything a fancy restaurant should be. Nice enough to feel high class, but not so stuffy you feel like a complete twat staring down 8 pieces of silverware arranged on your table while the waiter looks down his nose at you. The ambiance was really romantic and cozy, and the service was stellar from the beginning to the end.
Our server, Stephen, was great. The first thing he did was wish us a happy anniversary (they asked when I made the reservation if we were celebrating anything), which I thought was very sweet. Had to explain it was a dating anniversary, though (he addressed us as "Mr. and Mrs. F____", haha). I had called ahead about the corkage fee, which was pricey at $25, but I enjoyed getting to share our special bottle over dinner, and Stephen was perfectly accommodating, and attentive in keeping our glasses full. He patiently answered all of our questions about the menu, and did not appear to be at all annoyed when I questioned whether veal could be substituted in any of the meals. He also had no issues with having the chefs substitute tomato sauce for the cream sauce in Devin's dish. I felt like our dinner was truly personalized for us and that we were really well taken care of here.
We decided to go with their tasting menu option, which I feel was a great choice. It was a small plate, an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert for $35. For a restaurant of this caliber, I thought it was a great price. The portions are a little bit smaller, as it IS a tasting menu, but it was definitely enough to be comfortably satiated.
For the small plate, I had the pork belly and Devin had the arancini. I only got two bites out of the small portion of pork belly, but it WAS very tender and delicious. Devin had three arancini balls, and they were very tasty (tasted exactly like the ones we had at Copia, actually).
Devin and I each got the tagliolini with shrimp, mine with the cream sauce and the Lactard's with the red sauce. Definitely take it how its meant to be, if you can. =] This was my favorite dish. Very simple - noodles, butter cream sauce, tomatoes, spinach, and shrimp - but so good. The sauce is just perfect, and the shrimp are juicy and delicious. If (WHEN), I come back, I definitely want the full plate of this! Devin enjoyed his too - the arrabbiata sauce they used apparently gave it a bit of a kick (I refused to taste his because I didn't want the delicious taste of mine to go away!).
For entrees, I did the duck and D did the seared ahi tuna. The duck was very good. Not greasy, just flavorful. My only gripe is that it was a little tough (not sure if that's how duck is supposed to be) and I didn't have anything other than a butter knife to cut it with. I requested a steak knife, and while it was bigger, it was not serrated, and did a worse job cutting than the butter knife. I eventually got it into pieces, and the flavor was very enjoyable. I wasn't a huge fan of Devin's seared ahi tuna - the meat itself was great, but the Eggplant Caponata gave it too much of that tangy olive-y taste. Devin appeared to like it though.
The dessert was tiramisu for me and the Italian Chocolate Tasting for D. The tiramisu was definitely a different take on it - not the spongey lady fingers I am used to, but instead a little crispier with a kind of pudding piled on top. I like the original, but the flavors were still really yummy. I couldn't finish it, though, because it was so rich. As with Devin's: it was three layers of dark, milk, and white chocolate mousse, which was also extremely rich and chocolatey (even though it didn't look it at all), but tasty.
I really enjoyed the model of a tasting menu. I think by nature, humans like choices, but not TOO many choices, so to be able to go down the line and pick from 2-4 things, bada bing, bada boom, and then sit back as they bring them out to you the rest of the night was...satisfying. And stress-free, in a way. Ya know?
A really sweet touch was that with dessert, Stephen brought out two chocolate-dipped strawberries with "Happy 1st Anniversary!" piped in chocolate on the plate. The manager also came by and asked how things were and wished us a happy anniversary, as well.
Cielo does an excellent job of making your special night wonderful. We left with huge smiles on our faces. Thank you, Cielo, for making the evening so memorable. We'll be back. | 2positive
| 916 |
So I normally give a restaurant a few tries before I write my review and to be fair this one I have visited twice. Qdoba has legendarily slow service when it comes to making meals so in the past as with other Qdoba's I placed my order online so I could pick it up without having to wait 30 minutes for them to make a few tacos and a burrito. The first time I stopped by the restaurant there was another "call-in" order ahead of me. A woman sitting in the restaurant area with a quite sour look on her face. I have worked in restaurants before and I know unhappy customers come with the business. So I didn't think anything of it that I had to wait an additional 15 minutes over the 30 minutes I was instructed to wait prior to my arrival. For those Qdoba execs who are a little slow with math, that is 45 minutes for 3 tacos and a quesadilla. Again I didn't think much of it but the one other person in line and the other person in the restaurant is hardly a rush by any stretch of the imagination. I also ordered a cookie and a brownie with our meal. Sadly they were out of cookies but I was offered to my money refunded for the cookie with a tone that indicated that she was doing me a favor. I also ordered a brownie with my meal which I should have checked before I left the restaurant but for some reason I thought this place would serve good food.
When I got home the meal was decent, a little overpriced for what it was but not horrible. However the brownie was dead and by dead I mean I actually stood on the brownie with my shoe on and it didn't crumble. Its not legal to serve food to prisoners like that I cannot fathom why someone would think it would be okay to sell food to a customer that is obviously past date. That would be what is the word I am looking for? Oh yes illegal. Honestly at that point it wasn't worth the gas to go take the brownie back so I cut my losses and tossed it into the trashcan where it made a resounding thud.
Cut to 02 May 2016 7:00 pm I figured I would give this place a second shot. Again placed the order online but this time I didn't put my credit card information in. I will pay with cash once I get my order and check it to make sure I haven't been sold more dead food. Place my order a few minutes after 7:00 pm so the machine tells me that my order # 19 will be ready in 30 minutes. I wait the required amount of time, roll into the restaurant and there is 1 customer in line. I say yeah I am here to pick up my order. Order #19. Low and behold 3 people staffing the restaurant. More employees than customers and my order is not only not in progress but they haven't even started it yet. So why was I told to wait 30 minutes? I told the girl behind the counter hold on. I am not interested in the order anymore don't make it. I will go somewhere else. She cops an attitude with me like it is my fault she didn't do her job. At this point I was a little angry that they hadn't started our meal at this point but i was happy I wasn't dumb enough to put my credit card info in this time. I took a deep breath walked away and the girl behind the counter offered up a sarcastic "have a nice day" on my way out. At this point she has now escalated what could have been a simple bad experience to an intentional insult. So I turned around and asked her who that manager on duty is, she stuttered for a moment and then said "Orlando is the manager in the back" do you have a problem. I said no, no problem I will take this up with someone that cares.
I went to subway to pick up quick dinner for my wife and I. Reno is not known for any kind of take out experience once you get away from the midtown area and I really wasn't in the mood for anything that required a deep fryer.
I checked the Qdoba corporate page and I was actually appalled that their corporate site is littered with customer complaints about experiences very similar to mine. Here are some quotes: "Don't know if anyone has ever tried the New Mexican Restaurant QDOBA on Gratiot & Masonic in Roseville, MI, but after our 1st time there last not, I would suggest not wasting your time or Money!! Its not like a sit down restaurant, the people serving you behind the counter are Rude, Mr. Princess behind the cash register likes to pick his nails while your standing there holding your money out to pay him!"
"In Feb2013 I had complained about the lack of customer service in the Rapid City store. Well once again last night(4-25-2013) the service was bad. My wife had requested schredded beef well once she started to eat she realized that they put pork in and not the beef it also had a Huge piece of fat that was disgusting. When we went to pay the person at the register was going so fast the he forgot her tortilla and Crushed all the chips for my Nachos."
This is a corporate attitude of we don't care about our customers, Its not just my experience it happens nationally. How is Qdoba still in business? Here is a better question why is Qdoba in business? | 0negative
| 975 |
There's something about Firecreek that draws a person in. The aesthetic is sharp, industrial and modern with lots of raw stone, steel and glass elements enhancing the former paper mill structure. In the middle of the large main dining area is a stunning raw-cut wood table that, alone, could accommodate 16-18 easily. Aptly named, Firecreek sits along the Brandywine Creek in Downingtown. It features a fantastic wrap-around porch perfect for dining outside on a nice day. Clearly someone, once upon a time, cared about what this place would be.
I suspect that this "someone" is gone.
We were a party of three. It was Sunday before Memorial Day, midday, and we were stopping for lunch before a day of fun in the sun at nearby Marsh Creek State Park. We received a lukewarm but otherwise typical welcome, and were seated on the patio as we requested. Service seemed quick enough - we had drinks in a couple of minutes and placed our food orders with the drink order, which turned out to be a good move.
Then we waited. Creekside on the patio in great weather a half hour goes by fast. An hour, not so much. An hour and 20 minutes waiting for food, no matter how nice the place, seems like an eternity. We'd come to find out that Firecreek had a party of 40 - yes, fourty - seated just before us. But for a place with seating for at least 200 that really shouldn't be a big deal. On this day, however, it was.
With no updates after an hour we flagged our server (who had disappeared just after our drinks came out) and asked if something was wrong. Something was. Half of the kitchen staff didn't show up today. They had four scheduled to come in, but the two who were supposed to cook didn't show and weren't answering their phones. Instead of letting customers know there was a problem I guess they thought it was better to just let the two poor prep cooks try to keep up with orders for the sixty or so people (including the large party) who were waiting to eat.
The food, when it finally came, was a letdown beyond our wildest imagination. We had three selections from the sandwich menu. The Barbecue Pulled Pork was probably the strongest of the three. It had a thick sauce with good flavors but wasn't very warm. The Salmon Burger had the potential to be a decent item with multigrain bread, some greens and a hearty burger. The advertised wasabi aioli was absent, the multigrain bread was machine-cut, too thin to support the patty, and looked as if it had come off a supermarket loaf. The salmon itself was lacking the ginger and scallion flavor, cold and slightly undercooked. Both of these were accompanied by yam fries. These were decent - they tell us that they're cut fresh daily - but they're not enough to save this review.
The final entree gets a paragraph all its own. The Hot Roasted Turkey Melt. Sounds great, right? And being on the menu with the other sandwiches one might, wrongly, suspect that bread was involved. When the plate arrived after it's 100-minute trip from the kitchen, it was a sad pile of dry turkey slices - so dry that much of it was inedible - topped with some bacon that looked like it had been cooking since last Sunday and a few slices of not-so-melted gouda on top (with a fingerprint in one spot). The look on our faces must have been enough to prompt the server to tell us what she had, undoubtedly, needed to tell many diners before us. This particular sandwich had no bread. But they would bring us some (in about 10 minutes, actually). The accompanying Firecreek Caesar was a joke - two intact leaves of romaine heart with a little dressing and cheese on top. Caesar Cardini must have done backflips in his grave.
The yam fries notwithstanding, there's not much good to be said about the food that day at Firecreek. And it's really, I suspect, a symptom of a much larger problem. A kitchen built to hold at least eight kitchen staff and support a dining area for a couple hundred should, under no circumstances, be running with only two prep cooks. Better to lock the doors and send everyone home than to try. Upon closer inspection it appears as if no one is really taking care of the facility or the food - at least not the kind of care that went into the original design. It makes me wonder if the owners or managers have just lost interest. The wood on the patio furniture is fading, unmaintained after a few seasons in the sun. A pile of defective patio umbrellas stood propped up in a corner. Even the lovely gas lanterns that line the deck were misshapen and broken, missing the glass around the spot where the flames should be. In the mens' restroom a few of the fancy lightbulbs were out and in the middle of the row of urinals there was one with a sign taped to it, as though it alone had the good sense to warn people about the dining experience they were about to have. "No Good," the urinal sign said.
Indeed. No good. | 0negative
| 893 |
Here is another catch 22.. We had dinner here two nights ago prior to a movie and last night we went back after having dinner elsewhere. I understand Dave & Buster's and the concept well. I'm from St Louis, Mo and we had several of these. So, let me start with dinner. We started trio dip and chips. I really loved the main dip it was a white spicy cheese with little chunks (yummy) of beef in it and there was bean dip (no thanks) and I guacamole dip (needs a lot of work no spice). Then I had NY Strip cooked Med. Rare and that was wishful thinking. The steak was Med Well if not completely Well. When the waitress walked by she ask if all is well. I ask her "what temperature do you think that is, pointing to my steak)? She opened her little book went down to my order and said Med Rare. Literally laughed out loud. I wasn't asking her what I ordered, I was asking her the temperature she thought it was cooked. She then ask if we need anything else. I told her just the check because we we're catching a movie. She didn't come back for 20 minutes and when she did she ask if we we're ready to pay. I told her we never got the check. I mentioned the movie starts in five mins and she finally went and got the check. However, she dropped it instead of waiting after being told we were in a hurry. My fiancee had a burger and fries and liked it, which helped this review a bit. Side note I never eat a over cooked steak I just didn't have an option due to time restraints. The funny part was I got stuck waiting for the bill and likely could have had steak re-fired. Now, last night was interesting. We have been to Dave & Buster's often we have been saving our reward tickets for quite sometime. This was our first time back to play in several months. When I arrived I ask the guy at the desk to check my card and see how many tokens I have and how many card. His response flabbergasted me. He said he didn't see anything on this card. I was trying to not cause a sceen because I brought my fiancee there for a date night. I sent him over to the bar to get a drink. The guy started checking the card and said "Sir, I don't see that anyone has ever played on this card." I replied "Sir, we have been using that exact same card since the first time we came to this Dave & Buster's. We used a majority of the tokens but we should have had over 8500 reward tickets. Then the guy says "oh, I see the issue.. Sir, did you register this card to yourself or your friend" I replied "No".. Then.. "Sir, you likley lost all your rewards because you didn't register your card and balances fall off sometimes and since you didn't register your card, there's nothing we can do!" Me "WHAT" as I'm looking at the corner of my eye and seeing my fiancee waving me to hurry. Then I hear the guy say, "Sir, I can sell you a new card tonight for $2 USD and then you can buy tokens". I ended up buying 365 tokens for a little over sixtie dollars. I follow up and ask "why do I need a new card?" "Sir, that's our old card this card will work much better for you." I'm so annoyed and honestly want to walk out but I made this date night and had to follow through. I'm starting to walkaway and I hear "Sir, if you walk down this Hall and turn left swip your new card and you can register your card, where this doesn't happen again". The guy was nice buy he didn't care I lost all those tickets his complete purpose was to sell me more tokens. The entire situation has made it where, I won't likely go back. Tonight I spent $65 and earned 1400 tickets that's not enough to even get a teddy bear unless you want a very cheap one. The best bet is to buy candy. My fiancee kept asking why the balance was off and I didn't have the heart to say we lost over 8500 in tickets. I left the card with the guy he said he was going to have his manager follow up with me the next day. The next day was yesterday. I hope the manager fix's our card. I did register the new card in my fiancee name, but if this isn't resolved we won't be back sadly. | 0negative
| 798 |
Update:
We came to Vault yesterday after seeing the Christmas lights at shadybrook farms, as it is becoming tradition to go to both places every Christmas season now. We were excited to come here again as the first couple times we had a great experience. We brought our friends along with us as well. We arrive and were told it was an hour wait. We said that's fine and we just hung out and drank at a table by the bar. We were supposed to get a text when our table was ready, but we didn't get any cell phone service here so my husband had to keep going outside with my phone to check if they texted us. The hostess said she would come get us when it was ready.
An hour later it's ready and she leads us to a big table in the basement area of the restaurant. I was kind of disappointed because the main reason I came here was to listen to Christmas jazz music, and all you could hear in the basement was regular music. I didn't even hear any Christmas jazz music while we were waiting upstairs for our table either, just regular jazz. I don't know if it was still too early in December or what, but I think they should be playing it after Thanksgiving.
Anyway, so we're all sitting at our table and multiple servers had eye contact with us but no one came over to our table to take our order or at least check on us. After sitting there for 15-20 minutes I got annoyed and went to the hostess to tell her no one came to our table yet. I also said I would like a table upstairs to listen to the jazz. She said I would have to wait longer so I said no we already waited a long time.
Eventually our waiter comes over and says sorry he didn't see us because no one was sitting there all night they don't normally use that table. That was a lie because there was food left on the ground from whoever ate there before us. I noticed the menu we got was different from the one upstairs. I wanted the butternut squash soup. It was listed on the menu we were looking at upstairs but ours downstairs said tomato bisque. We asked our waiter and he said they still had it. 10 minutes later he comes over to us and says there's no more butternut squash soup left they just ran out. My cousin and I were extremely disappointed. Well maybe if we got service faster we could have got it.
The night keeps getting worse, the next thing that happened was very disturbing and gross. A food runner brings my pizza and my friend's grilled cheese out. We both poked at our food. A few minutes later someone comes back and said that wasn't our food, they got the wrong table. They asked if we touched it. We both said yes. My friend said she ate a carrot off the salad, and I touched my pizza trying to find the best slice. They took it away from us anyway and gave it to a table across from us. I work in food service and you are not allowed to re serve anything if it hits another table, whether they touched it or not. We both said we touched it and yet they still served it to another table. The logical thing to do would be just let us keep the food, and give the next table our order but I guess no one has common sense here. We are both getting over colds as well, so I guess the other table will catch our cold that we had. So that means the food that we ate could have been given to a different table as well, gross.
Our food was decent overall. I asked for a Togo box but our waiter forgot it. We asked again and he brought it but didn't bother clearing my dinner plate. I had to try to eat dessert while trying not to get my shirt dirty from my pizza plate. The dessert I got was nasty, I got the black and white. It was a spiced custard with chocolate mousse. It had a bad mouthfeel to it, it was grainy and there was too much nutmeg in it.
We each got separate checks. My husband and I were not satisfied with our service at all so we didn't leave a great tip. My husband gave him the money and said we didn't need change. Our waiter took 53 cents from us and gave us the remaining few dollars back, to hint that he wanted a bigger tip than that. He even confronted my husband about it as we were leaving. My husband said when places keep the change like that and use it towards their tip then that's what they get. He was a scumbag.
I don't know what happened to this place. We were sad, because we loved going to this place before. My husband said this was one of his favorite microbreweries. Maybe they got new management. It seemed like a lack of communication and poor management/ discipline. We probably won't come back, maybe just for drinks but probably not. This place is 45 minutes away from us and parking is a pain too. We can probably just find other places closer to us. | 0negative
| 916 |
I ate at Hugo's Frog Bar & Chop House a dozen times over the years. After the money spent, & money gambled at Sugarhouse, I can type this harsh review guilt free. I expect restaurants inside Casinos to aim to please & are held to a slightly higher standard in my opinion.
I never had problems before. I always ordered the same item (which was removed from the menu but that was not an issue - a Pork Chop that was amazing with a sweet stuffing served along side of the Chop always cooked to perfection). I always sat at the bar very happy with the service I received from different bartenders.
I went for the 1st time in about 16 months, because I've been away. My experience was a disaster! Management should be fired by the food & beverage Director, at the very least written up, & taught how to multi task in order to provide proper customer service to guests & parties simultaneously. When a polite customer or guest has an issue, you handle it, above & beyond, especially if they ask to see a manager, & especially if the problem they have is big black pubic hairs in their food!
We had several issues dining at Hugo's. Starting with the pubic hairs in my beet salad shown in the photo below! And followed by the wrong menu item explained & the wrong item even well over cooked! And the fried calamari was over cooked! We were disgusted but polite about the hairs. I couldn't find or see our server or a manager anywhere for 2-3 minutes, so I grabbed a bus server that walked by 2-3 times & asked him to get a manager. At which point, the original clueless server came to our table, who I didn't want to talk to, so I asked her to send a manager over. The female manager came over & saw the hairs right away as I pointed to them & I said "I know stuff like this happens but it's really gross & I wanted you to see it".
I don't even think the lazy careless woman heard a word I said because she began to talk over me saying "oh yes that's a disgusting hair, I see it, I'm so sorry" grabbed the dish, & disappeared for the remainder of the night. Never saw her again!
My friend ordered what we thought was sea bass over black rice with slaw. That's the dish we saw a customer eating & told the server we wanted. Even told the server pointing discretely at the fish dish that was being eaten eaten by another customer. She ensured us it was the halibut dish not the Sea Bass despite us saying it had black rice & the menu says the sea bass has black rice. She insisted it was the halibut. We said to each other "ok maybe that customer got Halibut with black rice instead of the menu listed sweet potato purée". The Waitress clearly was ignoring us & said again "yeah that's the halibut he's eating you want the halibut". And we said yes. I wasn't even sure she could see the guy 3 tables away, but whatever, we trusted our server. Dumb!
When dinner arrived it wasn't the dish we saw, nor the fish dish we pointed to. "That's the halibut". No it wasn't, it was the sea bass dumbass. How do I know the food & menu & dishes better than an employee?
The kicker was, the halibut was totally over cooked! I took a bite thinking my friend was complaining just being disgruntled about the wrong dish & the hair in the food & the overcooked calamari, but the fish was totally over cooked & actually burnt on bottom! How do you f**k that up? Let me tell you how, by not giving a shit about your job or your customers. From management, to the waitress, & whoever cooked the fish.
Did I mention a bartender seated us in the restaurant because no hostess was present & I guess Servers & management were too busy or preoccupied elsewhere. Crazy. What a total shit show.
Now, you would think management would remove the beet salad with the curly pubic hairs in it from the check right? Guess again! The check arrives, & everything is on the check. The wrong fish that we didn't eat 90% of that was over cooked, the hairy beet salad, the over cooked calamari, total bullshit. So now, I'm boiling.
At this point I told the server "take this off the bill I'm not paying for it", and I was told "sorry my manager was suppose to do that, I thought she did let me go find her". Waitress returns "Sorry about that". Well I apologize, I think both you & your manager are complete morons, I apologize for wasting my time & money with an incompetent restaurant & pride less staff.
I Left a $20 tip out of respect from being in the business years ago & because I can't blame the server for everything except the fish, but it wasn't deserved & most likely not even appreciated.
I won't ever go back to Frog Crap House. My lips to Gods ears, I'll never waste another penny there. Gibson's Restaurant Group will receive an email as well, that's how badly this place drops the ball. I want their ownership to know. Maybe they'll care. | 0negative
| 911 |
Like many of you, we eat out a lot, and we had experiences at the same restaurant go from great to awful and back again. So I always feel bad giving fewer that 3 stars to a place after just one visit. However, when I read some of the other comments on here I think I'm safe with this one.
I haven't a "real" boil since I went down to New Orleans to help rebulid after Katrina so I was excited to "suck some heads and pinch some tails"! (Full disclosure, I just pinch the tails. I can't bring myself to suck the head.) We just came from a wonderful performance of the Indianapolis Symphony, so that stage was set for a great dining experience.
When we walked down the full flight of stairs to the basement and up to the host stand we were asked if we had a reservation. We did. We made it through the Open Table app over an hour earlier. The host, for whom English wasn't apparently his first language, was looking on a hand written list and didn't find our name. So he said that we didn't have a reservation. My wife pulled out her phone and showed him our confirmation. With a visible sigh he grabbed two menus and took us a to a table. After being seating a waitress came up to take our drink order, but seeme very distracted or preoccupied. After several minutes another server brought out drinks and said that she would be taking over our service. We ordered some sushi as an appetizer and said we would wait to order dinner. After some time she back to say that our sushi would be right out and could take our dinner order. We ordered the combo that contained both shrimp and crawfish - 1 pound of each!
After some time she came back to the table (first time since taking our dinner order) with our entree in a large plastic bag - that's how it's served. We pointed out that we were still waiting for our sushi. She didn't seem to know how to respond. She tried to leave our entree on the table but we said that we wanted our appetizer first, then the entree. She went to get the manager. The manager seemed genuinely understanding of our issue and then said that she would be happy to get us any drink we wanted from the bar for free. We told her that we were only drinking iced tea and lemonade, but that wasn't the solution. We wanted our sushi, and then our entree. She replied that she would be happy to comp our sushi, but wanted to still leave the entree. I had to then clearly explain that we would not accept the entree now, and that I also didn't want it to be "kept warm" while we had our appetizer. I expected it to be remade fresh after our appetizer. She clearly didn't like this solution, but did agree. She never returned to our table the rest of the night to check on us.
As for the food itself, it was just ok. Our appetizer (which did eventually come out) was the "Indiana Roll" and it tasted good, but was rolled a little too big. The boil was good, but possibly a bit over cooked (we think it was our original order just kept hot). The shrimp were a very nice size. A few of the crawfish were too, but most were pretty small. But since they came by weight, there were plenty of them.
So from the reception with the host, to the disengaged server to the manager, we needed the food to really hit a homerun to save the experience and it just didn't.
The seating was nice, mostly booths or half booths. The atmosphere was contemporary but comfortable. There are two nice sinks in the dining room for cleaning up without the need to go the restroom. The lighting is pretty dim. I noticed that someone commented that they had "great music", I would have to disagree. It wasn't that the songs were bad themselves, but it urban pop that seemed more appropriate in a college bar and was too loud for the style of restaurant. Someone else commented, "they try to appear being upscale but didn't deliver", and that's a more accurate statement. It's a strange mix of southern or New England seafood boil with asian sushi in a dark-wood dimly lit room with loud urban music. Nothing seemed to work together - even the staff. | 0negative
| 764 |
After having tried to eat here on at least three separate occasions and always finding them closed, we finally got a chance to eat here. From what I can remember - they're closed on Sundays. Closed between the lunch and dinner hour (I think they reopen at 5pm?). And closed at night during parade season when the Metry parades are rolling (no surprise there, haha). So glad we finally made it, though... because wow, what a surprise!
I was immediately struck by how not-strip-mall-ish it looked when we walked in the door. Very small and cozy but you didn't feel like you were sitting on top of your table-neighbors either. Nice little vibe in there. I was definitely expecting more of the typical Mediterranean items on the menu, and the menu itself was pretty small, but there was there looked really amazing. The menu seemed to be a pretty fair mix of Greek and Italian. I ended up having the appetizer sampler that came with spinach and cheese pie, hummus, baba ghannoush, tzatziki (although it was called something else I think?), and pita bread. They had quite a few 4-course specials on the board that looked amazing, but I didn't want to eat that much food (and no, I have no willpower to just stop eating when it's ridiculously good, so let's just get that out of the way now). The veggie lasagna was almost more than I could pass up, though. The guy opted in, though, and got the pan-fried grouper with baked potato and veggies. It also came with choice of soup (artichoke or lentil), a small Caesar salad, and your choice of dessert (baklava or bread pudding). Not bad for $19 bucks! Kiddo had the gyro plate off the kids menu. I was a little disappointed to see only one "authentic" option on the kids menu, and then it was supposed to come with french fries (sacrilege!!) (but they let us sub a small salad for the fries, yay!)... but at least there was SOMEthing there. Don't even get me started on most kids menus, with their grilled cheese / burgers / hot dogs / JUNK JUNK JUNK. :( But I digress....
The food was delicious. Had a bite of kiddo's salad and it was YUM. A little more dressing than I would have liked, but it was really good stuff. Had a bite of the guy's soup (he got the lentil) which I've never had before but was good as well. Had a bite of his fish too, which was also yummy. My spinach and cheese pie was good, although the spinach had a slightly canned taste to it, or something odd in there that made my brain go there? The hummus was fair - a little thicker than I usually like, but no biggie. A little smoked paprika on top would have been the perfect touch, I think. The baba ghannoush was chock full of garlic, not as smooth as I'm used to, and slightly on the oily side. I'm not a huge garlic fan, so I didn't like it as much as some of the other ones I've had, but the guy (who loves garlic) said it was the best one he's tasted yet. So depending on how much you like garlic, your mileage will vary. The tzatziki was delicious and perfect in every way, and I could have eaten a vat of that alone. The pita triangles were warm and soft with that tiny little bit of crisp at the edges and oh so yummy. But the shining star of our table? Kiddo's gyro plate. Holy COW was that some good gyro. It was just fabulous - perfectly seasoned, moist but not dried out, and cooked evenly which I'm finding to be a rare thing. Lots of places seem to have a lot of variation in cooked-ness of the pieces on your plate, ranging from almost-burned to wish-this-had-that-yummy-edge-sadface... but not here (yay!)! The kids portion was a lot larger than I expected, and I honestly wished I would have ordered that instead. Just.... so so good.
Our server was just a dear, and took great care of us. Prices were quite reasonable - granted, I only got an appetizer (although it WAS the big one!), but our bill came in just under $50 for the three of us, and the guy had that 4-course thing and two beers. My meal didn't count, but portions seemed large. The guy ended up with lots left over, kiddo couldn't finish his meal (which is a big deal), and I saw a slab of meat at another table that was just ridiculous. We were there at 730(ish?) on a Saturday night, and although they were busy and almost-full, we were able to be seated immediately, which was a far cry from the hour to hour and half wait at some of the other places we considered before remembering about this place. The parking lot is tiny, but I did see a sign that said there is more parking available in the back. High chairs, but no booster seats.
So although I didn't like the hummus and baba ghannoush as much as what I get at Babylon Café, the gyro was better and convenience alone bumps it up a notch. Getting from Luling to Metairie? Not a big deal, especially since we're already out there so much. This is the kind of place that we could easily just drop in after running errands all day, whereas NOLA is a bit more out of the way for us.
All in all? We'll definitely be back.
A lot. | 2positive
| 938 |
My brother had just been to China last September and for some time was raving about the authenticity of Tampa famous Yummy House's stir-fry, noodles and hotpots. I had also heard great things from many other reputable food lovers who dropped their jaws and judged me when I admitted I hadn't been there yet. It was finally time to see what this Yummy House place was all about.
Walking in with a cooler containing my favorite bottle of wine, I was already looking forward to the much talked about Yummy House experience. BYOB restaurants with no guidelines or restrictions are a rarity so they had already scored some serious cool points. When we walked up to a large table fit for 7, my brother's girlfriend, a returning patron, immediately waved over a server before sitting down. She looked at me and smiled, holding back laughter, knowing full well I would be displeased. She pointed to the smudgy floor and the man grabbed a napkin, bent over, and picked up a very large roach. Luckily the rest of our dinner party had not arrived so this "minor" gruesome detail would have to be our little secret. Trying desperately to forget about the bug, I gulped down a glass of Pinot Grigio in under a minute. Our friends soon arrived and were good sports about the stained plastic tablecloth, the smeared glass "Lazy Susan" and the blurry lip-stained wine glasses.
We began our Chinese feast with their famous Salt and pepper Calamari, Eggrolls and Potstickers. The calamari was indeed marvelous. Battered beautifully, fried to perfect crispiness and topped with cilantro, jalapeno, red pepper flake, garlic, sea salt and pepper, I was taken back by its pleasantly powerful punch. Salty and spicy played key roles in this texture and flavor dreamland. The eggrolls were generously stuffed and seasoned with various Chinese spices, giving each bite an enjoyable zing I've never experienced with eggrolls beforeThough not in true steamed potsticker form, these fried pockets were still easy to scarf down with their tasty meaty insides spewing from the crispy shell. All of our starters were demolished in no time and from the wonderful impression of these delicious eats, I was anxious to devour the main courses.
We all ordered different entrees with intent to share. Yummy House practically insists sharing takes place with the "Lazy Susans" found at every table. The first plate brought out was the Cashew Chicken. Chicken, zucchini and cashews galore lay heaping and covered in a caramel-colored glaze. The chicken was tender, the zucchini was crisp but the sauce was almost too tangy in taste and terribly thick in texture. This dish could've easily come from a white and red square-shaped container. Next please.
Three more stir-fry chicken dishes came out in seconds- two plates of Spicy Yummy Chicken and a Szechwan chicken were now presented before us, looking almost identical in color and with similar vegetables studded throughout. Again, the Szechwan chicken was nothing to write home about. The Spicy Yummy Chicken was slightly more impressive with its great resonance of a yummy kick and its perfectly cooked fresh mushrooms creating an awesome variance in texture to the overly sauced chicken. So far this was the Chinese champion but I was still underwhelmed.
The Spicy seafood clay pot was delivered next and the aroma alone convinced me I'd be disappointed no more. A deep brown broth with shrimp, scallops, white fish and tofu was steaming hot and begging for consumption. The depth of flavors in the broth and the fresh seafood were pleasing to my palate but the abundance of tofu was not. The last two dishes served were the Beef with XO sauce and the Singapore Noodles. The beef cut with a fork and came with crisp snow peas. The XO sauce was mild in sauce strength but still full of great flavor, making this beef stir-fry the runner up of the night. After reading an article in a local magazine where Yummy House's Singapore noodles were praised by a Tampa chef, I knew it was my duty to make sure we ordered them. I am also a noodle fanatic so I was most excited about my menu choice. The shrimp and pork strewn throughout the curry vermicelli noodles had my taste buds thrilled for the first bite. Tasty indeed but nothing more, my most valuable sense was let down by the lack of oomph it had been eagerly preparing for.
My hopes and dreams were somewhat destroyed. Yummy House did not overly excite and it certainly did not live up to all the hype. Mediocre service and drab ambiance were expected but I was only there for the fantastic fare. | 0negative
| 783 |
This was my second stop for the Farm to Fork restaurant week experience! Located in the small town of Haddon Township, I never thought that Station Avenue would hold such an authentic Italian gem.
The appearance of Anthony's has a really adorable style. It looks homey, from the way that the building is designed on the outside to fit in with the rest of the main street, but classy as well, due to the glass windows that allow pedestrians to look inside the sophisticated dining room. Even the entrance into the restaurant gave the place a very classic Italian feel. Upon walking in with my mother, the hostess was already busy with receiving calls for reservations being booked for next month! After being seated by very friendly and helpful waiters, we read over the 2-for-$10 lunch menu and found that it was actually very extensive. I decided to get the summer salad and Crab Tomasso, even though the main course is an additional $4... Still cheaper than its regular $27 price on a normal day anyway.
The complimentary starters itself impressed me. Not only was there warm, fluffy, and crispy bread that came straight out of a rustic oven, but a dish of cooked olives, artichokes, eggplants, and peppers was also served as well, and it was so refreshing that I could have eaten about 5 and been satisfied enough for lunch. Not too long afterwards, my summer salad was served. Personally, salads aren't usually too special, but this one really did cool down the hot summer air. Consisting of chopped peppers, asparagus, corn, and various greens, all tossed in a honey-like clear vinaigrette, this appetizer was very well-balanced and extremely refreshing to eat, especially after eating warm and crispy bread. My mother ordered the grilled marinated shrimp, and that was also very tasty with the spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and olive oil that were mixed in with it as well. Surprisingly, I preferred my salad over the shrimp.
The Crab Tomasso was wonderful. Homemade angel-hair pasta tossed in a basil-tomato-and-wine-based sauce, the whole dish looked pretty big and rich, as do most pasta dishes in Italian restaurants. Yet, I didn't feel heavy or exhausted with richness by the end of my fill. It was a very light and fresh-tasting pasta dish that maintained its large amounts of flavor from all of the elements in it, which did not overpower each other. The main ingredient of the dish, the crab, really executed its role in standing out. Not only was I given a very generous amount of this wonderful seafood, but I tasted it's unique and rich natural taste that popped out from the pasta. The Crab Tomasso is simple yet complicated, and it is overall easily one of the most well-balanced Italian pasta dishes that I ever had. I also tasted my mother's order of the Oven Roasted Tilapia, which was also very very well done. The surface of the fish had a nice golden-brown crust, and the filet itself was so soft that it fell apart at the touch. The fish's flavor really showed itself throughout the dish, and the olives, mushrooms, and lemony-butter glaze really enhanced and worked with the fish so well. That was also a very successful dish which didn't fail to impress as well.
The final course, which we decided to pay extra for, is the dessert. After being given three choices, my mother and I decided to split the Sfogliatelle over the Tiramisu or the Cannoli, having never tried this Italian classic before. The crispy multi-layered pastry has a marscapone cheese filling with a thin paste of pressed dried fruit at the base. While the taste of the whole dessert had the right level of richness and crisp texture from the marscapone and the crust, the dried fruit didn't work too well for me. It was a great concept because the taste itself worked extremely well with the cheese and pastry shell, but the texture of the dried fruit paste, was super hard, and difficult to chew, cut, or break apart in order to enjoy the whole pastry. If that part of the Sfogliatelle were softer, then the dessert would have been flawless. It was still a great ending to a wonderful dining experience.
I am very happy that Anthony's put much effort in giving diners the high-class experience that they would normally have if they were to come and have the real menu. It's tempting to give the diners less of what is supposed to be offered at such a sophisticated restaurant, and I am grateful that this place really gave average citizens this opportunity to receive the same kind of experience as any other. I definitely made the right choice in stopping by at this restaurant for my second Farm to Fork restaurant experience, and hopefully the next place will be able to meet the standards. | 2positive
| 814 |
Introduction:
I was in Wilmington & Philly for part of my Memorial Day weekend and now writing 3 reviews of places we went. On Friday night, my two friends (one that I drove up with from the DC area & the other who lives in Newark, DE) were pretty insistent on going to the Blue Rocks game 7:05 PM start time. We arrived in the area around 6:40. Dropped the stuff off at the house and left right away from the game.
I would've rather looked around Wilmington more and eat dinner ideally by 8 PM; since we were just planning on seeing Wilmington on Friday night. I told them that I wasn't enthusiastic about eating dinner at the baseball stadium but was hungry. We discussed it, my friend suggested eating a snack there, and then, eat dinner after the game. I had considered the option of looking at Wilmington on my own, but I decided to be a team player especially since my Delaware friend was gracious enough to buy our tickets; so I couldn't refuse. We split fries at the game. The game dragged on past 10 PM, and there happened to be fireworks too, which was cool, but I was hungry again.
After considering options, it made sense to go with something walking distance from the stadium instead of fighting traffic to look for a potentially better restaurant further delaying dinner. There were about 3 options within a short walk. One of the places closed at 10 PM. Joe's Crab Shack, which is ok, but I wanted to go to a local place. The Yelp reviews were more on the positive side. Looking at the menu online and pictures on Yelp, I decided that I wanted the bacon burger. The pictures & overwhelming good reviews on it made it seem like a solid choice.
Restaurant Experience:
We walked in about 10:45 PM, and there was a sign directing us to the bar area. It seemed strange, but maybe the regular dining room was closed. The server was nice. She told us these are the 'Late Night Menus'. Guess what? No burger. So, I had to rethink my strategy. It was more of the unhealthy appetizer foods. I had considered wings, but they only had a fiery sauce & Buffalo, neither of which I'm enthusiastic about since I'm not big on spicy foods.
Pizza seemed like a good option at this point. Ideally, if I'm getting a pizza, I like to get a large to split with people as that is more cost-effective. However, they only had individual sizes although a pretty good size, but not quite enough to split in two.
The cheese pizza was $12.50. I really wanted just one topping, sausage. Each meat topping was $2 more, which brought the total to $14.50. Upon further exploration, I discovered that the Spicy Hawaiian Pig, was only $0.50 more for sausage & lots of toppings, a much better value. I was about to delete a couple of the spicy items I didn't want. But the fact is that I really just wanted the one topping, but I couldn't justify getting just one topping when many toppings were only $0.50 more.
It took a bit longer than I would've liked, and I was irritable 'hangry'. But my pizza arrived at about 11:15 PM. I scarfed it down. The pizza was relatively good, but nothing to write home about either. There was an ample amount of cheese and toppings were plentiful. My issue with the pizza was that it was too salty; so I didn't enjoy it as much. I think it was more the toppings of sausage, pepperoni, & bacon. Additionally, the pineapple were just a few of these sorry-looking little cubes. That was a disappointment to me too. I actually think I would've enjoyed the plain cheese more, which is what my Delaware friend got. My Maryland friend got the wings. He let me try one, and to me, it was less than mediocre. Chicken was kind of dry to me. I let him have a slice of pizza.
When my bill came to my surprise, the total was $15! In MD, VA, & DC, we have a little thing called sales tax, and it can add up. My Delaware friend is lucky to live in a state that has no sales tax, but Maryland has a lot of good qualities too. It did make calculating the tip easier. 20% of $15 is $3. The server was nice & decently efficient although she could've been faster on refilling water.
My friends had gotten a beer, but I was thinking about all the calories of the pizza late at night and decided to just go with water. I'm not a big drinker anyway, but the two friends said that the beer was more of the selling point for them on the place. If I had to do it over, I would've done what my Delaware friend did was just get the cheese pizza & a beer.
Overall, nice server. Could've been a bit faster. Pizza was relatively average; salty ingredients brought the pizza quality down for me. Additionally, I don't like when places do 'Late Night Menu' because it limits the options, and usually it's less desirable &/or less healthy options. But the fact is that because my friends were insistent on going to the game, we were limited on our options at 11 o'clock at night. | 1neutral
| 909 |
This space used to be It Boutique and More. I think their walls were painted blue as well though I recall it being more robin's egg blue than turquoise...was debating if it was left over from them or if they repainted? I am not sure if blue is really the best color or not for them, but I also rarely know anything about interior decorating so I am probably the last person to ask! ;P The Boutique was a women's clothing shop and also sold some children's clothing and other misc gifts. I actually really liked shopping there and I am sad they had to move (her husband got a job in FL, so they moved.)
(That bit was mostly for people who were wondering what happened to It Boutique...!)
BUT that aside, when I saw this place had opened up in their old spot, I decided it would be worth it to take a look. I love ice cream, soda, candy, and SOMETIMES even gooey butter cakes despite their insane sweetness...the flavored ones are generally more tolerable than just plain.
They installed a soda/icecream /bar thing, where customers can sit and enjoy their desserts. The layout seems strange but probably only because I was so used to coming in here and seeing other things previously. I probably just need to get adjusted to it, although it SEEMS like they could rearrange things to make better use of the space. I think they need more tables and less nic-nacs but that's just me.
I looked over their menu and decided I wanted to get a white choco raspberry soda thingy with ice cream. (Ice Cream Soda I think it's called.) But I noticed they only came in 20 oz sizes. Thankfully the woman behind the counter (the owner maybe??) was verrry kind and allowed me to get half the size for half the price. Awesome! Not many people do that. I think they should make "kiddie" sizes of their normal stuff too, so that way health-conscious 'grown-ups' can still come here and enjoy something without paying $6 or $7 for a drink they'e going to drink less than half of and then throw away. :(
When I tried it, it had a good flavor but let's just say it was a non-homogeneous mixture and I found that the ice cream was stuck to the bottom of the cup in a big clump and the fizzy syrup part was kind of more towards the top. I don't understand why they didn't use a blender but maybe I just don't get what an "ice cream soda" is supposed to be. Maybe they served it correctly. It just tasted weird to me because I would get only sips of fizzy sugary syrup and then occasional icecream, so I had to grab the spoon she gave me and physically mix the concoction myself to get it to be even throughout. Maybe it was my fault for asking for a smaller size. I don't know.
I think I would like to go back here and try their other things like gooey butter cake. I am also curious as to where they get their ice cream from. It was pretty good. I wonder if it's local? Their gooey butter cakes are baked in house. They also have candy for sale. It's a cute endeavor and I would like to see them succeed but I think they need to tweak things a bit and maybe get a more extensive menu. Nothing about my trip made me "crave" more from them, but in fairness it was only my first trip!! Service was overall friendly and I am glad to see their family all working together like that.
This review is stuck between 3 and 4 stars I wish I could give 3 and a half, but Yelp doesn't do that yet. I suspect my next trip will solidify whether it's 3 or 4 and repeat trips will help me determine if it's a 5.
PS: I see that there are 11 filtered reviews.... just as a suggestion to the owners of this place, it's not a good a idea to write yourself a bunch of 4 and 5 star reviews on Yelp. And I'm not trying to say they did....but it just looks kind of suspicious because they all cropped up right around the same time. If your business is good, you won't need to write stuff yourself, your business's awesomeness will naturally shine when other Yelpers go visit it and see for themselves that it is good. ;) | 1neutral
| 761 |
Food is good, prices keep rising, if you call in an order you want to get on your 15 min break even 30 ahead and say something, here's how the owner responds:
Nikki Buus Antone: Heres how you can support this veteran owned local business; walk your happy ass up to corporate Mc Starbucks if you've only got 15 minutes. Unfortunately, the dude with a face piercing won't be able to microwave you a frozen GMO chemical sandwich as fast as our homemade healthy food that costs the same. As for prices, Our grand opening was last week and we had to experiment with pricing to feed you at the absolute lowest price that still lets us keep our doors open and feed our 5 kids. We did not build this place to get rich, if we did, our prices would be the same as everyone else downtown. (Double ours) We wanted to offer the people in the courthouse something healthy and affordable, unlike every other option downtown. In retrospect, that was a mistake because most people do not appreciate what they have and just want to complain. Not to our face even, but anonymously on a website. Tell me where you can get anything around here in less than 15 minutes and I will take your complaint seriously. Obviously, this place is brand new, so for you to expect something freshly made in less than 15 minutes from a brand new place is absolutely insaine. Especially since there is no 15 minute guarantee on anything written or verbal. You just assumed that it should be less than 15 minutes. I would bring something from home before I went out expecting a miracle in 15 minutes. We've taken care to explain this to people that lacked the situational awareness to understand what 2 people here are trying to do. We've tried to explain the self serve and self pay salad bar we are building and explained to everyone to call in their order ahead of time for pick up if they are in a hurry. I hope this entire shitty society goes down in flames like Rome just so people like you can see what real struggle is. Go get shot at everyday with no 15 minute breaks then come home to sink every cent you have into a 12 hour a day job, still with no 15 minute breaks and work for free to do something good for people downtown and a bitchy complaint like this will drive you crazy too. It will make you want to give up and go settle for a tax payer funded desk job like yours with a guranteed paycheck, no risk, and with enough 15 minute breaks to complain about people that are busting their ass to provide jobs, pay taxes and the cheapest, best healthy food not only downtown but in this entire city. I guess to understand our struggle, you would have to leave the comfort of your cubicle and take a risk. We've lost more $ in the last 4 months trying to open this place than you make all year. I know because your salary is public information. I looked it up. It's been a long difficult road to get where we are. Heads barely above water. 5 children depending on us. Doing this at my expense (not profitable yet) and with a spinal cord injury compliments of Afghanistan. Not trying to get rich off you, just trying to do something good. Your complaint (our first) took more of my motivation and creativity away than anything has yet to this date. I'm sure you are so plagued by your bad review that you can barely sleep tonite. Take your next 15 minute break at Campo, Silver Peak, SoDo, Granite Street or even Starbucks and tell me how that works out for you. Tell me how their prices are. Then go fuck yourself. The customer isn't always right. Sometimes the customer is a complaining little spoiled bitch with too many 15 minute breaks and no ability to feed themselves without shitting all over good people that are trying to do something good at their own expense. Good job, you made me hate society in one single complaint. I'd rather be back fighting the Taliban than trying to feed unappreciative overfed people in less than 15 minutes that want to lecture us on getting our act together. How are your life dreams working out for you? Your act is together right? Following your dreams? Living to your fullest potential? Or just living one 15 minute break to the next looking for something to complain about that 90% of the rest of the world doesn't even get to have. Now, go shuffle papers around your desk until the next 15 minute break and go ruin someone else's day. Your complaint is exactly why we are failing as a country right now. I wish I could give your complaint a serious consideration and a free drink but we do things differently here. Free drinks are for winners not whiners. We are Battleborn. That's not just a state motto, it is who we are inside. We are not the sheep and we are not the wolves. We are bad ass. | 0negative
| 876 |
Smee's Alaskan Fish Bar and Marketplace has room for so much potential. They probably have one of the best spots, location wise, along the Truckee River and their food is pretty delicious. So why only three stars? I'll do my best to explain.
5.4.19 First off, my room mate and I were walking along the river one sunny afternoon and noticed that Smee's was actually opened. We both were pretty excited and decided to eat here for lunch. The weather was gorgeous and we asked to sit on the patio.
Our server had a positive attitude and a great sense of humor. After browsing through their lunch menu, he was ready to take our orders. He was also quick to mention that their Fish n Chips were very delicious and so was everything else. But he reemphasized that the Fish n Chips were just that good. Of course, I decided on their 3 piece Fish n Chips. My room mate ordered their "Ahi 6oz Sesame Seared Rare, served over chopped romaine asian style salad". Shortly after taking our order, we saw our friend and her mom walking by and they decided to join us for lunch! Of course this sudden added party of 2 caught our server by surprise, but nonetheless he took their drink orders and gave them menus. Our friend's mom also ordered the Seared Ahi Salad and our friend ordered the Fish Tacos.
Our server apologized if we were waiting long for our food saying that this was actually their third day being opened. The wait wasn't long and when all of our food arrived to the table, we happily ate away. Just as our server mentioned, their Fish n Chips were pretty damn good. Honestly, it was probably one of my favorites in Reno. The batter was very light and flaky, and the fish was tender and juicy. The fish tacos were refreshing, but it was a little dry with all that tortilla. Each taco had two layers of tortilla, which made for a sturdier taco, but in the end made a dryer bite. Their Seared Ahi Salad was also tasty and quite filling.
With this only being their third day opened, I thought to myself that Smee's is doing very well this early. It was a near perfect lunch service with a great view of the Eddy and Truckee River.
5.14.19 About two weeks later, my room mate, my friend, his fiancé and I decided to come here for dinner. We noticed that the dinner service seemed a bit more formal than their lunch service. After being seated, we browsed through their dinner menu and were saddened when we didn't see any Fish n Chips listed on there.
Our server had an upbeat attitude and took down our drink orders. My friends asked her what wine they had and she didn't seem to know off the top of her head. She tried to describe the wine saying that it was a white wine and that it went well with fish. She then tried to pronounce the name of the wine to which we knew she was trying to pronounce "Sauvignon Blanc". Now in her defense, I don't blame her at all. Working at a couple of different restaurants myself, I don't expect servers to be sommeliers by any means. I think it's up to the restaurant managers to hold meetings with the restaurant staff to make sure they're informed on certain dinner specials (if there is any) as well as drink specials or drinks on hand. For us, seeing that dinner entrees were $30 plus there is a whole new set of expectations a restaurant should meet. Again, we didn't blame our server one bit, in fact, we loved her. She had a cheery attitude and was very pleasant throughout our dinner service.
When it came time to order, my friend and I ordered the Pacific Prawns, our other friend ordered their Roasted Alaskan Halibut, and my room mate ordered the Seared Scallops. We also ordered their 6 piece Pacific Coast Oysters.
The oysters may have been small, but they were clean and very refreshing. I was a little disappointed at my Pacific Prawns unfortunately. They weren't bad by any means, but they weren't great. The batter was a bit doughy and there wasn't much flavor throughout the plate. The wild mushroom rice seemed a bit bland. Again, I don't mean to sound so nit picky, but like I said before, if you're going to charge $30 plus for an entree, there are new expectations that should be met. However, the Seared Scallops and the Roasted Alaskan Halibut were both very tasty.
Something to note: Throughout our dinner service, only after we ordered and got our food, we noticed that other parties arriving after us ordered Fish n Chips. We were all pretty shocked and didn't know we could order that during dinner. There was no sign or separate menu. Of course, we were pretty disappointed.
All in all, Smee's has a lot of great things going for it. With prime location and flavorful foods, all they really need to work on are some minor kinks. With keeping their restaurant staff well informed and being more prepared with separate menus, (if you're serving items other than the ones on the dinner menu) that's really all there is to it. Other than that, I am looking forward to our next future visit. | 1neutral
| 906 |
First let me say that I grade on a curve. If you are a McDonalds I expect that my food will be hot, all ingredients on the bun and not spread all over the box, service that isn't overtly rude, and a cleanish bathroom. So clearly a McDonalds has a very high bar to hurdle. ;) But when you are a highly regarded, trend setting, gastropub featured on TV... you better deliver.
Datz does just that... mostly.
I was here a year ago for a Yelp event which was wonderful and had wanted to come back. It was a Tuesday morning and I needed a pick me up after a rough meeting. I had my heart set on some chicken and waffles for breakfast which I heard were awesome. I am a freak for chicken and waffles. In fact my first children may be named chicken and waffles. If the celebs can pick intelligent names for their kids like Kyd, South West, Tu Morrow, and Diva Thin Muffin, then I can and will name my kids Chiken and Wafflez. Take that Kardashians!
BUT.. They don't do C&W for breakfast except on weekends. Cue some Aerosmith... "I was cryin when I met you, now I'm tryin to forget you, Love is sweet waffles smothered in Spicy Buffalo Trace bourbon maple syrup with a side of rosemary fried chicken..." Er well ok maybe not but it is at least lust. Or Gluttony. Or both.
So alright that is fine. It seems that they don't have the fryers running at 10 AM. Oh well.
So I ended up having to look at the menu. Boo hoo right? And it is a great menu before you even leave the drink menu. The menu mixes some interesting and unusual combinations of ingredients and elevates versions of more common dishes. The menu is large so you are guaranteed to find something that you like unless you want breakfast for lunch or lunch for breakfast et cetera. (Yes I am still Cryin)
I ordered a bootlegger. The bootlegger is a breakfast sandwich with a fried egg on thick sliced ham smothered in a Cigar City Jai Alai beer cheese all on a pretzel bun. I also got a side of bacon roasted potatoes.
First the bootlegger is $10, which is on the high side for breakfast, but Datz is a little expensive for everything ($18 for C&W and $10 for drinks). You are trading your low cost for high quality, a fun atmosphere, and creativity. As far as the three preceding qualities go, Datz delivered in spades. But there were some problems. First the potatoes were good: correctly cooked, flavorful but not over spiced, and plentiful. I would like a bit more bacon flavor but now I am just nit picking.
But the bootlegger could use some adjustment. If IHOP gave me this it would be 5 stars but this is Datz so here is how it could be better. First, cook the egg in a template to limit the size because I couldn't find the bottom bun without digging through the eggs. I mean the fried eggs were twice the size of the bun. And then they were smothered with runny beer cheese. Now I love beer cheese but because of the runniness of the beer cheese I got really messy, like up to my wrists messy, before giving up and eating my sandwich with a fork. And the flavors: The egg... Salty and Savory. The beer cheese... salty and savory. The ham... Salty and Savory. So the whole dish is salty and savory but it was really too salty. And I like a good dose of salt and savor but this was too much. It really needs something to cut it and create balance. And as I said, I grade on a curve and Datz is way ahead of the curve.
The service was great once I got seated. They have a host stand but it was abandoned so the person behind the candy counter (they have a candy counter that sells William Dean chocolates and baked good) just told me to sit anywhere. Once I was seated my server was nice and attentive and friendly.
The space is like no other space I have been to. Is it a high-end food store? Is it a bar? Is it a restaurant? The answer is YES! And while I have castigated other restaurants for not having an identity that makes sense (see my Bokampers review) somehow it works here. It just feels right. This undoubtedly due to either great luck or careful planning.
The only other issue is parking. Datz is popular and so finding parking is a challenge. Datz has an overflow lot around the corner but it isn't nearly enough.
Bottom line: I grade on a curve and here they are way ahead of that curve. This is a must try restaurant that has been and will continue to be a model for other establishments around the bay. Expect high quality with prices to match. And while some things don't measure up to my curve that is what happens with creativity. These sorts of risks are the only way to achieve greatness. Datz is nearly there. I will revisit after I finally get my waffly goodness and that may be enough to push them to a full 5 stars. But for now sweet, sticky greatness hasn't quite stuck yet. | 2positive
| 905 |
This was my second time at NOLA, and both have been fantastic. I went about 6 years ago on a trade show trip, and went again a few nights ago when in town for the same trade show. When I heard the show was back in New Orleans, I knew I'd be coming to NOLA again for dinner.
The space is very busy and bustling, and this time our party was sat in the upstairs room, which was crowded and lively. The waitstaff was superb. They do wait "teams" here instead of just one waiter, so you're always being checked on and taken care of.
They have vodka steeping in all sorts of pickled veggies: green beans, sundried tomatoes, garlic, olives, etc. They have it listed on the menu for the Cajun Bloody Mary, but excuse me if it isn't just PERFECT for a Cajun dirty Martini! The spicy pickled vodka was perfect for a pre-dinner drink while we tried to decide on what to get.
For starters, we shared the Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula ($9). It was done in the wood-fired oven and the hostess told us it was her favorite dish while she took us to our table. She was right...it was good. My only slight complaint is that there was very little duck confit. I think there should've been a tad more. We also shared the Emeril's Barbecued Gulf Shrimp with Rosemary Biscuit ($10), which is one of his signature dishes. None of us were that impressed with this. It was okay, but we were expecting great, especially since the waiter told us it was one of his best dishes. We also shared the Maine Lobster and Celery Root tossed in a Green Onion-Buttermilk Dressing with Roasted Beets, Spiced Walnuts and Arugula ($14). This was great! The lobster was sweet and delectable and the shaved, crisp celery root played really well off the succulent lobster. Plus, add beets to anything, and it's 40x's better.
For mains, I got the Garlic Crusted Drum Cooked in the Wood Burning Oven with Brabant Potatoes, Crimini Mushrooms, Bacon and Sauce Beurre Rouge ($30). Of the three entrees, this was the least favorite of the table. It was another one recommended by the hostess. It just seemed to fall a little short to me. Nothing on the plate stood out to me as great, so while it was good indeed, it just didn't wow me. Friend 1 got the Rib Eye, but done with the Filet Mignon menu sides on the waiter's recommendation: with Thyme Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes, House Cured Bacon, Maytag Blue Cheese, Toasted Walnuts, Port Wine-Veal Glacé and Shallot Crisps ($38). This was ridiculously decadent and delicious! The rib eye was boneless, but had so much flavor and just the right amount of fat. The blue cheese and port wine just made it that much richer and scrumptious! Friend 2 got the Buttermilk Fried Breast of Chicken with Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Country
Ham Cream Gravy and Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas ($27). This was some seriously good fried chicken. It was really crusted with the breading, and fried perfectly, and so moist inside! The sweet potatoes and snap peas were perfect sides to this down-home comfort food dish.
For dessert, we shared a Kings Cake something or other. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was damn good. Came with cheesecake ice cream that was one of the yummiest things I've ever had! We also got a scoop of the Rosemary Grapefruit sorbet. This wasn't as successful. They used too much rosemary and it was overpowering, and the grapefruit was so tart I didn't feel they were a good combination. It sure was interesting though.
A small complaint is that I wish the portions were smaller, because none of us finished our meals. Not that you have to finish them, but my mindset is charge slightly less and make the portions reasonable instead of charging more and making them gigantic. They were literally gigantic. And then it is a bummer to see all that wasted food. I think Friend 1 and 2 only ate about half of their meals, since they were so big and heavy. My fish wasn't as large of a portion, but it was still much bigger than it needed to be. They must waste so much food every night, so I wish they'd do smaller plates.
I do recommend this place highly. It's definitely expensive, but when the company's paying, that's fine! It's perfect for a special occasion or a foodie in town on vacation. The wait staff was great, the vibe was lively, and the food was delicious. | 2positive
| 786 |
I am not one to leave reviews unless it's exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I woke up this morning still shocked how bad it was. I was so excited for our reservations here that I'm surprised how bad service and food were and not sure I'd go back. The hostess was great but it was all downhill from there. We were a family of 5 with a very patient, potty trained 1.5yr old toddler (just kidding, that's not real) in the group as well. So, I wanted to order 2 sides for said toddler as soon as we were sat but our waitress took 10min just to greet us and get our drink order (water), on a not very busy night (Monday). I ordered mashed potatoes and fruit, simple, easy and quick items. It took another 20min for those to arrive...just kidding, they didn't have fruit (or vegetables or soup) but I wasn't told until the potatoes arrived. So 20 min for mashed potatoes that def weren't homemade so no reason for them to be so long. We ordered our food as quickly as we could which was also fun, since most items like vegetables and soup were not avail. We did get salads (so those had veggies but they could not make cooked veggies). One of our side salads arrived and had a French fry in it. Odd I thought.
Then, we had to go to the bathroom for a diaper change...a pretty common thing for most families when out with a diapered child which lasts until they are 2-3yrs old. Sooo again, something you'd think they'd have is a changing table or other flat surface for said changing. Nope. Thankfully, the toddler has a sweet big sis who held her head as it would've dangled off the sink counter so I could change her diaper on the sink counter. They had a designated bathroom cleaner girl in there that was embarrassed and didn't know what to do... every other mom that entered was more pissed off than I was when they saw there wasn't a changing area and how we struggled to get the job done. It's 2018 guys, changing tables should be in both bathrooms by now.
So now it's been over 1.5hrs since we were seated and I was sure our food would be at the table since we took a while in the bathroom...NOPE. Oh, and I forgot to tell you about our "super apologetic, pleasant waitress", just kidding, she didn't exist. Ours would come by every 15-20min, never apologize and repeat, it's only a soft opening with an attitude each time, like "lower your standards people"...even though people seated after us had their food
I asked for the food to go at that point because I knew we couldn't eat there with it getting so late if the food ever came. I could no longer keep the toddler contained since it was getting late and I'm not one to let a kid be wild in public if I can hide her. Also, big sis and myself were hungry, so we left the husband there to deal with it and went home. As we are leaving, the waitress says "they are plating your food" after I had told her we need it TO GO I have no chill left anymore, so we keep walking because I have to raise tiny humans and be a good example...Husband gets the food to go and for free at this point because finally the manager (not waitress) tells him "we lost your ticket and found it on the floor finally and that's why your food came so late". The waitress never once said our ticket was lost, only that it's the "soft opening" and we should just ignore all major issues. These issues are ones that cause restaurants to fail. These are people problems! Top down changes needed ASAP. Don't open until you have basic items like fruit and veggies stocked and skilled workers to actually cook and prepare them!
THE FOOD was also the least impressive part of the night. Items were microwaved: corn on the cob was so bad it was chewy like gummies and would stick to my teeth, bourbon butter cauliflower and corn also clearly microwaved and nothing good, waffles in the chicken and waffles entree also horribly floppy/soft clearly right out of the microwave, like wtf?!? Other items were frozen and pre-packaged, nothing tasted or looked freshly made. Meatloaf had this off flavor and did not taste like anything my mother or even myself, with my subpar cooking skills, would ever make and they forgot the mashed potatoes for it. Get it together please! We had reservations, but their Facebook page had said they were taking walk ins and they were serving the full menu. No excuses for so many issues with such poor service. I'd go for drinks on the rooftop only but the Fenway is gonna have better views.
By the way, we were all very sweet to them and never once lost our cool. We were forgiving every step of the way but got zero apology or excuse other than it's our "soft opening" from the waitress. | 0negative
| 867 |
I am a teacher and my fiancé and I brought 3 of my former students here for the Christmas hayride which none of us had ever been to prior. We came on a Friday night around 6:15. If you want the short and sweet version I would say it was nice but extremely expensive and not really worth the cost.
On to the details...
First of all, we came on a rainy Friday night with no crowd. I asked if they do teacher discounts and I told them that I brought 3 of my former students. The lady at the register looked at the other lady and asked and she basically laughed at me as she said no. That pissed me off if I'm being honest. They know they're overcharging and it's crappy weather and I'm bringing students on my own, you would think they would have some Christmas spirit. They didn't and the laugh is what really got me. We paid $60 for the two of us and my three students. The rich get richer. Anyway...
We get on a tractor and are told to wait. Another group of three joined us. Other than that, there was no one as far as the eye could see. As I said, it was raining and the rain was expected to get heavier so I was ready for them to get the show on the road but we had to wait. And wait. And wait. Even though the website says they leave every five minutes. What was the difference anyway?!?! There were a million tractors lined up and a bunch of employees waiting. Just go!
The lights themselves were good. There were some cool parts. A lot of animatronics. I think they could do wayyyyyy more. Especially considering the space they have...and the space that is untouched as you're riding around.
One of the girls was disappointed that there wasn't any hay. She said, isn't this supposed to be a hay ride?!?! Where's the hay?!
The gentlemen working the tractor were nice. We had to jump off for the bathroom, which turned out to only be port a potties which the girls weren't thrilled about. One of the guys even let one of the girls use his flashlight since it was dark. He told her not to drop it in. Lol. That was brave of him! For as long as people spend here and as much money as they make and as much space as they have, there should definitely be some regular bathrooms.
There are live animals in a nativity scene as you enter after parking. They have a few other things that you can walk around and take pictures with like a giant yeti or whatever he was supposed to be, a carriage that reminded me of Cinderella, etc.
The girls heard them advertise for the giant gingerbread house during the hayride so they kept asking to go there but it turns out it was just a brown snack bar designed to look (kind of) like a gingerbread house.
You are able to cut your trees down here or buy some that are already cut down. They have a fire pit which was cool to stand around and take pictures near for a few minutes.
There is plenty of parking available and there isn't even close to the mayhem for Christmas as there is for the Halloween attraction.
We didn't see the live reindeer that other reviewers keep mentioning. Maybe the real reindeer are gone now?
There was a hit with merchandise but no people in it? The girls mentioned it being a store. I told them to get out of it because I thought it was for employees only and I didn't want them to get in trouble. As I got closer I realized there were prices listed on shelves. So I'm still unclear as to whether they were trying to sell the stuff or not. If they were I don't know how you're supposed to buy it because the people in the hit next door made no moves when they saw us there.
Last year we took these girls to Philly for all of the Christmas shows...the Macy's light show, the Comcast show, the dickens village and the city hall show. Their light shows are a million times better and $60 cheaper since everything is free. They even let you take pictures with Santa as opposed to here where there are signs plastered everywhere that you can't take your own pictures and people staring at you like hawks to enforce that rule. We actually saw Santa outside walking around and one of the girls asked him to take a picture and he told her she had to come inside. Again, where's the Christmas spirit?!?! You're Santa. Just take a quick picture with an excited little girl instead of trying to make money off of her and her teacher that is taking her out for a fun night.
I wanted to do the philly shows again but we couldn't fit that trip into the busy time of year this holiday season. I would definitely return to philly over returning here. It absolutely wasn't impressive enough to spend $60 on it. It's nice to do once but I wouldn't return unless it was free.
The ground was SUPER muddy and it DESTROYED our car...especially where the girls were playing and moving around. Make sure you wear rain boots or duck boots and not any nice shoes. You definitely won't want to wear your nice Uggs! | 1neutral
| 925 |
Well, I should have known better than to enter a restaurant a few weeks old.
This is a new cocktail club in the suburbs, They boast of booking talent who sing from The Great American songbook. They want to remind you of the 40's in what they do.
The food is very traditional and nothing overly creative. It is simple stuff like steak and shrimp cocktails.
You should know most of the offerings are seafood and steak. Not much choice for other tastes.
So, the experience we arrived and the main dining room was full already so we sat outside. We started up as the only table outside, so I figured we would get awesome attention. And within 10-15 minutes all the tables outside were full as well as every table inside. There was one waiter assigned to multiple tables outside. It appears there was one other person assisting him.
We ordered our drinks, a small sized beer offering and I like beer. It did not appear any beer offerings were on tap, bottles only. I could be wrong. It came out quickly and was served.
We then ordered appetizers and main course.The waiter answered some simple questions about things my wife wanted. She ended up having Sea Scallops with creamed corn. However, she asked if she could have it without creamed corn or something else. He said no, the Chef is from New York and does not like to do that. So she said ok. She also ordered Steamed clams.
I ordered Roasted Beef Bone Marrow and a New York Strip.
At that point, we were no longer a concern of the waiter. He was off to other tables, not a good sign.
The bone marrow was good and the caper/shallot spread was good.
Although, the pressed oil was hiding and I did not see it until most of the marrow was gone. It was needed to balance the bitterness of the spread. As it had a nice sweetness in it.
My wife had a good time eating her clams.
Then it happened, a long wait for the main course. Water not being filled back up. The waiter looked a bit overwhelmed with all the tables he had to cover. No one else came out to help him or adjust to make things a little smoother.
So, the meal finally comes out. My wife likes her Scallops and said the creamed corn fit the dish well.
I cut into my NY Strip, and it was cooked too much for my liking. I like Medium-Rare, and this had very little pink left in it. I wondered if it was the table next to me, I heard him asked for medium well done.
I sat and kind of waited for the waiter to come by. Staff buzzed by a few times. My wife ate her meal. Staff buzzed by and I didn't eat the steak. It was pricey and needed to be done right. The waiter finally noticed and I informed him it was over cooked. He got a staff to come take it, who asked what was wrong or was I done. He had to say it was over cooked, and then said inform management immediately.
So I waited thinking management would probably come apologize.We sat and waited not knowing what was going on. The manager came out to the table, I thought ok he will let us know what is happening. He simply said having a good evening and asked my wife if she was done. Yes, she was done and I had no food. It is probably the single most awkward moment I've had in a restaurant. We waited a little more. And I decided to go inside and ask.
I explained the problem, the manager knew about it. He said the steak is being cooked and is being rushed. I explained there was no communication or apology and it was starting to get ridiculous. So why not say something when you visited the table? Or an apology?
The new Steak came out as we were speaking. I sat down, the manager indicated he was sorry. Ok, he even admitted it is uncomfortable eating next to someone who was not and asked if my wife wanted something. Then left. So I cut into the Steak, and I was concerned. I took a bite and it was cold in the middle, so now it was under cooked.
I saw a staff and asked for the manager. And indicated that it is under cooked and raw. He admitted it was a little rare.
He took the plate and apologized. He said they would cook it more and I declined at that point.
At that point, he apologized profusely for ruining the evening and that they want to get the first time right. He essentially said there was a show next door and were slammed. And they have to get it right as they have 200 shows a year at the Keswick Theater.
He indicated they are new and still working out the issues. And this is why the official opening is in the fall.
My suggestion, wait until the fall to let them work out the kinks or check the theater schedule prior to going there. They were understaffed. I noticed it and could see things slipping in service, like long waits for food. Forgetting water refills and checking on the guests status.
I hope they get it right. It would be a good addition to the area. It is different from the standard bars around.
I will wait to revisit this place later. A little pricey for the area, needs more attention to detail. | 0negative
| 945 |
My family and I were visiting family in St. Louis and we had heard a lot about Pappy's. My sister who lives here had never had pappy's because she said they always had a long line and neither of us are BBQ fans. Our dad was with us and he loves BBQ, so after a day of telling us how much he wanted to go, we headed over there. We went at around 1:30 and the line was out the door. The parking lot in the back was almost full and we figured it was all for Pappy's as it looked like the other shops on the strip looked closed.
The line was full and they told us it was a 45min wait from where we were standing. My parents were excited so we stayed. The families in front of us and behind us were all from out of town, as well and had never tried Pappy's. The line moved quickly and they have someone sitting at the entrance passing out menus so you can decide what you want as you wait in line. We waited and it was pretty much 45 minutes. You can call in a order but if you do you have to pick up and can not dine in. Were surprised that with all the people that after we got our food we wouldn't find a seat. There are lots of signs as you go forward in line that say don't hold tables until after you eat. As we got closer to the cashier there was someone their assisting in seating. They find you a seat so that after you place your order you know where to go. You place your order and sit, then they'll call your name and deliver you food to the table. The whole system was smooth running and it may the line keep moving.
The food is cooker earlier so after you order the food is ready after a minute.
They have fountain drinks and a some bottled pop from frits or something like that. The fountain drinks and the bottled pop are the same price. I got the cream soda, root beer, and strawberry since I couldn't decide which one. My dad got the black cherry. So far I have only consumed the cream soda and it was sooo good. We had asked what the best sides were-- they said sweet potato fries, fried corn on cob, and baked beans. My mom got the potato salad and fried corn on cob, I got the baked beans and green beans. My little sis ordered a double order of sweet potato fries and my dad got the baked potato that counts as two sides. The fries were great and I don't even like sweet potato fries. My baked beans and green beans were really good it was cooked just right. My mom wasn't impressed with the fried corn on the cob, but was surprised to like the potato salad since Pappy's doesn't make it. Baked potato was good too.
MEATS-- Sorry I don't remember the whole menu. Our order comprised pulled chicken, pulled pork and ribs. My mom loved her ribs says they were totally tender and falling of the bone. I ordered the large pulled chicken platter, since that was the most amount of meat. I also order a soft bun on the side. My pulled chicken was great and I would say it was the best BBQ pulled chicken I've ever had. It was tender and juicy. Even without any sauce it was good. I made a pulled chicken sandwich with my side order bun, and still had a good amount of chicken left to take home with me. My sister said the pulled pork was very dry, but thought the ribs were good. My dad loved the chicken and ribs he got but was disappointed in the Pappy BBQ sauces. They have three sauces on the table, one is sweet, one is hot, and then was a more traditional BBQ. We both liked the sweet baby Janes and I liked the hot one and sweet mixed. We were not disappointed in our food with Pappy's.
My mom felt they cleared away and got people seated quickly. They had so many employees going around and they were all working quickly to do their part of the system. We had people come check on how were doing and we felt very happy with our Pappy experience.
Since I'm not a BBQ person I couldn't rate this five stars, but if you like BBQ it would probably be a five star for you. The food was really good and I would go to Pappy's again, just a different time with a smaller line. | 2positive
| 791 |
Marrakesh is a total package dining experience. Not only do you get to eat authentic Moroccan cuisine, you get to enjoy a cultural experience as well.
You may have walked past Marrakesh or the surrounding streets many times without even realizing it was there, like I had prior to this visit. It's nestled on Leithgow Street just a notch off of South Street. Forget South Street or even the rest of Philadelphia for that matter. You are about to step into a different world. To enter you must ring the doorbell on the side door.
I felt more like I was going to a house, than a restaurant; especially with the shower located in the restroom on the second floor. During my entire visit, I never felt like I was at a restaurant. I felt comfortable and relaxed. Maybe eating with your hands with a towel on your lap has that effect.
I found my group of fellow Yelpers in a cozy private room. The room had four tables with booth seating along the outskirts of the room. Ottoman like chairs took up the rest of the space for the rest of us. With such a large group in not the largest of spaces, it got loud.
Our meal started with customary hand-washing and we were even entertained twice with a belly dancer. After placing our order, the food kept flowing. The service was probably the most unobtrusive service I've ever had. As one dish was placed in front of us, another was seamlessly removed. I felt like royalty or at least someone enjoying a nice meal at someone's dinner party. The regular dining formalities I'm used to were thrown out the window, and it was fantastic!
As I'm sure you're aware, this $25 prix fixe menu has seven courses and you are welcome to BYOB. While it was a ton of food, I walked in the door absolutely starving and walked out not overly stuffed. I believe most people left absolutely full, so maybe the tip is to come in extremely hungry. Here's a little rundown of dining experience:
Course 1: Three-Salad Platter- The eggplant is phenomenal (and messy). Luckily you have some assistance from the pita to eat it. The cucumbers and bell peppers and carrots and cucumber were good, but the eggplant stole the show.
Course 2: The B'stella- As someone who doesn't normally love sweets but loves cinnamon, carbs and meat, this dish was a winner. This dish was dough filled with chicken, nuts, almonds, egg, peppers and onions. It was really hot at first, but once you cracked open the shell and let it cool down, it was easier to eat. I had some pita saved from the first course, so I found it easy to break off a piece and rest it on the pita while it cooled down. Truly a sweet-savory delight.
Course 3: Chicken- So here's where the choices began. You can either get chicken with lemon or spicy chicken. My group opted to get the spicy chicken with the cumin sauce on the side. The chicken was melt in your hands and then melt in your mouth good. The spicy sauce had a nice kick without being overly spicy to me. I still had some pita leftover so I did a little dipping with the sauce.
Course 4: Beef or Lamb- My table got a little creative here and asked for half portions of both the beef and lamb. The beef was served shish kebab style, and to be honest, not my favorite. It was a little well done, and I struggled a little to get it off the stick resulting in a pepper flying into my husband's wine glass. Sauvignon blanc tastes best with a little pepper anyways, right? The lamb was perfect. Even the non-lamb eaters thought it was delicious. It was tender and took on the flavor of the chick peas and onions without having an overwhelming lamb flavor.
Course 5: Couscous with veggies, chick peas and raisins- This was probably my least favorite dish from the main meal. It was a little blander than other couscous dishes I've tried in the past. I would have been disappointed if this was the only thing I ordered, but everything was a hit thus far in the evening. They did give us spoons at this point, so don't worry about eating the little grains with your hands.
Courses 6 & 7: Dessert- I'm assuming the tea, fruit and pastries count as the sixth and seventh courses. At this point in the evening, my bottle of wine had been consumed and I wasn't counting the dishes, and am making this assumption while referencing the menu. I'm not a tea fan so I passed. The pastries were little crisp triangles that reminded me of baklava. The fruit came out frozen was a little hard to eat. I nibbled on a strawberry and took a banana for the road since the majority of the group passed on the fruit. Perhaps the fruit was customary, but I thought a little unnecessary. If it's part of the traditional meal then no harm, no foul.
To sum it up, I had delicious food and hours of fun. It's an experience not to be missed in Philadelphia, especially if you go with an adventurous group of friends. While I couldn't imagine going to Marrakesh every Friday night, I can definitely pick a handful of occasions that would be a perfect fit. | 2positive
| 914 |
Let me start by saying that Bayona and Herbsaint have been among my favorite restaurants in the city for decades (Bayona) and so I had high hopes for Susan Spicer's newest venture. Let me also say that the restaurant had only been open for 2 weeks when we dined there last night and so were expecting some kinks. Having said that, the restaurant disappointed on all fronts.
We opted to sit on the patio which means that you order at the bar, get your own utensils and plastic cups of water from a stand and your meal is brought to your table. Odd when your ticket for one person's meal comes to $39 (without alcohol) but it was a pretty night and we were up for the experience. First, the bartender misentered my order, forgetting to add my entree, which required that 2 staffers get involved to correct the error. Although a line had formed behind me, she was very kind and it was a totally forgivable mistake. However, to save face with the senior employee who came to fix the error, she completely and unnecessarily lied, telling the senior employee that after I had placed my order, I decided to add an entree. It was such an innocent mistake by a new and sweet bartender that there was no need to lie in front of me as if I wouldn't notice. Perhaps it was a mistake but I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing and the person behind me in line volunteered unsolicitedly that he heard it too! Tip to restaurant employees: if you're going to lie to a supervisor about a guest problem to CYA, don't do it in front of the guest.
I was on the fence about ordering a chopped salad (not a fan of romaine or iceberg salads) so I asked about the type of greens and was told it was a blend of romaine, radicchio and kale. When it came out, it was all romaine. I brought it inside to ask about the missing kale. The bartender repeated that it should have kale and sent it back to the kitchen. A server came out and explained that there was a mistake and that the chopped salad did not have any greens. Even though it was known that I would not have ordered the salad but for the affirmative representation that it was a mixture of kale, no one offered to take the salad away and remove it from my ticket or replace it with the mushroom salad which I was told did have greens.
I specifically asked for ice water with lemon. I was told that the water station was outside. I then asked specifically whether there was ice out there and was told there was. No ice, no lemon, only plastic cups. I was told that I was to grab my utensils from the water station. Despite it only being 630, there were no forks -- only knives. I asked for salt and unbelievably a server turned around and grabbed a saltshaker from an occupied table and handed it to me without asking the occupant! My fried oysters were the smallest I have ever seen. More batter than oyster, almost like oyster crumbs. We joked that i must have ordered "oyster debris." The oysters were advertised as being accompanied by "dipping sauce" which turned out to be ketchup (perhaps with Worcester sauce). Salad was fair. I asked for extra dressing and was brought a bowl with maybe a tablespoons worth. My Cochon du lait poboy was fair. Infinitely better Cochon du lait poboys (and ones with more meat than bread) can be found at the poboy festival but I recognize that there are as many different preferences for poboys as there are ways to make them. One guest thoroughly enjoyed his brisket. The other thought his pork chop was fair. My salad and oysters came out almost instantly. One guest had to wait for at least 10 minutes after I got my food to get his salad (which was inexplicably brought out with his entrée).
Guys, I try to give restaurants the benefit of the doubt and so when I'm reading reviews, i usually reject long-winded ones like mine one out of hand because i hope they only speak to one person's isolated bad experience and don't speak to the overall quality of the food and service. I hope that's the case with this restaurant. However, there were so many compounded mishaps that I would feel remiss not sharing. I also recognize that this restaurant had only been open for two weeks, but after 30 years experience, one would think that Susan Spicer would know how to open a restaurant... | 0negative
| 788 |
In the way of word association, when host/owner DK Kelly asked "How was everything?" as our party of four departed, the single word that popped to my tongue was "Extraordinary!". Wiith that exclamatory emphasis. Each element of this little jewel of a French bistro created by husband DK, who manages front of house, and wife Sara, who is the Chef running the kitchen, adds up to perfect. Being fans of the Kelly's earlier Boise venture, remarkable sandwich eatery 'bleubird', we arrived at Petite 4 with lofty expectations. Expectations were exceeded on every level for charming hospitality, artful ambiance, splendid service and wonderful food.
BOTTOM LINE: The English noun restaurant is derived from the French verb restaurer - to restore. As in to restore the spirit. And so it does to dine at Petite 4. It is joy filled. Go!
A TIP: reservations are essential if you want table seating and they take calls for reservations only between 3-5pm on Tu-Sat.
HOSPITALITY: DK makes gracious hospitality seem effortless. It is a gift. The charm of "all are welcome" starts from the time reservations are made and continues through being greeted at the door as if you are the special ones they have been waiting for as you are escorted to your table. Lovely to be made to feel welcome like that.
FOOD: Ooh-la-la! Each bistro-inspired dish is a feast for the taste buds and delightfully plated in feast for the eyes. Portions are ample. Something we learned on our first visit when four of us shared two starters and each ordered a seafood dish individually followed by two shared desserts is we would have been better to share a couple of those seafood dishes between us because we were full to the gills. Whether you like to order dishes to share or prefer your own dish to savor, this is the place. From my seat I could see Chef Sara Kelly and her kitchen team working to create fabulous food. Imagine the skill needed to be able to produce this kind of excellence five days week!
SERVICE: EJ made wonderful food taste even better through the quality of her service in striking the exactly right balance of professional, knowledgeable and friendly. She clearly loves her job and made us love our experience there. She could answer our questions about the restaurant, the menu and also those we asked about ingredients in various dishes. Her timing of plates to the table was perfect. Her handling of the wine service for both bottles was expert (and she was gracious when some was spilled by us and needed cleaning). We felt extremely well tended but never rushed or hovered over.
MENU: Cleverly and logically arranged at the same time to make it both fun to read and easy to follow for understanding all a-la-carte options. The only difficult thing is choosing among excellent alternatives and leaving room for dessert. (Lemon meringue pie has true French meringue!) Daily specials offered separately. Prices run @$3 - $22 regular menu and specials. See menu link here. http://eatatpetite4.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DinnerMenu_FINAL.pdf
LIBATIONS: Good wine list with several by glass (@ $8-11) and many by bottle (@ $30-78) from both domestic and European vintners. We chose bottles but noted the couple next to us received generous by-glass pours. Top quality stemware is used. Being old winos...umm long time oenophiles...we appreciate these things. There are also creative house made sodas, some beers and French Press coffee.
DESIGN DETAILS: Every element, from interior to table settings to menu format, is perfectly woven together in the sophisti-whimsy hallmark style of the Kellys with ambiance that nearly says "Bienvenue!" right out loud. This is loving care translated to the visual. From the green ceiling, with an artichoke painted on it over the open kitchen, to the gold-colored upholstery on tufted banquette backs and high chairs at bar, to café chairs at tables, to gold and white geometric wallpaper, to round mirrors, to patterned floors, to mismatched flatware, to quality dishware, to bistro cloth napkins, to the pinstriped aprons worn by servers, it is all "aaahh..."somely done.
SEATING: 9 or 10 standard height two-top tables with banguette backs and cafe chairs on the aisle side that seat maybe 18 - 20. Another 7 or so upholstered high seats at the bar. A few backless metal stools tucked at kitchen counter. Kitchen counter seating is for walk ins. If you need standard height seating, be sure to ask for a table when you reserve.
ACCESSIBILITY: ADA parking near front door. Level in the door and all on one level. Ample aisle space from door to tables. Looks like wheelchair space for seating on aisle side of tables. (I have MS so notice.)
LOCATION & PARKING: Bench neighborhood. Private lot.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Introducing monthly European brunches and monthly prix-fixe Sunday dinners. See web site. | 2positive
| 805 |
I am writing this review based on a dinner we had on Christmas Eve 2016. A friend had given us an American Express gift card and we decided to use that for dinner. We were out and not at home because we had lost our daughter not even a month before so we were looking forward to a nice night out. I'll start with the food and explain why I am only giving 3 stars.
Crab Cake- 5 stars, this was very good. It only came with one; it would be nice to have two but it was absolutely delicious.
Traditional Escargot - Again delicious - 5 stars
We also ordered a double Crown Royal and I had ordered 2 lemon drops however the second never came-not a big deal because I was ready for the main course. The one I had was very good.
I decided to order the French Onion soup which was good and my husband had the house salad. I have seen a lot of comments on this salad that it is a bit different but I will say I ended up eating his salad, it was exquisite. The tuile ring mixed with the salad and dressing was a wonderful combination of flavors. Hands down the best dinner salad I have had. I would give it a 10, but I am big on salad.
Main Course - This was a little bit of a let down. I had the king crab legs, they were good but I got the feeling that they had been re-heated possibly? They seemed a little bit dry, was still good. My husband ordered steak, I believe it was the porterhouse. It was a little bit over cooked which is a bummer when you pay $49 for a steak, but it was still good.
The reason I am not giving more stars and have even struggled with giving one star - we gave our American Express gift card, which said right on the front it was $500 to our waiter before we received the bill because my husband was getting antsy to go explore the casino. We have done this many times at other high end restaurants and have never had a problem. The waiter returned with only a slip to sign, no detail of the bill. Ok, no biggie until we see the total, a few dollars short of $400. We ordered quite a bit of food but in no way did it come to that much. So we asked for a detailed bill, this is when things started to get really strange. After waiting 10-15 minutes we look over at the wait station and there are 3 gentlemen looking very stressed and keep looking up at us. My husband decided to finally go over and ask what the problem was. To make a long story short, the whole encounter was very odd and seems a bit suspicious. I would not have thought anything of it if it had it not been for the way the staff, and then the manager were acting. I felt like they did not want to give us the detail and they were trying to hide something. When we finally got our detailed bill they had charged us for two of every appetizer, two steaks, and I can't even remember what else was on there that we did not order two of. Based on the way they acted I felt like this was done on purpose. I have asked many people I know who are in the business and they said it is very difficult to accidentally order two of almost everything, it just doesn't happen by accident. Secondly, our waiter should have questioned why our bill was so out of whack. Unfortunately I left feeling like we had been taken advantage of, treated poorly and embarrassed to have to have this confrontation in front of people. We ended up just going back to our room and leaving very early the next morning. I will say that after a few days they refunded the over charges, but this should have never happened, and I never received an explanation of how this even could have happened in the first place unless it was done purposely. It was very unfortunate because the food was excellent but I cannot go back to a place that I feel purposely tried to rip me off when they saw the card was worth $500. I left 3 stars because the food was very good. I can't get over the embarrassment I felt and how sad I was that trying to forget about a very bad event turned into a bad event. | 1neutral
| 779 |
I was pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful building of Toscana 52 take the place of the outdated Bob Evans Restaurant. If one had to judge restaurant's cuisine by its facade, I thought for certain that Toscana would be among my favorite restaurants. That was not the case....like life, beauty is only skin deep, folks.
I eagerly waited two months from its opening to try Toscana, and we went as a party of four including 2 kids, age 15 and 10. We waited about 25 minutes for a table which was surprising considering it was Friday evening around 7:30pm. We waited 10 minutes for the waiter and assumed that they were short staffed. When asked about a children's menu, we were told that there was none but the kitchen could cook "anything we wanted". When the waiter asked the kitchen for specifics, that amounted to a choice of either chicken fingers or 3 different kinds of pasta.
We started with drinks and an appetizer. My son ordered chocolate milk which we were surprised they had, given they obviously do not cater to children. The child's chocolate milk arrived in a glass wine goblet (no kidding!) at a cost of $3.99. Definitely nothing child-friendly about that! We ordered the fried calamari appetizer which looked scrumptuous when placed in front of us. However, each piece of calamari tasted like it was fried in oil which wasn't hot enough and as a result we had to offset the oily taste with the driest Italian bread we've ever tasted. The bread came 10 minutes after the appetizer (after we asked about it twice) and there were three little containers of herb butter. At first, we thought that each butter was a different variety but it was all the same (what the??). We ate it to offset the very greasy calamari appetizer which we didn't entirely finish. Perhaps the cheesecake appetizer would have been delicious, as many have raved about it, including our waiter who seemed a little miffed that we didn't order it after he announced it so grandly, with an "everyone loves it" comment.
Before our entrees arrived, there was a changing of the flatware which was an obvious attempt to mimic an upscale restaurant but it came across as disingenuous and phoney. Our entrees: chicken marsala, seafood linguini, fettucinini alfredo with shrimp (child's portion which cost $10.50), and pasta with butter for my 10 yr old son. We were shocked when the child's buttered pasta entree arrived, as the amount of pasta only filled about half of a bread dish, so miniscule was the portion ($4.50) that a 2-year old wouldn't have been full, much less a 10 year old. The rest of us shared our entrees with him. The entrees were at best mediocre but overall quite bland. Italian food is not supposed to taste so bland! We never use salt during our meals but this meal definitely necessitated it for all our dishes. The flavor of my chicken marsale was "almost" there if it didn't taste diluted and bland. Same for the seafood linguini and alfredo dish - very bland and mediocre at best. Perhaps other items on the menu didn't suffer from blandness but we had the misfortune to select those dishes that were. I was so disappointed since I had salivated for two months to taste what I was certain to be superb cuisine. That was not the case, much to my chagrin.
The house wine cost $6 per glass. No problem, except that the glass is either too large or the portion of wine served is so small that it leaves one feeling ripped off. Each glass was only filled 1/3 full at most when served.
The clearing of dishes after our meal was non-existent after the waiter took away one of our dishes while asking if anyone wanted dessert. When no one wanted dessert, no further dishes were cleared and a one-glass water refill took several reminders. What was up with that?!? We asked for the bill and had to wait about 15 minutes for it. Hold me captive but at least take away my damn dishes!
The waiter was not friendly at all but we figured he was probably tired and very busy so we didn't think much of it. However, when it came time for him to give us the bill, he suddenly decided to become momentarily friendly and personable. Did he suddenly wake up? Or perhaps he remembered that a friendly personality garnered higher tips? That was a little annoying. Also, I found the prices to be on the high side which I wouldn't mind paying if the food was remotely worth it, but it was not.
In the past when a new restaurant doesn't meet my expectations, I have no problem giving it a second chance. I won't be doing that at Toscana - it isn't worth my time or money. From the number of bad reviews that I've read about this place, that speaks for itself. | 0negative
| 835 |
Reviewing Izumi brings to mind the parable of the three blind men describing an elephant. Each with unique perspective having been assigned different parts of the pachyderm to examine. So it is at Izumi depending on whether you go for "Steakhouse", Teppanyaki entertainment, enormous cocktail bar or traditional Japanese food including sushi.
It also will depend on expectations. Are you looking for suburban American setting with entertainment of Teppanyaki chefs lighting onion 'volcanos', huge menu and a cavernous bar with exotic cocktails (Scorpion Bowl, anyone?). This is it. Do you want understated, serene spaces, clean favors and gracious hospitality typical of family owned Japanese restaurants in Asian neighborhoods in some cities? Izumi will not be for you.
Good enough for sushi that we wouldn't refuse to return for that if someone suggested it. But overall I draw this analogy; if you think Matador Mexican restaurant chain owned Casa de Matador at the Village in Meridian is real Mexican food and a cool space, then you'll probably enjoy Izumi as parallel for Japanese food. If you're not into the concepts of 'flash means flavor' and 'bigger is better' then Izumi may not be as good a fit for you.
The best values are at lunch. Save room for the ice cream bombe desserts.
A PUZZLE
Why do they call the Teppanyaki flat tops "hibachi" here? Hibachi are open grills, typically gas. Teppanyanki are metal flat tops from which chefs put on shows of flipping food and turning onions into volcanoes or shooting flames from their hats. Some enjoy the entertainment schtick. Teppanyaki chefs are showmen. On entering one is asked "Hibachi or Dining" (without explanation of what that means) and those answering "Hibachi" are escorted to room with several Teppanyaki top tables. This is NOT hibachi grill.
VIBE
Owners, who are Chinese investors not Japanese heritage, have done a respectable job of revamping the dark, cavernous interior they inherited from a previous chain-restaurant tenant. But the high ceilings, multiple Spanish style chandeliers and four televisions (two tuned to soccer, two to a cooking show) visible from the dramatic cocktail bar that is center of the space seemed odd. Music on the sound system during lunch was as if for cocktail time in some other venue. Like a songstress I didn't recognize singing "Straighten Up and Fly Right". Music I like. But it didn't fit the time of day or venue.
The dark, big cocktail bar dominates the center of the space, the sushi bar to right, another dining room to left and directly in front of the lounge is the Teppanyaki room.
MENU
The multi laminated pages menu is so large they present it in a small binder. Offerings are largely Japanese with some Chinese and Thai food thrown in and with even a nod to the fact that India is part of the Asian continent with at least one Indian selection. (I wish Asian food restaurants would choose a lane and stay in it. It is hard enough to get one specialty right, let alone dabble in others.) It would be impossible to describe the breadth of offerings. Look at the menu link on their web site and it still just scratches the surface.
FOOD / VALUE
As crust is to pizza, rice is to sushi and the sushi rice here was good. The vegetable and fish ingredients were fresh with bright flavors. The rolls were artfully filled and shaped then sliced in sizes just right to be one bite. The gari (pickled ginger) tasted as if house made.
Tempura was expertly panko coated, perfectly crispy and served hot. But disappointing in that every tempura item tasted like every other item in the selection and all tasted bland.
Desserts are a series of ice cream bombes, not made in house, or fried bananas or fried ice cream. A coconut ice cream bombe covered with dark chocolate fed two and was worth every calorie.
Lunch for two with dessert and no beverages = $24 before tax.
HOSPITALITY / SERVICE
The young man who greeted us was pleasant but aloof. A hostess / manager ignored us but had an extended discussion in Chinese with the folks at the table beside us. The young woman who waited on us was very sweet but reserved. Language barriers may play a role in the latter.
ACCESSIBILITY
Accessible parking in lot. Level in the door. All on one level. No standard height tables in bar or Teppanyaki room thereby segreating out wheelchair users. Yes, that is illegal under the 1990 passed civil rights law ADA. Standard height seating in and at sushi bar and dining room. Loo is accessible. | 0negative
| 773 |
The only reason I'm giving this establishment a one star is Yelp will not allow zero. The experience my family and I encountered was horrific; I have never be treated so poorly buy restaurant staff before. My forgiving nature wanted to blame it on COVID, but our current state in this country and how we treat others has nothing to do with that.
When we initially arrived at the establishment we came in through I assumed the back entrance, but at no point did anyone acknowledge our party. The kid customers informed us that we needed to walk through the restaurant to the hostess stand. As we all through we notice a table that is already set up with no one sitting there that could have definitely accommodated our family.
We patiently wait for at least 10 minutes for the hostess to approach the hostess stand. During that time that empty table is still empty. We are informed that we will have an hour and a half wait. Once we finally get seated at the same exact available table our experience takes an absolute turn for the worst.
Our WAITER (please be clear that I'm using this term loosely), because he EVERYTHING shy of that approaches us. In his approach he never greeted us or welcomed us at any point. He immediately asked us what we wanted to drink. In that moment no one made a fuss or complained, but it was definitely a red flag. We asked if he could go ahead and take our orders (since we had plenty of time to look over the menu). I asked him about a dish I seen and his response was beyond nasty and sarcastic. In other experiences specifically during these time a real waiter( whom has perfected their craft and cares about the service and experience they are providing to their customers) would simply inform one that their menu has changed due COVID. Which is completely understandable given business supply vs. demand products supply has decreased. Well this WAITERS response was to point at the menu and sated, "We have what's on the menu." Which I thought was extremely rude and in that moment his failed attempt to belittle a paying customer.
We all ordered our food then 15- 20 minutes later he returned and informed us the kitchen is out of a special dish. That meal was picked because of a specific diet. So we asked to speak with the manager. From several past experiences if an establishment doesn't have am item on a menu the manager will typically address the situation to make the customers feel a little more comfortable. He tells us the manager will not be speaking to us, because they don't come to customer table. Which I thought was extremely bizarre. This is like the 10th red flag at this point.
We finally get our food which in my opinion was okay, a little to cold for my liking. In the mist of eating I noticed my daughter plate was dirty. Which made me extremely uneasy. I don't feel comfortable requesting anything else from the WAITER, due to all of the previous transactions. So I asked him, " May you bring a Togo container because I have no idea what this stain is on my child's plate." He immediately responded in a sarcastic tone stating, " It's a chicken sandwich."
I explained to him I know what was ordered.
We have finished eating he brings our checks and we pay immediately, because at this point we can see that our pressure wasn't welcomed. When he finally closed everyone's check he makes the discriminatory statement, "He doesn't know what happened on our ends, but next time stay at home." In that moment we knew what his issue was with us. He seen a specific group and immediately made several preconceived ideas about who we are and what we are. He was bold and stood on his statement.
Now that this experience has escalated this far the manager finally decided to acknowledge us. As I explain our experience the WAITER stands near a register chiming in with his cheeky, disrespectful, and unmannered antics. I asked the manager to have him removed from the space in which we were talking. The manager's response was he is working. In that moment I knew that this was an acceptable behavior. The manager sets the standard of how an establishment runs. He was condoning the behavior, until I made it very clear that I'm aware that this isn't the only register in the establishment. He finally asked the WAITER and his sidekick to move. My family definitely felt attacked and extremely disappointed that this are the types of experiences that we still are encountering. I know the city of New Orleans as a city rich with culture and diversity, but in that moment I felt DISCRIMINATION, NARROW-MINDEDNESS, and PREJUDICED BEHAVIORS.
I hope this is not a representation of what your establishment stands behind. | 0negative
| 832 |
First off, if you can find a parking spot, that's an omen to go to Vegas or buy Lottery Tickets. Otherwise, your options are do the best you can and then wander for blocks through an interesting neighborhood until you arrive at a black box. Enter. Yes, it's like breaking into Al Capone's safe because the interior is all black but inside you are safe and welcome even though it feels like you put on your burqa backwards.
The room is one dark, black cube with a small elliptical spirited Bar and a long Chef's Bar in front of a huge buzzin' kitchen.
A background rock loop blends easily with the sound of communal dining.
The Vibe: Philly's culinary adventurers. A congenial group who tried Monday through Thursday to get into Friday, Saturday and Sunday without success.
The Staff: The Servers are overflowing with Brotherly love but although you are inches from the line cooks, they don't get out of line to chat. In fact they won't have anything to say to you unless you're related or they owe you money.
The Bar: It's as innovative as the food. 6 signature cocktails plus the usual suspects, (Wine and Beer) all on the wall along with dinner specials and thankfully all on the menu "B" side as the wall is too hard to see. Trump should be working on this wall.
I had a My Session (could be my new obsession). This featured Dry Sherry, China in China, (Orange Bitters) and Passion Fruit about which I happen to be passionate. This was deep and delicious with rich notes of each of the 3 stars making it a 5 star libation.
And just to test the system, I asked for a Whiskey Sour on the double which was double strength and finished double quick leaving me seeing me double in short order. Absolutely wonderful, it was.
The Food: Wowser. It was positively sublime which is not easy to do in a town with Chef's as creative and daring as the Founding Fathers, all of whom would have bribed anyone to get a table here.
I had no idea what to expect. Serpico? Basic Italian food for dirty cops? Non c'e modo.
A wannabe Papadum (razor thin Rice Crackers) magically appeared and disappeared immediately. Studded with Black Sesame Seeds, you dip it into soft Cultured Butter with Cracked Pepper, or better, the Black Bean Dip with Cotija Cheese and Micro Cilantro. Get some under your nails for later.
The Raw Diver Scallops were laid to rest in Buttermilk, Poppy Seeds, Green Yuzo Kosho, White Soy, and Chives when it arrives. It didn't stay long either. One bite and it was hoovered and savored. These silky smooth Scallops sported a unique presentation, were simply divine and gone as quick as a White House appointee.
The Lettuce Salad is not a adequate name for such a beautiful composition of Micro Greens, Snow Peas, Smoked Lamb Bacon, Mint, Chervil, Lime and hand torn Nori dusted Croutons all judiciously bathed in a creamy Citrusy Dressing. A must.
Fried Duck Leg riffed on a Hot Dog. Hoisin Sauce slathered on a mini Martin's Potato Bun with paper thin Cucumber coins, Scallions and a micro dot of Garlic Chili Sauce (Sriracha...I saw the bottle come out from under the counter). Everyone in the place had one for good reason. Party food rocks and this Duck rocked hard.
The Chicken Snail Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce, Hazelnuts, Parsley, Pesto dots and Yuzu. Order this for sure if only because you won't find anything like this anywhere else. (Okay, Nightshade in LA does a Mapo Tofu Lasagna which compares favorably to this, except it's in LA).
This dish was as brilliant as the idea to make it in the first place.
Crisp Porchetta was a deconstructed version of a traditional belly beater. This was shredded Pork long braised to tenderness and then topped with a crown crackin' Cracklin' and treated to a few squirts of house made Pear Mustard. I had to rethink my devotion to a Stuffed Pork Sandwich as fat as a Whoopie Cushion on a crunchy Ciabatta Roll.
Julienned Pickled Daikon replaced mundane Cole Slaw. Aw shucks the Porchetta was all so magnificently rich and satisfying, I defy any Vegan to resist it.
And now it's time for dessert.
The Apple Cake was disguised Sticky Toffee Pudding. Dulce de Leche replaced melty Treacle.
Burnt Apple Sauce pooled under the mound next to house made Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Shortbread Crumbles. Sweet!
The Vanilla Panna Cotta with fresh Berries, Candied Almonds and Yuzu will make you believe you are light.
Serpico is a must go. | 2positive
| 776 |
My partner's mother and aunt were in town, so we wanted to have a special evening out at one of the French Quarters finest and oldest establishments. Only Antoine's would do. We secured reservations for Friday evening, and practically ran the five blocks from our home to their front doors when it finally came time to make good on them. We opened the doors and stepped inside. The room reminded me of those old style Art Deco French cafes that have the pale green porcelain tiles and mirrors everywhere. Inviting, and fitting for such a restaurant I thought. Then, we were greeted by the Maître d. It wasn't actually a greeting. He glared over his glasses at us and asked coldly if we had a reservation. I informed him we did and gave him our party name. He raised one eyebrow at me and said "let me check" and slowly perished three pages on his list before finally saying "I suppose you do". He snapped his fingers and a waiter came over to guide us to our table. They sat us in a half empty room that amplified all sounds ten fold. It was like being in an elementary band practice room. Our waiter came by and in a very uninterested tone asked us what we "wanted" to drink. Using the "want" word is a big don't in fine dining, it's always "like" never "want". Anyway, she took drink orders and left. Twenty minutes later she set drinks down and left again, by this point all water glasses were empty and we asked her for refills. Fifteen more minutes go by and another waiter drops off cold bread and melting butter. Ten more minutes and our waitress comes back, without water, to take appetizer orders. We go all out and order half the list. Thirty minutes go by and all the appetizers come out at once with STILL NO WATER, and no offer for more hard drinks. Ten minutes later we had worked our way through the bland, rather disgusting looking, oysters Rockefeller, oysters Royal, undercooked shrimp, and wilted salads. We wait for the waitress to come clear the plates. Ten more minutes pass before I have to flag her down to get those water refills, clear the plates, and take entree orders. We order steak, veal, lamb, and red snapper. It takes 45 minutes for entrees to come out. And keep in mind the dining room is still only half full, and the restaurant honestly seemed very overstuffed for that evening. Still no water. At this point I break "nice" face and sternly tell her we've asked three times now for water and haven't gotten any. She silently walks away and comes back ten minutes later with a pitcher, no ice. My $59 tiny pathetic bone in ribeye steak was cooked extra rare when I ordered it medium and suffocated in pepper. The veal and lamb were also very under done, and the fish was actually completely over done and drowning in spices. The side of broccoli was just that, a single stalk for $8. The creamed spinach was cold, and the grits hard. I was in shock. I simply couldn't believe how awful the food was. I've seriously had better meals at Longhorns, and that's saying something. We sheepishly finished our main courses and waited for the tabled to be cleared. After another 25 minutes of being ignored I grabbed a bus boy and told him I wanted the bill now. He told me to sit back down and the server would bring it to me. After five more minutes I grabbed someone who looked like senior staff and told them I wanted the bill that instant and I was tired of being ignored. He rudely informed me that they were very busy and we're doing their best. At this point all bets were off with me. I was livid. It took every strand of self control I had not to start screaming. I told him I required the bill immediately or I would be speaking with the manager. Our long lost waitress finally emerged at that point with the bill. I instantly handed her the card. She brought back the bill and without so much as a curt "Thank You" threw the bill on the table and walked away. I drew a huge black X over the tip line. I stared at the total. $496.85. My jaw quivered. It was literally making me sick to my stomach to know I was about to bleed out that kind of money for the experience I had just gone through. Every part of my brain was screaming for me to call the manager and tell him I wouldn't be paying a thin dime for any of it. But I didn't. I knew if I asked to speak with a manager I would probably leave the establishment in the company of the New Orleans Police Department. I signed the bill, holding back the revolting steak I had choked down earlier. Never again will I ever go back. I'm still in shock. Because I have worked in so many restaurants, and seen so many unimaginable situations unfold before my very eyes, I let a long of things slide when I'm out to eat, even in 5 star restaurants. I like giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. Antoine's broke every service rule I was ever taught. Every last one of them. It was unreal. And from one of the oldest restaurants in the city. It's very sad. They are obviously only riding on their name at this point | 0negative
| 936 |
Had a Twilight Zone experience at DD on Charlotte last night. Will not return.
Owners... are you watching this place? It is clear that the manager has no customer service skills and the wait staff is not trained and possibly doing drugs during your business hours. I know it is a sports bar (a good one), I'm not expecting 5 star svc but they didn't get the basics.
A few very telling things that happened:
1). We sat down and ordered drinks. A few beers, a few soft drinks. 15 mins for those drinks to arrive. The place was not crowded, was not understaffed. We could see our waitress chatting it up w the manager (?) in the kitchen area and at one point the waitress was feeding another one of the wait staff a french fry. Don't make a table wait 15 mins for a beer when you are screwing around in plain view.
2). I have a basic expectation that my waiter will not be on drugs, & won't be a smartass. I ordered a turkey sandwich and said mayo on the side. Pretty standard request. I was not a pain in the arse and didn't order something extremely complex. I say "mayo on the side". She says "side of mayo" back. I said "right... no mayo on the sandwich". She says "side of mayo it's the same thing". Uh... no it's not. Then she left, the whole table jokingly said "that was weird". The waitress was obviously not in a fit state of mind to be in a customer svc job, we suspected she's on some sort of drugs. It was completely baffling.
3). I never got the side of mayo. There was mayo on my sandwich. The bottom piece of bread on my turkey sandwich was mush and I couldn't pick up the sandwich to eat it because the mayo soaked and condensation-soaked bread stuck to the plate. Like if you poured water on the plate. I chose just to eat the turkey and not engage.
4). After disappearing after our order was taken, and midmeal, same waitress runs (literally) to our table and as we are eating, says "wait how did your food get here?" Well clearly someone else with a brain saw our food waiting for days on the counter and brought it to us. Wtf.
5). We had ordered 3 apps. The food was decent but when done, the huge plates were stacked in the middle of the table. A girl in our party asked "hey can we make a little room" and the waitress took one plate leaving the 5 other small plates and 3 serving platters full of chips. The waitress said "would you like more chips?" What? We are now eating our entree food, the apps are stacked up in the middle, and the 2 plates full of tortilla chips are still piled up. I said "no thanks, no more chips". She says "yes more chips?" I said "no but take the plates we are done with (that are full of uneaten chips). She says "ok more chips". I said "no" she said "yes chips". What on earth? I think she was either stoned or on coke ... it was really really weird. Meanwhile this idiot waitress had become THE sole topic of conversation at our dinner.
6). Another waitress who brought us our food stopped back by. She looked embarrassed and asked how we were / did we need drinks? All of our drinks long gone at this point. (News to owners... you make money selling drinks so staff should be on it). Few drink orders placed. And someone made a comment like "thanks - that other waitress is a hot mess" and the girl said "I know she's bad"
As soon as that waitress leaves, our prior waitress comes up and asks us for drinks. Um. Too late. We then see these two waitresses in a full verbal disagreement in the kitchen. The good one was calling her out.
7). Then. Chips show up via a manager guy. Chips. Who instead of saying "heard you guys haven't had great service sorry about that we'll make it right" says "EVERYTHING OK HERE GUYS" ? We suspected the waitress had now complained about us because we had complained about her to the other waitress. It was more meathead bouncer than manager appropriate behavior.
At the end of the day I won't go back until this place hires and trains a new team. I didn't have the energy or interest to go talk to the manager as we were leaving but I should have. Sad bc they are a great addition to this neighborhood. | 0negative
| 783 |
We wanted an outdoor patio to have lunch and as we drove around thinking of who has patios (not a lot) we decided to try Chianti's. First, I was accosted by a young clean looking begger as I paused outside the entry to grab a real estate magazine. He said he needed money to go and see his daughter. Wow, nice start to the lunch. Hey, any able bodied man living in the province of Alberta who is not working and even worse, begging a 52 year old woman for money, is massively screwed up.
Inside, the maitre d man was kind, as were all of the staff, in their interactions with us and what I saw at other tables. We were offered to sit anywhere we liked. It was a rare sunny day in Edmonton, temperature and environment were perfect.
And then I ordered a drink. To go with the summery feeling and because I was driving I ordered a white wine spritzer. Simple drink, great memories of multiple spritzers at outdoor cafes with groups of girls in the 80's, I felt a little nostalgic and asked for one.
I don't know what I got, but it was wrong on so many levels.
They served me white wine and some sort of sweetened soda pop, like seven up or something. It was also served in a tumbler???
Please, Chianti's tell your bartender to do a simple google search of what a white wine spritzer is...how can you screw up something so easily made? Pour wine into a large wine glass, top off with soda or mineral water, garnish with lemon. Done.
The waiter was kind and offered to take it back which he did and the one with soda was fine, although served in a chintzy cut glass highball or tumbler glass. Not right.
What I did not appreciate was the waiter saying he was taught to make it that way too. That annoyed me. It annoyed me because he assumed no culpability in that maybe placate the customer and say "I'll have to check on the correct recipe for that" instead of confirming that the whole restaurant was against me. Oh and, he happened to mention that a table near ours ALSO just sent back their white wine spritzer for the same reason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HELLOO??????
Okay, I cant be bothered with a place that has 4 or so menu pages, toooo many dishes and you know they will not all be given the attention and differences they deserve, which is exactly what happened when I ordered the Pasta Primavera, again, rock'in the 80's vibe. What was served was nothing short of a red mess on a plate. A few slivers of onions, a really hard carrot slice, maybe a sliver of green pepper, and then GOBS AND GOBS AND TORRENTS of marinara sauce!!!!! What??????????????? Pasta primavera cook, (not chef, a hack in the kitchen at best), has not got a boatload of marinara, in fact it shouldnt have ANY!!!! The pasta I ordered was waaay overdone, I asked for whole wheat pasta, they said they only had it in spaghetti form, it was a very thin spaghetti and very very overcooked, and where were the fresh spring vegetables tossed in garlic and olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan????
I thought the person who brought the food must have brought the wrong dish. I couldn't eat it, the waiter offered to take it back, I knew he would bring me something equally as terrible, I let the gross pile of marinara sit there in its whole wheat sludge and waited until my boyfriend finished his mess of something that looked amazingly like my own marinara mess but he never complains about anything served him so he shoveled it down simmering at my discontent. I already complained about the drink, now this.
We also ordered the salad for two. $15 is waaay too much for the hard dark green outer leaves of romaine, an oily mess of dressing poured all over it, a few anchovies, one hard boiled egg cut in half, a sliver of green pepper, a couple pieces of carrots, a couple olives. These people should be ashamed.
Dessert was gratis because of the horrid meal and I'm sorry to say it didnt fare much better. Tiramisu was devoid of its light cream and coffee touch, there was one thin slice of strawberry thrown in like it was a trifle, the boyfriend ordered Creme Brule, he got creme caramel. You know a place is chintzy when they try to 'gussy up' something with little stars of whipped cream on the plate. If the creme caramel was any good, no whipped cream is necessary or desired. I left half the tiamisu, it tasted like something out of a box and a can.
All of this food could have been had at a hospital cafeteria save for the setting.
It was crap food churned out with a flourish which tried to cover up for the fact that their bartender doesn't know how to make a simple drink with 2 ingredients and the cook (not chef), the cook in the back must have got his experience in a hospital cafeteria.
Where is the pride???and who are you edmonton people giving this crap praise???? Do you have no standards??? or are you just so used to being served crap in this city you don't know good from not good? | 0negative
| 906 |
I will be forever grateful for a.kitchen. It came through when I needed it most. A dinner reservation fell through on a very important night, and my fiancé and I were left stranded at 8:30pm on a temperate Saturday night. We wanted something night -- not a pub, but nothing too high-end either. Scurrying around Rittenhouse Square, I began to lose hope. I was fervently Googling and trying to make sense of the results -- a serious undertaking when famished. Host after host uttered those three little words: "we're fully committed", my heart sinking time after time. But when we walked up to a.kitchen, they said if we'd be okay eating on the sidewalk, they had one table available. We immediately secured it and proceeded to have a really lovely night. The food and drinks here are creative and delicious -- it all feels fairly upscale while remaining approachable. Not only did a.kitchen come through in the clutch for us, but they impressed us at every turn.
I grew up in Philly but currently live in Manhattan, so this was my first entry into the COVID-adapted restaurant scene here. In general, the outdoor seating setups here have been very well executed, at least in this part of the city. Most places have sidewalk seating plus more covered seating, as well as their indoor setups. While I suppose sidewalk in the least desirable, it was plenty nice for us (being desperate didn't hurt). Heat lamps abound and kept us warm even as it got a bit chilly later on in the night.
One of the main attractions for me at a.kitchen was the drink menu . When it comes to mixology, the weirder and funkier, the better. a. kitchen has really a magnificent array of cocktails, all perfectly executed. Between us, we tried the Total Landscaping (yogurt-washed bluecoat gin, rosemary, lemon, pamplemousse, fino sherry, green chartreuse), the Tune Squad (12 yr aged rum, carrot + lemon juice, honey maple, cinnamon, curry bitters), The Botanist + Tonic (botantist gin, preserved lemon, chamomile, tonic, mint) the It's Tee Time Somewhere (apple brandy, rye, amontillado sherry, honey
walnut liqueur, angostura + orange bitters) and the El Legado de Jerez (oloroso sherry, preserved lemon, spiced demerara syrup
cinnamon infused px sherry, egg white) -- yes, that's basically the entire menu and I'm proud of it. I would say the Total Landscaping and the Tune Squad were the two stunners of the night, and the El Legado de Jerez is a great option for those looking for a lower ABV drink. But honestly, all of them were great at the very least.
Food-wise, a.kitchen boasts an equally creative dinner menu. We didn't end up eating until around 9, so unfortunately they were out of an item I was very much looking forward to, but what we did have was fantastic. Really imaginative, complex but not pretentious, seasonal and delicious stuff. Please go the sharing route here (if your party is down, of course), you will not be disappointed. Eats, below:
1/2 Dozen Mystic Oysters w/ black lime + jalapeño mignonette, charred lemon: A
Really nice touch adding the mignonette. I'll eat oysters in all the different ways -- citrus, spice, whatever condiments you want to throw my way, I'm probably game. So this was a fun addition and worked beautifully.
Golden Beets w/ garlic yogurt, shaved artichokes, sorghum, red endive: A
Beautifully presented and super tasty. The ingredients all blended nicely together, and thoughtful and innovative take on a beet-salad-with-some-sort-of-yogurt-sauce.
Spring Greens w/ gem lettuce, watercress, green garlic, peppercorn buttermilk: A
This was all about that peppercorn buttermilk dressing. Light and healthy (relatively) but still quite flavorful.
Swiss Chard + Potato Gnocchi mushroom ragout, capriano romano, crispy potato: A+
I don't typically do pasta but I make exceptions for dishes like these. This one blew both of us away. I have never liked gnocchi in my life but everything about this dish just worked. Rich, wintry vibes. The mushroom ragout I would eat straight and could make an entire meal out of it.
Octopus Lyonnaise w/ bacon lardons, soft-boiled egg, frisée, trout roe: A+
This one bordered on wacky but it somehow just worked. One could say there was too much going on here and perhaps they'd be right, but too much in this case was just enough. Sure, a lot happened, but not in a discordant way. All components were delicious. And I am a sucker for roe.
Éclat Chocolate Tahini Cake (GF): A+
Another unusual occurrence for me: dessert. If I could eat one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be a gluten free tahini chocolate cake. I'm a sucker for baked goods with tahini. It just adds such a rich, savory and somewhat nutty element to a preparation but in a subtle way. My fiancé is not gluten free, but he was blown away by it too. That's saying something. | 2positive
| 820 |
This was not the restaurant to visit with out-of-town family for a celebratory occasion. I'll start off with the disclaimer that I was, indeed, agitated throughout my entire meal. Dining here was an incredibly frustrating experience.
I received a call in the middle of birthday-brunch earlier in the day from Le Virtu requesting I confirm my reservation. Once home, I called back and was asked if I'd like to sit inside or outside. I teetered -- knowing that I enjoy sitting outside but that my family often likes being indoors. I said inside.
Upon arriving to the restaurant, we found an entirely empty and dark indoor area, and a bright, lovely, covered al fresco dining area. I asked if it was possible to switch to outdoors, and was briskly told that they were booked, which was a bummer start. I wish that when I was on the phone earlier in the day, it had been specified that they have a great outdoor area and that we would've enjoyed sitting there. Especially since I wrote that it was a birthday dinner and a first visit!
It also would have been great if the hostess had read my reservation to see that I requested a "light" area, since I didn't notice the secondary room near the kitchen until later on. She had pointed at four tables in the darker area and told us to pick which one we liked. My family wanted the back corner, but as soon as I sat down, I felt the AC whipping away and asked to move.
Okay. So we're up to our meal now. I've seen the establishment responses here defending the food to the folks who give poor reviews. I've seen the recent reply citing Wikipedia to explain why the pasta has a crunch to it. But here's the thing. Italian food is generally wonderful, and as someone who has a very strong Italian heritage and has been to many regions of Italy, I just can't say that Le Virtu's offerings were anything outstanding. This is, obviously, strictly my opinion.
Abruzzo came into play when my mom asked about the wine list. She only really likes very sweet wines. Their wine list obviously does not lean that way, but the server instantly seemed to defend Abruzzo when she asked. I tried to steer her to a cocktail, but fortunately they were able to find a moscato for her.
I ordered the burrata to start and my mom ordered the risotto balls. She enjoyed the risotto; the burrata was okay but not worth the $14 price tag to me (okay, I know it's from Puglia, but that doesn't mean it was worth it).
For our mains, my grandmom chose the trout and loved it. My mom chose the maccheroni alla mugnaia and, as much as she loves pasta, left half her plate. I tried it too and thought it needed to be cooked just a tad longer (but again, I've read the reply of why it tastes that way so no need to explain it to me).
I had read great things about the porchetta so I ordered that. I love pork belly and have had it at many other establishments. By the end of my meal, I had taken two bites of it and my grandmom took a bite. This was mostly just fat (as expected) but not in a good, flavorful way.
At the end, as I was boxing up my entire meal, the server asked how everything was, and I replied with: "I've had better," to which he raised an eyebrow, said "okay," and walked away. Clearly I offended him, but frankly, this was a milestone birthday, this place nearly ruined it, and he could've at least faked an apology or asked why. But hey, I guess food from Abruzzo can do no wrong.
After this purse-breaking experience, I walked down the street and had an excellent burger for dinner.
--
Update 5/25 after reading owner's comments:
I knew Francis would reply to me since he snaps back on every poor review, but I didn't think he'd blatantly make things up. Calling the hostess "dude"? Really, now? I don't even use the word "dude" in my vocabulary. Using a curse word all throughout dinner in front of my conservative grandmother who I don't even say "crap" in front of, knowing that she hates that word? Please.
I specified that I was agitated, because, yes, Francis, your horrific establishment caused me to be upset. But I never made any sort of scene during my time there, and if you were so disgusted by my table and all the apparent "cursing," perhaps you should've said something to me in person. You had the perfect opportunity when I told the server that I didn't like my meal.
In the future, you should really stop snapping back on people when they write their opinions. It's unprofessional. And how about you try thanking the people that enjoy your food instead? I think that might work better for you.
--
Update 5/26:
Last update. This is absurd. I received seven emails over the course of the night yesterday letting me know that Francis had updated his review comment. In one of them, he was "in much despair." Since he had also privately messaged me, I sent him a long message back trying to again detail why I was so upset by my meal. He flipped out. I've reached my word limit now. NEVER AGAIN, LE VITRU. Holy crap. | 0negative
| 919 |
You can find better accommodations. Review contains information regarding: check-in, towels (or lack of), mobile app, cleanliness, & more.
To begin, I came in town for a wedding and literally could've saved money by staying at a family members house but my sis said she wanted the experience so I was like let's do it!
I'm not sure if it's the same with every Marriott but using the app for this hotel is pointless. They do the bare minimum to act as if they've kept up with the requests. I understand y'all busy because of the location alone but idk, maybe hire some more people who can assist for real? Just a suggestion.
Check in was crazy, requested to have two rooms near each other days in advance, then messaged in the app on the way, then called again because they didn't answer the app. We figured it really shouldn't be that big of a problem ... ha! We were assigned two rooms hella far (again, we were getting ready for a wedding & needed to have the space to help each other & grab stuff from other rooms so if you have rooms near each other) lol so we spent about 30 minutes at the check in table to get that taken care of HOWEVER ....
When we go to the two assigned rooms, I have one key and someone else has another key .. tell me why my key opens an occupied room? I'm like, "Oh this hotel leaves fruit on the ironing board in ziplocks? Wait, is that a backpack? Oh that's 2 suitcases " So glad nobody was in there but that just how careless they are. Then the bell hop comes up and was like "oh this never happens" well, it just did buddy. He takes 20 minutes to fix it .. I'm like cool, just glad WE didn't have to go back down. We were reassigned two new rooms but the tv in my room been greeting somebody named Rebecca since we got here. None of us named Rebecca but oh well, that's not a big deal.
But then, back to the app. I ask them via the app to put the correct room numbers so we can do the mobile keys to the new rooms but, according to the sassy sista working at the front desk who called the room said "we can only have access to one set of rooms" or something lol. I'm like girl, ion have time to keep coming down to chop it up with y'all. So my mobile key has said them other people room this whole time.
Saturday morning a few of us leave. The ones left go to take showers and realize there's no more (clean .. yes some they gave us were dirty) face towels. One calls down to ask about towels, apparently they only have bath towels and won't have any others until noon. EXCUSE ME?! Lmao what you mean you ran out of towels at 9/10 am? Then they say some people have more people in their rooms than are accounted for, WHAT THAT GOT TO DO WITH ME? If y'all don't go to Walmart and gtf lmao. Then after speaking with the manager who told us he'd bring us the right sized towels, they still brought the big towels. I'm like ..... I'ma just make some smaller towels because clearly that's what you're tempting me to do lol but then they found some.
But on to the cleanliness, they do "alright" for the price you're paying you probably expect top of the line everything but you don't get what you pay for by far lol lil dirt spots everywhere. Comforters, in the bathroom, on the light switch ... you know places you'd expect to be cleaner because you have to come in direct contact with them.
The valet okay on Friday but once they brought the truck back, it was sent to an off site location because it was over capacity and oversized. Cool .. but the next morning they say you can't call down to request the car service so you need to go downstairs. I'm like okay? They said it would be a 15 minute wait. We go get coffee (about 15 mins) and came back and the car wasn't there. About 20 mins or so later they pull up and say it normally doesn't take that long but there was an accident in the parking lot lol. The next time it wasn't so bad but I'm not too sure if that was because of "us" or if it was because someone with me knew someone who worked here. LMAO then when I called to ask about the car service the lady ain't even say nothing .. she asked what I wanted then pressed a button without saying nothing to play an automated message lmaooo the customer service staff is interesting lol.
The pantry is cool. The Starbucks was good! The lil bourbon lemonade drink from the bar is good too. No room service or anything so make sure you have any extra little snacks or drinks you may need before like 11 if you're not trying to leave the hotel that late. Also, idk about all of the floors but the vending machine on my floor was out of everything lol. The TVs are interesting now because you can log in to (your) Netflix, prime, etc. but if you don't have those, your tv options are kinda limited.
But listen, I think they earned a star but just ONE. This was my first hotel stay since covid and they let me down lol. It was just so much to happen and we were really only in the hotel to sleep and change clothes for 2 days. | 0negative
| 967 |
Not impressed with service and treatment of their vegan guests that come in with a group of non vegans. I frequented this place on regular with my non vegan friends. Horrible the last two times I visited. Both times were alarming and shocking. When a group come it is possible that one of the group may be vegan. Veganism is up more than 350% since 2018. It's climbed significantly from 2017-2018. Veganism is only going to grow more. When the new owners were revamping the menu, we walked in on a weeknight to find out they were closing early (5:00pm) but we knew the server since we frequent this place regularly. She was excited to inform us that the owner was making the menu just a little bit more vegan friendly eliminating the Black bean burger since it had egg, and adding the Impossible Burger. She told us they were also adding a nice grain bowl. So when we came back, I got the impossible burger. The brioche bun that it comes on has both milk and egg. They didn't have a vegan bun. I asked if they could put it on a French baguette sliced to the size of a bun; I mentioned Hammerstones in Soulard does that (without butter). So now I'm getting a burger that is not on any sort of bun but they put it in a wrap for me with hack up pieces of "burger" to fit in the wrap. If I wanted a wrap with chopped up slices of burger then I would have gone some place to get a wrap. And my friends would have gone with me. But I knew they had the "Burger" so I agreed to go to Three Monkeys. I had to undo the wrap to put ketchup and mustard and had the hardest time rolling the wrap back up. It fell apart and was messy with all of my ingredients inside of it falling out the back opening. The server told me she would talk to them to see about getting either a vegan bun or using French bread like Hammerstones. On that visit I went outside to take a puff of my JUUL and one of their staff was outside. I mentioned that I was super glad to see the new owners try to cater a bit more to the vagans. He/She responded, "I don't know anything about that, I'm a meat eater and pigs are meant to eaten!" -NOT what a vegan wants to hear. You work for the restaurant, and you're still a face of this company with your work apron on and obviously an employee of the restaurant. A simple, "I'm glad you enjoy the new items" would have sufficed if you didn't agree with my veganism. A month later we all went back, a BIG mistake! (This was last night). STILL no vegan bun or French bread. Oddly, the server told me, "We JUST talked about that yesterday". Well, why isn't it corrected then 3 Monkeys? I ended up getting a wrap again. A messy messy wrap that I had trouble refolding once I opened it to add my ketchup and mustard. When I mentioned to the server that I came for a BURGER that is on the menu catered to vegans and I'm not getting a burger, I'm getting a wrap, the response was, "There are lists out there with resturants that cater to vegans, and we are not on that list." ALL of us in the group dropped our mouths. Why have a vegan "Burger" on the menu if you can't even get it as a "burger"? As I stated, we frequented this place often. That's why they knew us when we walked in on the day they closed and explained about the vegan menu as she knew me. Mind you, our group orders many appetizers, many cocktails and adult beverages, and desserts. The bill is quite often in hundreds of dollars. We usually ate there once a month or 2. My friends support me and we all vowed never to go here again. You lost not 1 but 4 customers. Hundreds of dollars a month (or month and a half). That's significant! Hammerstones will now double their income from oir group because they have fun with their vegans, treat them well and cater to them as well without inappropriate comments. #FenchBread is all it would have taken to make this a simple burger if you can't Vegan buns. #FrenchBread (the lack of) cost you hundreds of dollars every month or so along with the stories that my friends and I will tell others from your staff's inappropriate comments. #unacceptable | 0negative
| 779 |
Edwardsville had two new restaurant openings this week, Craft Chop House (plan to try soon), and the subject of this review, Tropical Escape Tiki Bar and Grill. My wife and I checked it out yesterday (Sept. 29) and were pleased overall. As the name suggests, the object here is to create a tropical islands sort of experience, both in atmosphere and on the menu. The restaurant is located on hwy. 157 where Neruda has been for years.
The restaurant is clean, bright, and looks "island-y" without going overboard. The staff is really friendly, seems knowledgeable regarding the menu, and was attentive without being overbearing. We started with their upscale margarita, which was really great, and a reasonable deal at $7.00. We didn't have the less expensive one, but our waitress told us they are all homemade from juices, not from a mix. It shows. One of the owners came out to great us, and we had a nice chat with him. He's a retired professor, a friendly, humorous sort of guy, and we enjoyed talking with him. He told us his business partner was at a Parrothead Convention, and in fact I could hear a little Jimmy Buffet playing in the background, which added to the fun of the place.
For an appetizer I started with their bacon wrapped shrimp skewers. They were really good, nicely cooked, a little char on the shell left on the tail, and the bacon was cooked through without overcooking the shrimp, which is sometimes a challenge. I liked the "IQ" sauce, which is described as "Island BBQ sauce." It had a hint of sweetness. I might try a different sauce next time... I like a little more heat on my shrimp. But I'll definitely order this again.
Next was a house salad, which is one of the choices as a "side" with the entrees, and an incredible deal at $1.95 if not ordered with an entree. It was larger than many house salads I've had, with nice fresh chilled greens in a chilled bowl. I had the house dressing, which was a kiwi lime vinaigrette. I'd definitely get that again.
For entrees I ordered the Jerk Chicken, half a chicken with two sides for $10.95. I enjoyed it, but it could have been a little spicier, and the sauce was just a tad sweet for me. Again, I like a little spice and heat, so that may totally just be my own preference. Next time I might ask them to shake some extra jerk spice on it, and perhaps will try a different sauce. The only other suggestion, and as a cook I know this is a challenge... but sometimes it is difficult to get the dark meet done without drying out the white meat. That was somewhat evident in this case.
For my second side, I ordered their Mac n Cheese. It was really quite good, and definitely an "adult/steakhouse style" rather than the American cheesy version our mom's used to make. It had a couple of different cheeses, came out in a nice hot gratin dish, and my only complaint is that it was so good, I kept coming back to it when I wanted to stop! It was clearly enough for two people to share as a side. Highly recommended.
My wife had the Big Jerk Burger, which comes with goat cheese, bacon, tomato, and IQ sauce (see above). It was nicely spiced for her, and she loved the goat cheese on it. The burger is served between two pieces of crisp flatbread, which was good on its own, but my wife would have preferred a bun with the burger... again, perhaps just personal preference. I tasted the burger, and it was decent, but a little overcooked from my taste, and perhaps just a tad bit dry.
The owner sent us home with a sample of their delicious Coconut Bread, a generous gesture, and a way to have us thinking later about the nice experience we had at Tropical Escape! We'll definitely go back. There were several high points, and even the couple of nits I had were not at all deal breakers. Our take is that Tropical Escape Tiki Bar and Grill will be a great addition to the Edwardsville eating scene. It's one of those unusual places that works both as a casual date night place, a college hangout (nice bar), and also a family restaurant. They have some real hits in the food and drink department, and I hope they are really successful and around for a long, long time. | 2positive
| 762 |
Let me preface by saying, I go here probably 1-2x a month and maybe more if there's a birthday celebration or something like that. I have never had even the slightest issue with food or service. But today I was so disappointed I left just feeling so terrible for even leaving the house to eat here and succumb to their treatment. I start by ordering wings, garlic bread, and a large soda.
1. The guy behind the register is new, he was SOOO kind!! his name was Andre.
2. The coke was out and I'm in the restaurant business so instead of waiting for it to be changed I tell him to just help the people in line first and then when the coke did get changed, it kept putting out too much foam and making weird noises. So I said, a Dr Pepper will be okay instead! He gave me a regular size when I paid for a large- I came back up later to correct this. Again, no biggy, I'm flexible!
3. I left them a 5$ tip in the jar. Mostly because I'm in the serving industry and I wanted to thank Andre and staff for helping feed me after I worked a long shift!
4. The two girls I was with (my sister and friend), got their appetizers (zucchini and salad) and food (pizzas) and finished eating before I ever got my food :(
5. When I went up to check the ETA was on my food the cook was so rude and just said "well the wings take 30 minutes to cook" I got no receipt thus could not reference how long it had been, I just knew that my company had already finished their dinners. How hard would it have been to say "let me check on your order, your food is about x minutes away" this didn't bother me, I mostly was just checking for assurance that my order wasn't forgotten, but I was patient.
6. My food finally comes out and my wings were haphazardly sauced. Some had sauce but others were completellyyyy dry (see attached pic) I'm talking no sauce on approximately 5 out of the 12 I ordered. So I go up to the cook, Tristan, and asked for sauce. He CLEARLY is irritated I asked and rudely tells me to go to the register (there are 4 people in line) so that they can charge me and ring it in. I told him verbatim "I don't reallyyyy want to pay for extra sauce because a lot of my wings came out with no sauce on them" he ROLLS HIS EYES and comes back with COLD sauce. Not room temp, but chillyyyy sauce.
7. I just touch it and tell him, this is cold? And he says, again, alll kinds of rude, "did you want it heated up?" WHO PUTS COLD SAUCE ON WINGS he's just being an asshole to be an asshole at this point, He brings back warmed up sauce
8. After eating, we all need refills and boxes but were all too uncomfortable to go up and ask for anything.
9. I convince my sister to ask for our boxes, we avoid the refill requests and just share what's left of one of our drinks. Andre attempts to give us nice reasonably sized boxes (all I have leftover is a few wings) and Tristan sees that it's my table asking for boxes and runs over to Andre and tells him to put those boxes back saying "we don't give out those boxes!" And he gave us HUUGGEEE pizza boxes for our smalllllll amount of leftovers. It was humiliating. We wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.
10. We go to leave and my friend says she heard the tristan call us bitches as we were leaving :( and we alllll saw the table by the door look wide eyed at us as we were leaving with our ridiculous sized boxes. It was sooo humiliating. An hour later and I still regret soooo much that I spent 30 dolllars on dinner for one, and had such mean service. Bad service is one thing. I can forgive all of that. But to purposely treat a customer (who tipped you in a non-traditional tipping setting) with such spite, is such a shitty feeling from a place I normally loveeee to go to.
11. I hope management sees this, and can retrain Tristan on his customer service skills. it will be a long time before I want to come back here.
2 stars because of the kind new guy and also the food is consistently better than average here! -3 stars for the poor and hurtful experience from Tristan. | 0negative
| 790 |
We arrived with a reservation, but found the main dining room so noisy that we opt'd to sit at a table located in the room with the bar. The restaurant looks refreshed since it was Old Pueblo Grill; with new paint colors and updated lighting fixtures. The patio was closed when we were there and lack of signage was confusing on where to enter the building. There was no drink menu to be found, so my husband ordered a beer and a ceviche appetizer. I ordered a frozen margarita. The waitress returned telling me that she was new and had to ask the bar first, but they don't have frozen drinks/blender. I cancelled my order. We waited about 15-20 mins and there were no drinks or ceviche served. I tracked down the waitress standing the bar and asked for my husband's beer (and my water) and she realized she forgotten that he'd even ordered a beer. She finally brought the beer and stated that they were out of ceviche. This would have been nice to know 20 mins earlier as there were no free chips/salsa served, as you traditionally see in local Mexican restaurants. I realized later that I could have ordered chips for $6, when I saw another table get them, but this idea annoys me. Twenty+ mins waiting at a table without drinks or any food was not a great way to start off our dinner.
We finally ordered. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and my husband ordered 3 tacos: one carne asada, one shrimp, and one fish. NO tomatoes and a side with Spanish rice. While we waited for the food, a man brought out small bowls of what looked like chicken noodle soup to all the guests. He never actually said a word to anyone, so I have no idea what the soup was (or if there would be a charge for it). The soup (about 1/2 cup) was actually very tasty with good broth flavor, but it was nearly cold, so we did not enjoy it very much. My husband couldn't order any more to drink since our waitress had completely disappeared at this point, so he went to the bar to order on his own tab. I sat alone and people watched.
We were hungry....45 mins after our arrival, the food finally arrived. My enchiladas were not fresh and they were barely luke warm in temperature. There were 3 small, rolled tortillas shriveled together like they'd been under a heat lamp or reheated from a larger dish. The edges were crusty and the dry sauce was non-existent over the top. No melted cheese in sight, which I found odd. The chicken inside was tender but without flavor. I did not finish the enchiladas. The sides I ordered were roasted corn, which was good but nothing outside of tasting like canned corn with seasoning added. The calabaza (squash) was the best part of the plate and I ate that quickly due to hunger.
My husband was not so lucky. His tacos arrived covered in tomatoes. After waving down another waiter, the plate was taken back to the kitchen. We started to share a few nibbles of crusty enchiladas just so he could eat something. His plate was returned 15 mins later and I had already finished what little I chose to eat on my plate. This time, his plate had 2 fish tacos and one carne asada taco, which was not what he ordered. He was told they were now out of Spanish rice so he was given a bowl of white rice with pinto beans, which were "ok" when mixed together. At this point, he was so hungry that he did not return the plate for the 2nd time, for the missing shrimp taco. Sadly, he finished his meal, in a to-go box, on his lap in the car while I drove us to the movie we'd already bought tickets for. His comments about the tacos were that they were good, but nothing he'd go back for again.
As we were leaving, the waitress brought the check and had already removed the beer that my husband finally received 20 mins in. The manager (?) came over and said that the new waitress had just told him there was an issue at the table. I commented that it had taken over an hour to get food and even the "fixed" plate was not correct. I didn't even get to the part about my dry, cold food because he was in a rush. The only bright spot of the meal was that he removed my husband's plate (I still had to pay for the enchiladas) and he gave us a $20 gift card for Brother John's/Abuela's. I'm sorry to say that we will not be returning to Abuela's and I can't recommend you try it either. | 0negative
| 810 |
This is a review for staying in the hotel. The whole reason we booked the room was to have some "alone time" and to get away from our usual surroundings.
We booked our hotel online through a different website. Weeks before our arrival, I called to double check on a few things because they weren't listed on the site we used to book the hotel. I wanted to make sure we got ONE king bed and a non-smoking room, and to make sure there were no additional fees that weren't listed online. This seemed to be a problem the first time I called. I called again a week later to be sure of the same thing, and was off of the phone with the results I wanted in under five minutes. Four nights and "No resort fees". Sounds good, right?
Wrong.
When we arrived, there was a sign on the counter at check-in about a $50 fee PER NIGHT. They blocked out two hundred extra bucks on the card we used to book the room; if we'd left, there would't have been a refund - which is horse crap considering there wasn't a warning about this RIDICULOUS fee before arrival. Oh, excuse me - it's a "hold", so you get the money back... but I sure hope you're made of money and didn't need that $50/per night in your account for the duration of your stay (and 5 days following, depending on how quickly the funds get released back to your bank account).
We got up to our room and noticed that it seemed extreeeemely small. It's probably due to the oversized furniture in it; updating the room to have a smaller dresser, newer TV, and more than barely a foot of space between the end of the bed and the dresser would have been nice. The room was CLEAN, but cramped. The bathroom was also clean.
Then we noticed how clearly we could hear people in the hallway... There is a VERY large gap from the bottom of the door to the floor. Big enough to stuff a towel up against it to try to block some of the sound out - which we did for the duration of our stay. Any time we were in our room, we shoved towels against the door. In the mornings that gap becomes very obnoxious because you can hear everything that housekeeping is doing out there, and all of the peoples' conversations as they leave to check out of the hotel.
The day that we left was probably the worst part for my partner. He went to check out, and I took the luggage to the car in the parking garage. It was taking so long that I went back inside to check on things - he was still standing in line. He'd been either second in line or first in line for around FIFTEEN MINUTES, and all the while they kept taking people from the "Platinum Members" line - the people standing there weren't even platinum members! They were talking to each other about how they didn't know if it was the right line, one of them pointed to the sign that said, "Platinum Members" and they just said, "Oh well," and stayed there. AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN CHECK TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE WERE IN THE RIGHT LINE, they just kept taking them first! So, the special line of special Platinum-but-really-just-stupid-inconsiderate-people CONTINUED to go first, even though the people in the "normal" line had been standing there longer. No check in or check out lines - they're all the same, and if you're not Platinum, expect to stand there for close to a half hour before finally getting called up.
In the end, I leave you with FOUR recommendations:
1. DON'T stay here unless you're prepared to have a chunk of your money put on "hold" for the duration of your stay, and 5+ days after you leave. Because, you know, who needs to access $200 of their funds during a "vacation"?
2. DON'T expect to go down to check-out within the last half hour you're allowed to - you'll spend it waiting in line, twiddling your thumbs and worrying that you won't be able to check out in time because the super-special-jackass line gets to go first (I realize this is like paying for FastTrak passes at theme parks; pay for platinum, get special line... but they don't even check, and just keep taking people first)
3. DON'T expect to have "privacy" or sleep in late with that giant gap under your door. Everyone can hear you, and you can hear everyone else.
4. Hell, just DON'T stay here! We've stayed at the Silver Legacy twice now during their "Crawl" specials. Much nicer hotel, rooms feel a bit newer and not as crowded, their check-in/check-out is organized, and THEIR DOORS REACH ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. What a concept! | 0negative
| 821 |
I only went to this place mostly just to get my ramen fix every week. This place gave me a good impression at first just because it has a unique ambiance. They have decorations like the Hatsune Miku poster and Doraemon stuff dolls, and I am fond of those things. However, I decided not to come back to this place ever again mainly because of their horrible service.
Before I start ranting and raving on the poor quality of their service, I just want to mention what I think of their food. Their menu have a wide variety of Japanese food, but I think they are all overpriced. Probably I just have a high standard because I grew up in San Francisco Bay Area where I tried tons of Japanese restaurants. But during my 1 year here in Florida, I've learned to lower my expectations since there are not that many Asians here. Their ramen broth is good, I can't deny that. But it feels like it's missing a lot of ingredients. It is very basic; it has the noodles, a few slices of chashu, and a piece of Naruto kamaboko. I always have to request extra meat. I even thought of bringing my own boiled eggs and some kikurage to complete the ramen. Their okonomiyaki is so thin. It barely has any meat inside, it doesn't even contain cabbage, and the okonomi sauce you can buy from Japanese supermarkets taste better than the one they use. They use actual octopus in their takoyaki, but the dice of octopus tentacle they put in the takoyaki is so small, I rather have them put calamari in it. It is not cooked really well neither; it was still somewhat liquidy inside when I ate one. Their ikamaru is good; I actually have no complaints on this food item other than the price. They have other typical Japanese food in the menu like oyakodon and katsu curry, but I don't like how I have to pay about 9-10 bucks for food that I used to pay 5-6 dollars for when I was in California. I've visited this place more than 5 times and I haven't tried any of their rolls despite of the name of the store, but I heard from other people that the fish they use doesn't smell fresh. Well, that's all I can say about their food. Now off to talk about the service I've received.
Of all the times I visited this place, I have never seen any of the staff smile. I give them the standard 15% tip anyway on my first visit thinking maybe it's just one of those days. On my subsequent visits, the staff still have the same uninviting attitudes. So I decide to only give 10% tip the next few times. The Hispanic waitresses barely have any knowledge about the items on the menu. Each time you ask a question about an item, they have to bring an angry Asian lady to take our order. This Asian lady always have a facial expression that says, "What the @#$% do you want?!" If you tell her that you and your friends will be paying separate checks, she will always let out a frustrated sigh and rolls her eyes as she walks away from your table. After you get your food, the Hispanic waitresses never come to check on you again even though there is only one other party of customers at the time. The waitresses always do something rude while I am eating and it is really unappetizing. They take away your food before you even finish it without even asking. Slamming the sake bottle on our table spilling at least half a shot of sake on the table and never bothered wiping or apologizing. They start vacuuming the carpet under your table while you're eating. This list goes on. One time I called the store 1 hour ahead before closing (9pm) to ask if my friend and I will still be able to order even though we're going to arrive there close to 9pm and we were told that it's okay. We arrived there with 15 minutes to spare but we saw them with the chairs already up and the Hispanic waitresses vacuuming the floor already, telling us they're closed. We drove all the way there from Brandon (about 35 minutes away without traffic) for nothing. Hence on my last visit, I decided not to give them any more than 5% tip because I think that reflects the quality of service they've given me.
The last time I went there frustrated me the most. The Asian lady with the "What the @#$% do you want?!" face came chasing us down in the parking lot with my check pointing out that I only put down 74 cents as a tip. She was fussing and saying, "What am I gonna do with your 74 cents?! I don't need your 74 cents!" She left one of her servers to wait for me to change the tip. Since she said that doesn't need my 74 cents, I crossed out the tip, write down just the original price of the food I paid for as total, and have the server send the check back. The angry Asian lady came back the second time asking, "Are you saying you don't like our food? This is an insult." I never said I hated the food; I just don't like the service. This is why I'll never visit this store ever again. I rather drive more than an hour and a half and eat at Sapporo Ramen in Orlando (which has a much better ramen anyway). | 0negative
| 944 |
Today's secret Iron Chef ingredient is........the iPad!
Well sorta....Carmel Cafe gets high marks for originality as the concept behind this Modern Mediterranean (Mod Med) cafe is to place your orders via a supplied iPad which has been custom-programmed to show you pictures of the various plates of food as well as a small description for each item. The idea is for each diner to take the iPad in hand and then select their individual courses. Let the fun begin....
Carmel Cafe has Mod Med cuisine combined with an extensive wine list and full bar. The food is extremely good, and the iPad ordering system is fun, and I'm sure quite practical for the kitchen & serving staff.
Carmel Cafe is located in a strip mall alongside Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood. The location is a bit disconcerting as their neighbor immediately to the north is Chuck E. Cheese, and to the south are several commercial and retail establishments, all in this same strip mall. It's a bit tough to find, but if I told you that it is directly opposite the highway from Grillsmith, that might make things a bit easier.
Once through the front doors you'll see a very chic and elegant dining area adjacent to a long bar with a nice mix of tables and extremely comfortable booths. The hostess brings you your very own iPad and introduces your server, and from there you start flipping through the screens and zooming in on various items.
At this point your server magically appears to explain that you should order each course one by one, because once you submit an entry to the kitchen via your tablet, the food comes whisking out within moments. This gives you the ability to control the speed of service and delivery of your food. When you're ready for the next course just whip out the ol' iPad and tap away to your heart's content. The servers are there to answer your questions and give you some suggestions on pairing the various courses, and selecting wines or cocktails.
OK, so on to the food... I was there tonight with a buddy from work, so we decided to order some of the small plates and sample a bunch of items. We started with Nan's Goat Cheese which included roasted garlic cloves, sun-dried tomato, olives, and some yummy toasted bread wedges which had been seasoned with spices. Along with that we also ordered the shrimp ceviche which was chilled and included seasoned shrimp, peppers, citrus, cilantro, avocado and vegetable crisps. And our final appetizer sampling was baked spinach and artichoke dip with toasted pita chips.
Naturally we needed some adult beverages to accompany our meal, and so I ordered the Pinot Noir flighting which was three excellent samples of Italian, California, and Chilean wine for $10. My friend had a tough day at the office, so he went straight for some pomegranate martini action.
Because we were deep into business talk, we decided to order one more small plate to serve as our main course. Mine was the Spinach Gnocchi Marseilles made with shrimp, scallops, mussels, fennel and roasted peppers in a spicy bouillabaisse broth. This was serious "lick-the-bowl-clean" good! My friend ordered the Steak Frites which was grilled and sliced Meyers Natural Angus beef, served with béarnaise aioli over their house fries.
And now, back to our iPads.... So now it's time to pay the bill, and the waitress explained that we would be able to check out using our new friend, the tablet. A few clicks of the button and you can choose to pay the full amount of the bill, divide the amount between a number of diners, or pick off your individual menu items and just pay for your share. This seems much easier than the old days of trying to figure out "OK, who had the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup?" Oh, and naturally you enter your credit card information on your friendly neighborhoof iPad, and faster than you can say 'Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations', the restaurant auto-magically delivers your credit card receipt right into your email before you even leave the table.
OK, the technology part is seriously cool and one heck of a lot of fun, but the quality of the food at Carmel Cafe stands up to the iPad gimmick. I will definitely go back, even if they drop the whole iPad thing. Meantime do you think we could convince them to let us play 'Angry Birds' on the tablets between courses? | 2positive
| 754 |
First off, let me just say how good the food was! Our burgers and fries were made to order as we requested and the appetizer were all delicious. Unfortunately the service was horrid.
Service: Tues. 10/28/14
5:50 - Ben and I walk into Red Robin, kind of excited since neither of us have been to this location. One couple is in front of us at the hostess stand, but there are only 3-4 tables of people in the restaurant. We are seated relatively quickly.
5:55- Will the Waiter comes over and gets our drink order, Ben asks for a TNT (Long Island) and I order a Mojito, we also put in an order for the Chili-Con-Queso.
6:00- We see that the couple who arrived at the same time as us are now getting their drinks, we start looking around for ours...Will seems to have disappeared.
6:05- Drinks arrive, Ben's TNT looks great, but says it tastes like there is no alcohol in it. Mine looks a little cloudly and tastes like pure lime juice. The waiter happens to be taking orders for the table right next to us (family of 4, 2 kids uder the age of 6, adorable) so I flag him down and let him know what's wrong, he apologizes and says he will fix it, takes the drink and heads to the bar. We can see him talking to the bar tender, she doesn't look offended, yay!
App arrives! Fantastic Queso! We both were very impressed with the quality, I highly recommend the Queso!
6:10- 2nd Mojito arrives, Will asks me to taste it before he leaves (nice gesture). Now the drink tastes like soda water. Still can't taste the mint, or the Rum, or taste/see any sugar in the glass. REALLY?! Sent the drink back again. Dinner orders are placed, 2 tavern doubles, my toppings on the side, Ben asks for cheese and bacon only, with a side of honey mustard.
6:15- A 2nd waitress comes to the table and asks if I would like to order anything else in place of the failed Mojito. I ask for a sweet tea. Disappointment abounds.
6:16-Sweet tea magically appears at the table. Kids at the table next door settle down, their food has arrived.
6:17 - We start playing a round of Trivial Pursuit on the bottle of Heinz ketchup. Ben and I are kicking ass and taking names!
6:25- We have finished 3 full games of trivial pursuit, boredom is setting in. Where is the waiter? Where is our food?
6:30- Finally! Salvation in the form of a burger! Smells great. We tell the food runner that we asked for honey mustard. She says she will be right back, our waiter is still MIA.
6:35- This burger is AWESOME. I totally understand why people like this place. Ben is done with his fries, no honey mustard yet. The couple who came in at the same time as us seem to have left already.
6:37- Honey mustard finally! I use Ben's leftovers on my fries, yummy.
6:40- Ben's kinda itching for more fries, waiter still hasn't even come over to ask how the food is (well, was). Ben and I wonder when the waiter will be back. He's still MIA. Family of 4 has their check and is packing up to leave already.
6:43- Well hey there Mr. Waiter, did you get lost? No? Glad to hear it. We order another round of fries (he said it'll be about 5 mins) I ask for the check, and tell the waiter I have a coupon. He writes down my member number and disappears.
6:50- Waiter stops by with an arm full of food, "I'll be back in a second, the code didn't work, I need to verify it with you again"
6:55- I think the waiter got lost again. Second round of fries shows up.
6:56- Ben can't take any more, leaves me his wallet and heads outside for some air.
7:00- New waiter, never seen him before, appologizes profusely, takes my code again. I make a comment about how we have been here for over an hour and we are trying to make a movie in 30 mins. Answer? "Sorry it's really busy tonight".
7:11- Waiter drops the check off, arm full of food again, I ask him to come back after he drops that off (no reason to cause other people to wait as long as we did).
7:12- Yes he came right back, I was shocked too. I explained to Will the reason that he was not getting a very nice tip from us. I felt like he poorly managed his time and resources. I explained that there were 5 tables when we first walked in, and yet it took us over a hour to receive drinks, an app and a meal, for 2. I also pointed out that he took over 20 minutes to deliver the check to me after I asked for it. I made a point of telling him that we had arrived so early because we were trying to make a movie and were still disappointed in the timeliness of the service. Will's response was "you should have told me you were trying to make a movie, I could have put a rush order on it". LET ME JUST SAY: Whether or not I am trying to make a movie is irrelevent. My service should not be that slow. EVER.
Somebody PLEASE send a corporate trainer to this location. Hire a bartender who can make drinks. Hire waiters who have the ability to handle 6 tables on a Tuesday night. The food was great, I would love to go back, but we will not be returning because of the service. Disappointed. | 0negative
| 959 |
OK so I never even knew this place existed until I talked to Nicholas G. at Yelps Red and Black ball. He told me how great it was, so my wife and I decided to go take a walk up and check out what all the fuss was about.
So we bundled the twins and headed up the street. I have seen many a business in this small building and never really wanted to venture in. We really had no idea what we were in store for, other than the cheesecake looked De Lish in the pictures I had seen on Yelp.
It was a little late about 7 but they are open till 9 so we were good. When we walked in I was pretty impressed with their use of the space that for a lack of better words is micro machine size. There was about 7-8 tables scattered around the room and a chalkboard menu over the opening to the kitchen. They also had a small neon dry erase board as well, which in my opinion made it a little confusing to know which menu I was looking at to order.
While were were standing there trying to figure out the menu, the owner came over and apologized that they had a really busy day and were out of almost everything on the menu. We were a little disappointed but I was pretty excited that they had such a great day and that maybe this place might be sticking around for a while.
He informed us that the two sandwiches we were considering were still available so we walked back to order. I noticed that they had no list or menu for the cheesecakes so I asked the lady at the register for a list. I think she misunderstood what I asked because she was a little preoccupied on her phone. She handed us a list and my wife and I mulled over it for a while and then went to order a piece of the amaretto cheesecake. She apologized for misunderstanding what we were asking for (she handed us a list you order a whole cheesecake for a latter date from) and informed us she was entirely out of cheesecake.
At this point I was like OK maybe this place really needs to figure out if they are going to be able to handle being a busy place or if they need to close closer to 5-6. I was just a little shocked is all. So we just ordered the Chicken McGreggor and the BLB (Bacon lettuce and even more Bacon) sandwich. My wife was a little bit upset that the McGreggor comes prepped with onions on it that the were not able to remove fully.
We sat down and a young girl brought us waters. Soon the food came out and I was pretty shocked at how freakin huge the BLB was I mean it had Bacon Jetting out every which way and whole romaine lettuce leaves on it. I actually felt like I needed to be one of those snakes that unhinges their jaw to start on this behemoth of a sandwich. The taste was superb, The bacon was perfect and the Chipotle mayo was a smoky/savory flavor that was the perfect touch. Even the bread was incredible. My wife liked her sandwich to and commented on the fact that she liked the smoked Gouda cheese that is melted on the chicken even though she had never had that type of cheese before.
So the lady that took our order came over and said that she did actually have a piece of New York cheese cake left and that we could have it if we wanted it. We were a little full but said yes anyway. I went to reach for my wallet and she then said "Like I am giving it to you" I was pretty floored that she was giving us a piece for free. They brought it over in a take home container for us. (We ate this at home and both agreed it was the best cheesecake we have ever had!!)
All in all this place is a new favorite, I am really impressed with the quality of the food. I really hope they figure out how to make the food supply last through the day though because we really would have been upset if we couldn't have ordered. Also I think having a better menu (the owner said they are working on a paper menu and will be taking orders at the table soon) display and some way to know what cheesecakes they have that day would be a good step. I also was a little embarrassed that I had to leave tip on the credit receipt before I received any service and I had no cash so the two people that took care of us once we sat down got no tip.
I really hope this place can quickly make some changes that will help them maintain a good list of menu items though the day and keep a good base of people coming back. I hope to try every flavor of cheesecake soon, just not in one sitting. | 2positive
| 870 |
Ok this is really hard because it's opening was very very much anticipated especially since we frequent Texas De Brazil's across the US when we travel. It's a must with two carnivores in the house. I understand that it's new and there are kinks to be worked out of any new establishment but they better step way way up on the service end if they plan to make it in New Orleans. We had a lunch reservation because we were certain it would be crowded especially since it was MLK day and lots of folks were off work that day. Surprisingly there were many vacant tables. We were there with our teenage son to celebrate some academic achievements and we came hungry too. To start things off our table attendant Randolph was great but he can only continue to be great if the rest of his team is. Our beverages were the only thing that was consistent the whole time. It was 40 degrees outside and the restaurant had the a/c blowing on about 30 degrees. I asked if they could warm it up a tad and felt they only made it colder that all three of us had to wear our coats for the whole hour we were there trying to dine. The other general table servers that were suppose to bring out the bread, potatoes, plantains, polenta, etc. to the table basically ignored us and it was 30 minutes into our meal before the bothered to see if we ever received the items or even cared to try them. When we did get them they just plopped it on table with no description of the items they were placing on our table. REALLY??? This is something that should be on every table the whole time. The market bar items were limited in selection but that was fine because we were there to enjoy the meat not rabbit food. The soup, rice and beans were good, nothing to do back flips over. Now onto the reason we went!! The meats. Several times our personal attendant asked if there were any special items we would like brought over to our table to try and we asked for lamb chops, prime rib and bacon wrapped filet. None of those requests were ever brought to our table but did make it to a few tables in our close proximity. So we just drooled and tried to imagine how they might taste if they ever made it to our table. Don't bother trying to get their attention because they wouldn't bother to look your way and acknowledge you. The items that we did get to try were delicious however if the Gauchos don't know that the green card means you would like to try what they are serving then what's the point? And to look at 3 green cards on a table and walk by with out asking is bad. Also, Really if your butt is touching our table you should at least do the courtesy of turning around to offer our table your fare or to see if we needed anything. All three of us felt as though we were invisible or possibly that they didn't care if we were there or not. Face it this is not a cheap fast food chain but rather an expensive fine dining chain ($32 per head at lunch) and they will have a hard time keeping business if they don't treat all patrons equally. For crying out loud there were some patrons in the restaurant that must of thought they were at a casino buffet and afraid the food might run out. Some of the Gauchos stopped at some select tables that were of the opposite race and filled there plates with meats every time they walked out of the kitchen with a fresh selection like it was their last meal. I can honestly say that I walked out after being there for an hour not full as I normally would have been and certainly know that both my guys left not feeling full either. We were all very disappointed in our experience because of this crappy service. Randolph's kind quirky words were all that I can say we're good about this experience. I am generally not one complain but a new establishment especially a large chain such as FDC should of done better and should of done a better job at seeing all of its patrons are treated equally. We would rather drive from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to eat at TDB. Parking on street during business day is not thinkable so you have to rely on parking garages in the area. Luckily I asked table attendant it they would validate my parking ticket from the hotel garage and the valet only charged me $8 instead of the $20 the restaurant said they were going to charge me during the day. It's going to take some heavy persuasion for us to go back anytime soon or to even recommend to any of our family and friends. I'm honestly disappointed and sorry I had to post this but it needed to be heard. I hope this doesn't happen to other patrons. | 0negative
| 867 |
I had hoped for so much more from this place, and I am sad to be writing this review. Actually I told myself, if they got back to me with an apology, I wouldn't write it. But they didn't. And I will say this is more focused on their event space.
I will list the pros and cons, and if you feel inclined, you are welcome to read further (again this is pertaining to their event space)
PROS
Food is decent
Staff is knowledgeable and kind
The event space has a private restroom
There was space for a guitar player
CONS
They are unable to manage a no host bar well
The communication is very misaligned
There is a very slow (if at all) response time in emails
You can not bring in your own wine
There is a $2 upcharge per head if you bring in your own dessert
The event space is "split" which ended up working out fine, but we didn't get to see all of the guests all evening
I felt rushed to sit down, so the cocktail hour was 1 hour 15 minutes for our guests, but only 45 for us (he was late because it was a surprise)
All in all they are very much in it for the money
We have been there before for the food which we thought was okay, but what really drew me to this place was the fact it was "a little taste of Italy" in St. Louis.
I hosted my husband's 40th birthday party there. We were so drawn to this restaurant because it reminds us of a little Italian gem in San Francisco, where we celebrate with our family annually, and have for years. We are Italian and we always go back to our roots! My husband really wanted to find that here, and mentioned this restaurant is the closest to that.
His family flew out here for the weekend to surprise him which was great, and my goal was to create that strong connected family feeling with all of us together.
The wait staff was fun and knowledgable about the food, but the communication was very off, and I was in slight disbelief by the outcome of that.
My one big issue for the evening was the bar tab causing not only a lot of confusion. I had a conversation with the owner before hand, that I was NOT hosting the bar. I made a mention that my husbands relative mentioned he wanted to help, but I was not banking on that, and I would not be hosting. That conversation was basically conveyed to our guests causing so much confusion. The bar staff was telling our guests " we are keeping track but someone is possibly taking care of the bar tab at the end of the evening, so it will probably be covered."
It was so inappropriate, and caused unnecessary confusion. A family member actually told me later they tried to put their card down initially to take care of the bill, and were told "someone will most likely cover it at the end."
It was very messy and almost embarrassing when guests tried to put down their card, and were told "we are keeping track but are being told someone may take care of it at the end, so we aren't taking cards yet."
There was drinks on my tab at the end of the night as well. I am disappointed they didn't stick to the original plan of doing a not host bar. I was never going to host the bar, and I am appalled that it was inferred to our guests that I or "someone might." Very unprofessional.
For a private event, they charge $59.95 per head if you pay cash, and $65 if you use a card. It ended up costing me more money in the end, as some of the money that was meant to cover dinner, did end up going to settle the bar tab, so what I budgeted for $59.95 per head turned into $64.95. I ended up paying $2300 in cash and yet was charged the higher rate per head because a small percentage went on a card. Just bad business.
Basically, a wonderful event, turned into such a very money focused, nickel and dime occasion. At one point, I was talking to a couple of our friends, and a waiter came up to me in the middle of the conversation and asked me in front of them about the bottle of Chandon that was unpaid for and what to do with it. You could feel this was all about the money for them.
They have the potential to do some really lovely events with their space. When you do all with love, more love returns. When you are fearful of money, that also shows. No matter what the focus is, that will always grow. Unfortunately for us, we saw the whole weird money discussion. For a $3,500.00 event, I would have appreciated far better service, dialogue, explanation, and at least an apology such communication happened to our guests.
If you are looking for a place to host a corporate meal, this can work as the ambiance and attitude matches that, but I don't consider this place family friendly. | 0negative
| 883 |
This unique cafe is not for everyone. You have to be passionately love good food to appreciate this family run restaurant. But to me and my husband, we are there for once and we are theirs.
We pass through downtown Tarpon Spring countless time and we always turn right on Safford Ave to avoid traffic on Alt 19. I have been curious of this sleepy cafe with bizarre exterior decoration and wonder what they have inside. 5PM Friday afternoon, we step into this cafe. Turn out we had stepped into someone's life.
We were greeted by the owner, Chef Brad with a loud yell from his kitchen: 'I have been waiting for you for whole day!' A sign of welcome. Still we were totally confused of where we are because we were surrounded by peculiar decoration inside. Is this a restaurant or an mismanaged antique shop? I asked myself. Carefully zigzag in between old posters and porcelain statues, we found a small table near window. My husband squeezed himself into a dusty corner and he looks like he was lost. Before I tried to comfort him, here came George, Chef Brad's youngest son. He is a polite well manner 9 years old young man. He cleaned our table, changed plate mat, and asked our choice of drinks. I was disappointed when he told me they don't serve any alcohols. George shook his shoulder:' Sorry, we don't have wine, but you can buy it outside and bring it here.' I thought he was joking. He gave us menu with a big smile and left.
My husband stood up, went to his car and brought back a bottle red wine he just got from B-21. He said: It is a sign!
And the 'Sign' just kept coming. After we red the menu, we realized this is not an ordinary cafe. 'Escargot a la Bourginon', 'Crawfish Etouffee', 'Grouper Meuniere'..This is a 5 star restaurant menu. We were surprised. Then, Chef Brad came for rescue. And with him, a wine screw. 'We can't sell alcohol. 4 dollar corkage fee we charge so you can enjoy your beverage bought from somewhere else' He confirmed what George said. We were relieved since there is no way we would enjoy his food without a glass of decent wine. Then Chef Brad introduced to us what the special of the day and his recommendation on food. I choosed 'Creole Jambalaya', my husband took Chef's advice ordered 'Lamb Shanks'. Then the waiting game began.
It is a one man show restaurant. He is the only chef. Everything he cooks he puts his best knowledge and passion to create something outstanding for you. Although we waited for long time, what we received was more than delicious food, it was his respect and appreciation to everyone of his customers. He brings his best to reward you. How much more can we ask for.
His food is worth waiting for. I had never seen my husband eating so quietly before. The meat was perfectly cooked it falls apart from the bone. He finished everything and no doubt deep in his mind he wanted to lick his plate. And my Jambalaya is a killer. Not just the rich flavor but also its hot chili pepper has satisfied my hunger for spicy food. Oh My God. I asked for 'Level 7' and I was totally surrendered by its hotness. Next time, I will go for 5. Then Crepes for desert that comes with coffee. This time, I was the one wanted to lick the plate.
We were there for total 2 hour and half. We met his lovely wife Liza whom brings us food; His beautiful 13 years old daughter Krysta whom check if we need anything; And playful George making some noise in between just for being a 9 years old. We spent those pleasant hours observe this family and wish every kid may have the same luck to grow up in this loving family.
It was 730pm. The restaurant was almost full. We are lucky we were here earlier to get served in time. Chef Brad apologized that we had to wait longer to get our food. But we didn't mind at all. We gave our complement and told him how pleasant to meet his family.
At the end, we felt so attached to this unique cafe that we sat there for a little longer to look at her one more time. Those antiques that Liza collected placed in her way spread around tables and corners. It presents in a her way of style that only a patient being will find its beauty among the sense of chaos. And her customers, you can dress anyway you want and you will fit here perfectly. This cafe speaks to you. This Cafe choose you. This cafe is not for everyone.
Beside our table, Hubby found a board '100 best movie quotes'. He red one to me: "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." - Casablanca. IT IS A SIGN. He said it again. -End
Do:
Check the restaurant website first.
Make reservation.
Go with an open mind and a patient heart.
Bring your own wine.
Bring your soul mate.
Don't go if
You like deepfried food.
You try to impress your first date.
Not interested in trying 'Escargot a la Bourginon'.
P.S. Our dinner cost 71 dollar including tax. We brought our own wine. | 2positive
| 910 |
Since it opened, i've loved Milktooth. but no more. Yesterday, after a typical hour and a half wait, i was finally seated only to be treated rudely by the chef and wait staff. You see, I can't eat pork due to a religious dietary restriction. Normally this would be fine, I am usually able to avoid pork. Not at Milktooth. Their menu contains one chicken dish (which comes with pork sausage gravy), which they were out of, one lox dish, and one beef dish. the beef was a ribeye steak with egg foo young. this is what i wanted, in fact, this is what i came in for having seen a picture on the restaurant's instagram site. unfortunately for me, the egg foo young that came with the ribeye had pork in it. the restaurant has a strict "no modifications" policy. Even though they say that they like to accommodate for food allergies, they in fact, will not serve their food other than EXACTLY the way it is described. I knew this, so I didn't ask for them to try to make the egg foo young without the bacon. All i asked for was, "could i have the ribeye (at full price) without the egg foo young?" My server, who was a manager, absolutely refused to even ASK the chef if this could be done. she said he has a 'vision' and that it's the ONE THING he required when he came to Milktooth. wow. really? I asked to speak to someone else. another manager came. i explained to her that i have a religious dietary restriction against pork (isn't this a thing? don't people know that some people can't eat pork?) and that i'm really wanting to eat the ribeye without the egg foo young. could i have just the ribeye? she said she would ask the chef, but seemed very put out. At Milktooth you can see the chef working from your seat at the table. I watched her ask him, he vigorously shook his head and said "NO WAY".
THE CHEF WAS NOT WILLING TO SERVE ME THE RIBEYE WITHOUT HIS PRECIOUS EGG FOO YOUNG.
The manager came back and told me it would not be possible to eat the ribeye steak without also being served the egg foo young. At this point i was in shock i think. because i could see him making the egg foo young separately from the steak and then plating them together. so why could it not be served without the egg???
I told the manager that i'm finding it incredibly hard to believe that i can't just have the steak. she went back and talked to the chef some more. she came back and said that the only thing she could do is have the ribeye plated on one plate and the egg foo young plated on another plate. BUT I HAD TO BE SERVED THE EGG IF I WANTED THE STEAK.
i can't believe the pretentiousness of this place. i ate that damn steak. it was good. and i refused the plate of egg foo young before it could land on my table. i told them to send it back, and when it did go back, there was ACTUAL commotion from the grill area. the chef was visibly upset. that's how crazy he is. he was upset that i could not eat his artfully created vision because of my religious restriction.
it gets worse: when i VERY politely complained that the chef is too pretentious to let his customers eat steak without pork he recommended i go to denny's (see photos). he also tweeted to me that it makes no difference that it was a religious issue because "we don't base our policies on anyone's faith." He also tweeted that he believed that the "customer is always right" is a "myth" and completely wrong.
wow. for a business who just hosted "Big Gay Day" in an effort to show inclusion, this is an extremely exclusive attitude. about 20 tweets back and forth, they still refuse to apologize or even just simply say "hey we're sorry you had a bad experience, please come back" and by not saying that, what they ARE saying is "WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU, DON'T COME BACK."
I won't be going back. I loved Milktooth but they did not love me back. Rude wait staff (who were managers) and beyond arrogant and rude Chef. There are plenty of chefs in indy who have vision but also care about their customers. it's possible to do both and it's possible to be KIND. JUST BE KIND. | 0negative
| 769 |
First off I rarely drink coffee and second I'm really not the biggest fan of coffee shops as I like to drink beer in a bar instead of hanging out in some lame hipster infested coffee shop. This place had intrigued me for awhile though and I wanted to check out what it offered. They really did a good job of cleaning up and remodelling this long deserted building and it certainly is better than the eyesore that was there previously so kudos to them for that. They actually had some interesting looking dishes for carnivores on the menu but I only wanted a cup of coffee as I was really tired and needed a caffeine surge to power me through what was going to be a very long night.
I really find a great deal of satisfaction with the fact this place has signage outside boasting of its Vegan Coffee and food but inside they offer several beef and egg options so they are keeping it NOLA real here despite the Vegan angst that would drive Morrissey to slit his soul over the animals murdered for this psudo-Vegan joint. I do have to admit though I'm very confused by this establishment as I thought all coffee was as Vegan as any plant could be but as all plants are covered in billions of living microorganisms and a host of insect and other animal life which gets mixed into all plants Vegans eat they are all only posers and eat plenty of non-plant creatures (although most Vegans I know subsist largely off of desserts so I consider them dessertarians or carb addicts).
Continuing with my confused state of mind as I perused the coffee menu here I can honestly say I've never seen a more confusing coffee menu in my life. They have descriptions next to all the coffee varietals they offer akin to what a wine flavor profile description might be but many of their coffee descriptions include "sweet" and "sugar" in them. I don't want sweetness or sugar in my coffee as I like mine black and bitter with nothing added like cream, milk or anything else idolarating my pure coffee darkness. When it comes to coffee my soul is very dark and black as night! After frustratingly looking for a coffee that might meet my needs on their world encompassing coffee selection I finally just picked one and hoped for the best. The price was rather higher than I was expecting to pay and the time it took to prepare was rather longer than I was accustomed to. While I was waiting for my coffeee I perused the offering of their Vegan desserts and I saw a few things that mildly stimulated my interest yet ultimately I wasn't tempted to indulge in any of them as I was still feeling a bit wounded in my wallet because most other dessert and coffee shops in NOLA would have netted me both a nifty snack treat and a coffee beverage for the same price I paid for just my coffee here.
Due to the price I paid I had high expectations of my special African coffee bean selection and it was served in a rather larger than average coffee mug. The taste started out a bit smooth and velvety but ended with a bit of saltiness and a hint of beef broth. The beef broth finish might have totally have been in my imagination though as I had been focusing on looking at all the interesting beef dishes they offered on their menu and I do love looking at some beef dishes in a Vegan establishment! Ultimately I just wasn't that impressed with my coffee and I don't think I would really return for more or to hang out here with the extra groovy hipster crowd that seemed to be loving the angst of this place.
I wish I could like the coffee here more and I'm a bit tempted to return and try some of the beef dishes and I'm really glad these entrepreneurs fixed up this long deserted space but as I was leaving some douche hipster on a moped pulled right up behind me and parked on the yellow triangle illegally behind my legally parked vehicle and was about a half inch from my bumper... I hate damn idiot douche hipsters on their mopeds that park illegally and try to block me in... I refrained from throwing the moped at the hipster and thankfully I have a rear camera on my vehicle that makes maneuvering and parking much easier so I also avoided the temptation to smash the little moped with my bumper and after much microscopic maneuvering I was finally able to escape this enclave of hipster buffoonery.
Maybe I will stop in again as there were a few cute ladies hanging out here that had only minor hipster angst upon them but it will be a tough sell if I want coffee and freedom from douche hipsters. So unfortunately my main impressions are less than optimal coffee and then my experience being totally ruined by bad douche hipster customers which the coffee is all HiVolt's responsibility and the douche hipsters bring it all on themselves and earn all the sterility and impotence their skinny jeans bring upon them. Maybe Vegans will like the pseudo -Veganism of this place as much as hipsters do and psudo-hipster Vegans will just eat this place up! Morrissey he just hates this place and me. | 0negative
| 916 |
My culinary adventures continue! It's been a while since I've been out to a restaurant worth reviewing, as my single dad duties have relegated me to home chef (but mostly because the Brandon area is restaurant chain heaven), but after visiting Fred's Market tonight, I thought a few words were in order.
Kids and I arrived at Fred's around 8pm, and although I've never been here, it was easy to find right off of 301. I'd heard good things about the one in Plant City, and after reading the Yelp reviews for this fairly new one in Riverview, decided to give it a try.
Walking into the restaurant, you immediately feel as though you're in the country. We were seated quickly, and our waitress came over a minute later asking if we'd been to Fred's before. She was very friendly, and explained all of the options you can choose from on the menu (this is a buffet restaurant, so there are a few ways you can go about tackling it). She asked how old the kids were, then mentioned the price for each (my one child is 9, and there's a cut off at age 8 for $2 cheaper, but she still quoted the cheaper price for both, this was just the beginning of a memorable experience).
After the quick explanation, she takes our drink orders and tells us to proceed to the filling stations. I have to admit, buffet style restaurants are not my cup of tea, as I'm quite the neurotic clean freak when it comes to food, utensils, and decorum, so I was already a little apprehensive. I say this because, and this is the ONLY reason that I didn't give Fred's 5 stars, as we queued up to begin our foray into button popping satisfaction, the reach for a plate from the mountainous stack proved disappointing. All of them were wet (clean, but obviously recently retrieved from the dishwasher), and with the napkins on the table, we were all forced to "go country" and dry them with our shirts. The utensils on the tables were "clean", but very spotty. Again, I know I might sound like I'm splitting hairs here folks, and perhaps my neurosis is far worse than I'm letting on, but I don't think wet plates and spotty utensils are the best way to endear your customers from the get-go.
All the above aside, Fred's is amazing! The selection of food is outrageous, and everything I tried was delicious. Think picnic at your parents or grandparents house, all with that home cooking pizzazz. Mouth watering, fall off the bone ribs, with a tangy bbq sauce that you can ladle on yourself. Creamy Mac & Cheese, silky real deal mashed potatoes, with home style gravy that again, you can ladle on yourself (or in my case, saturate my entire plate in), epic fried chicken, and about 3 or 4 different kinds of corn bread (casserole style, biscuit, squares and rounds), buttery soft, right out of the oven rolls, and just about every southern vegetable side you can think of (greens, Brussel sprouts, rice, etc). I mean honestly, the options were endless, and that was just the dinner buffet!!! To boot, they have an enormous salad bar that rivals Sweet Tomatoes in size, with the difference being, all of their pasta and salads are home made, and the toppings are fresh. There were also a couple of differs soups, but my plates were always so high I never got around to sampling them. They also had a dessert station filled with homemade cakes and pies, as well as ice cream.
All I can say is, I gorged myself like a death row prisoner who requested his last meal. If there was a pillow at our table, I would've passed out in seconds due to the self induced food coma I was in. I honestly can't remember stuffing myself this badly in quite some time, it was that good. I also have to mention, due to my previous gripping about the plates and utensils, that all of the buffet stations were immaculately clean, which is probably why I kept returning to sample each and every one of them like a stuck pig.
In conclusion (because I could continue to ramble on about my overall experience), I was so impressed with Fred's, that not only will we be back, but I can venture to say that we will be frequenting this establishment quite regularly in the coming year. Along with what we enjoyed tonight, I also saw that every day has different regular specials, so do yourself a solid and take a gander at their menu online to see what days suit you best. In my humble opinion, it's EVERY day . | 2positive
| 794 |
For the posted prices, they have not created a fine dining experience that is commensurate with the price per meal they are demanding.
From the moment we walked into the door we were greeted by a woman wearing dark blue/purple food preparation gloves and then she scurries off with a few other staff to assemble a seat.
The wait staff has one person that is effervescent with personality only to be overshadowed by the owner in his chef's jacket. The owner interrupted our server in the middle of mentioning the specials because he wanted to do it, no prices given. Our server walked away. Then she sort of took a back seat after that because Vincenzo seemingly wants to run the show. The remaining staff appeared to struggle at knowing how to provide memorable service, it did not flow, it was not anticipatory of needs (a lot of training is needed here).
My wife wanted to order a calzone, and the owner in his rather diminutive tone tells her no she will get what he's created, his special Spaghetti alla Vincenzo. He steam rolls her to a dish she didn't ask for that as it happens is more expensive.
I proceeded to ask him about grandmothers homemade meatballs with fresh made fusilli and ragu sauce. I asked if there were loose pieces of meat in the sauce and how big the meatballs were. He then pauses and looks me up and down, makes a judgmental smirk and says no don't worry it will be enough for you. Yes we make the sauce by cooking down the meat.
Then off he goes.
The whole time the person who greeted us at the door with the gloves on was leering over the room from the pizza oven dough prep station on some sort of odd bounding overwatch.
Mother in law orders Chicken Piccata with spinach and potatoes.
-The spaghetti Vincenzo was ok, very heavy and laden with sauce.
-As for the piccata, the chicken was cooked alright but not very tender and way too much lemon but overall was a good attempt.
-The Fusilli with meatballs was a disgrace. The meatballs were tepid, had very little flavor, was a kin to cafeteria or buffet style sogginess. There was just literally no flavor inside of them. The pasta was very chewy and grainy. The sauce was uneventful, if it had any meat used in its production as the owner stated then we need to redefine our understanding of "meat". It was a bland tomato sauce with no depth of flavor. The opposite of what you should find in a slow simmering a sauce of that nature.
-The peppy and nice waitress came to check on us and asked how it was. I said its not that great. She was clearly not empowered to even discuss, as she immediately said well let me get Vincenzo. He came over and I explained that I know it is fresh pasta and needs to be served al dente but this was too hard and chewy. I was right in the middle of speaking to mention the tepid flavorless balls of meat and sauce when he cut me off. Seemingly offended and unable to take feedback he said well it is al dente, and if you want it cooked more then fine we will cook it more, then fine he says again and walks away.
Returns with the reheated food and my cut up opened meatball, the entire meal was not re-fired. The pasta is finally easier to enjoy but far from tender and firm. He explained it continues to cook when its brought to the table, I said that is understandable and then says well don't complain again if there is a hair in your food.... not in a joking oh I know you - or - we have established rapport and so I feel I can joke with you way, it was serious. I said oh really? Well I suppose it would be one of your hairs then? And he said no, and walked away.
Since when did dropping human hair in food become a joking matter to a guests face? Perhaps behind their back, sure, but in front of house, just no, Seriously?....
I ended up adding some table side olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper to the meal.
The bowl/plates that are used curve downward at such an angle that the sauce and pasta water meal drips down this perfect slide and ends up all over the table.
Managing expectations is key for this place. Because what they are saying when they price their food high like this is we are fabulous! Ok well then show it! For the price the service should be impeccable, without sarcasm, and the food delicious.
The owner treats it like his home, which would be great if he wasn't so over protective and felt like he had to "school" his customers on Italian food. You don't know me!
The food was not savory as a Nonna would have made it, so lets leave the preverbal Italian grandmother off the menu.
Honor your country and its heritage by just making its food accurately and consistently good instead of trying to tell us how its supposed to be.
Oh and the woman who never took of her blue/purple gloves came and brought us our ticket. That was printed up by touching their --- touch screen -- Clover POS system, flour still on the gloves as she comes to our table. Cross contamination much?..... | 0negative
| 923 |
O-M-G! Was this experience B-A-D!!! Haven't had a really bad experience in a bit of time so I think it was in due time lol. We were excited to come here with some friends but now regret that decision! Came in at 4:30pm and was seated by 4:40pm, so not bad. Immediately greeted by the service Luis? to take our drink orders. 2 alcoholic drinks and the rest waters and sodas. He even took my daughters order and answered some questions about the menu. Off to a good start.
Then the first red flag -- Drinks took a good 10-15 minutes to make it to the table, even the water orders. I think they waited for the alcoholic drinks to be ready to bring all drinks. Ok, whatever. Right when the drinks arrived my daughters Mac and cheese arrived. The kids meals are served on weird school platters and instead of a side they come with Gogurt, a fruit cup and fruit gummies. Weird sides for a kids meal but whatever. We placed our orders when the drinks arrived.
My husband orders the steak plate, I ordered the Pal Campo chicken, another order for the table was the Garlic chicken, and another was a sample appetizer platter. The sides for all of our meals was rice and beans.
2nd red flag -- We sat, and sat, and sat seeing others seated after us get their meals and the food was so hot that you could see the steam. Their food looked wonderful and we were starving! Luis stopped by once to assure us that our food would be out soon...no ask for topping off our drinks. And no follow up after sitting another 20 minutes after he originally stopped to let us know that our food was soon..so we stopped him and asked. He said he'd check in the kitchen. We were beyond frustrated at this point so my husband went to the front counter and asked to have our checks for the drinks and kid meals. At the exact moment he sat back at the table, they show up with the food. He gets up and asks to speak to a manager. Manager arrives shortly after and we explained the issue. Her excuse-- the kitchen was busy. Ummmm I'm sorry what!? There's no excuse! AND people seated AFTER us were served BEFORE us. Food was served at 5:53pm!!! Are you kidding me. We felt the food while the manager was present and YEP, cold and luke warm! The beans were even cold and bland! The appetizer sampler was cold and you could tell was sitting in the kitchen since the fried foods were wet and soaked with the oil. There was a deep fried thing of cheese bites in the center of the plate and had sauce drizzling that was soaked into the batter. GROSS. My husbands steak was cold and GRAY.....WTH!! Steak shouldn't be that color lol. My Pal Campo chicken looked absolutely amazing and I wanted to dig in. I cut it and took a bite -- chicken was warm but not hot and the taste was good but I ended up sending it back because it wasn't hot. I advised the manager that I didn't want a refire of the food because 1 party at our table did ask and when hers arrived back even the flag that was poked into the chicken was hot which indicated that the food was probably just placed in the microwave! Especially since the hot food arrived back to the table within 5 minutes. Record time if you ask me for recooking a chicken dish. She tasted it then we pulled up other Yelp reviews and noticed someone said that they got sick from the food for similar issues we encountered with the food being cold and the appetizer being oily. So she stopped eating and we left. The manager ended up comping the tables check and apologized. We did leave a tip for the waiter since the experience wasn't his fault however he could've been better at partnering with the kitchen to get the food out. He could've also refilled drinks and checked in on us.
We will definitely not be back here. Which is actually so sad since I thought it would've been nice to have a Puerto Rican restaurant near work and home.
Please read the reviews before making your choice to dine here. Alot of the reviews seem to have the same issues -- slow service, suspect food, poor service and bland or cold food. If you do choose to dine here, good luck and may the force be with you. | 0negative
| 775 |
I really wanted to love this place, I swear. But I don't. In fact, I maybe hate it. The jury's still out.
I took my nephew to Studio Movie Grill for his birthday and initially everything ran very smoothly. The ticket process was a self serve kiosk that prints out the tickets on little receipts. I immediately noticed the lounge/bar area is very modern and generally appealing to the eye.
Once you get upstairs there is staff to guide you into the theater/seats. I did not initially like that when purchasing the ticket it was mandatory to choose seating. This creates a problem because it's a new theater so you're not really sure if the scaling/distance to gauge what would be the best seating. I'm glad something told me to sit closer towards the front because in my opinion the seats toward the back were not as great of a view.
We rang for menus through the service button. The prices are what you'd expect. The problem was the actual service. The waiters were a generally clumsy/dysfunctional unit. Wrong food here, wrong customer there. They very noisily took orders throughout the entire film and did a terrible job of scooting in/out of aisles without disturbing the film or other patrons. The regular fries I ordered with my chicken fingers tasted like they had been in the same pan as the sweet potato fries which made the flavoring very awkward. Sauces that should come with the meal such as barbecue/honey mustard were extra costs and the hot wings I ordered came out completely cold! At this point I was so frustrated I decided just to take them home rather attempt to explain (over the movie nonetheless) and have another order brought out.
Most of all what I didn't like was receiving the bill to see that a mandatory 17.5% gratuity was added to the bill for in theater dining. I didn't so much mind that there was an added gratuity but rather the fact that it was not mentioned anywhere (could've easily been listed on menu) was extremely off putting to me. They also interrupted the film SEVERAL times by coming around asking for the signed receipt. I don't get it - you already charged my card this can't wait until the lights come on?! To add icing to the cake when I asked for a to go container for my cold wings and leftover food I was ignored. I had to ask 2 more workers before one finally told me they don't actually have containers, bags or anything to transport food. After spending $50+ on food alone I told her she was going to have to find a solution. She ended up bringing my food out in tin pans with plastic wrap. How ghetto. I'm not sure if it's just me but travel containers are just one thing I'd have as a priority in any establishment that serves food - overpriced at that!
The theaters are small and the only positive was that I found the seating to be extremely comfortable. They were plush with lots of leg room. I was not impressed with the crowd - one guy in my row text and played Tetris on his phone the entire time while another girl on the end was balled up in the chair and sleep before the movie even started. Very odd.
All in all, I do not see how SMG competes with movie theaters that have a restaurant on site or several options in the near vicinity. I would much rather enjoy my film quiet and uninterrupted and dine prior to or after the viewing. In my opinion, SMG is one of those new age "modern" concepts that fails completely. Do I need constant distractions/interruptions that will disrupt my viewing experience? Do I really want to come here or am I just curious to see how they rehabbed the shabby old theater? Like, why do I have to eat and watch a movie at the same time? Am I hungry enough to eat all my food in one sitting since I can't take it home? If I don't want to eat and watch a movie at the same time what's the point of coming to this theater? These are all questions that have haunted me since coming here. The answers are no, yes, you don't-it's a stupid gimmick, probably not and NONE AT ALL. If you want to duplicate this experience for the better do like the general respectable population has been doing for years and sneak in your quiet/odorless food, snacks, liquor minis or "water bottles" into regular theaters. Yeah, "water". *WINK WINK* Theater problem solved.
So umm. Yeah. Thanks but no thanks, SMG. | 0negative
| 787 |
I feel bad writing this review for Cheesecake Factory. It's not a good review. I actually really like CF. She's such a big, brash, bling-y, gaudy, over the top, almost sloppy gal of a chain. A great place to relax with a drink and apps with a loving sister after some mall shopping or with my boys before a movie. Cool sounding American fare, with adult bevs.
But, this location needs help. Fast.
I hope someone at CF will read this and do better.
CF always holds such promise and once a year, I get lulled into thinking, yes, it's possible I had an anomalous visit and that it will be different this time. It hasn't been different and my little family is done with CF for at least another year. We didn't come away enraged. Just deeply disappointed. Depressingly disappointed.
Here's why:
Menus are slick with grease. Please, guys, wipe them down with soda from the bar--cheap, effective restaurant stand-by side work resource. Those menus should squeak with plastic-y cleanliness.
The discombobulated, semi-insolent, poorly trained staff at the door. They were the first sign that something is wrong. When we visited and asked to be seated on the patio, there was confusion and no guidance. A manager came over to ask if we'd been helped--his hostesses were bungling something at the host stand. He took us outside where there were at least five tables available.
The patio has its own wind tunnel that affects at least two tables. The door leading to the patio doesn't always shut properly and it blasts inside air on to the patio. And I'm talking a Kansas-sized blast. We asked to be moved. It still blasted us, but less so and once I had to get up to close the door myself. This is pure blindness to customer comfort. Don't seat those tables ever again until that wind tunnel is shut down. Unforgivable.
The staff. Sitting with guests. Too cool. Too cute to remember our order and too cool to work hard. I've seen this mistake at other CFs. If CF's target demographic is tween and twenty-somethings, I understand trying to populate with Abercrombie part-timers. But that demographic doesn't have the buying power of middle aged parents and middle aged women with girlfriends, a raging sweet tooth, and a taste for vino. But looking around at the waitstaff, and seeing this at other CFs, I think I actually realized that IS their target demographic and not my ilk. A chain as big as CF, with its ambitious and interesting, far reaching menu should do far better with its training. It doesn't and it shows. The overloaded menu isn't enough to entice us when the wait staff are partially competent and we are stressed during dinner trying to remind them of what's missing at our table and what came out wrong (yes, we experienced all of that in one visit).
LOUD. I couldn't really hear the staff inside. Holy cow. Is the music supposed to blare like that? The restaurant is cavernous to start with. So the noise makes it seem even more so. If I'm being an old fart b/c it's supposed to blast loud music, then, okay. 'Nuff said. I claim my old fartedness.
The execution. Back behind the curtain at CF's HQ I'll bet are smart chefs who are great cooks who love their recipes. The problem at this location is execution. (The one exceptional CF that I've visited is in Westlake, CA--always busy. Always booked. Exceptional execution. Every time. Exceptional (and cute) staff.). The end product here feels like it was made remotely by someone manipulating a joy stick somewhere to put dishes together here. Dishes seemed unfinished. Not as put together as they should be. Sloppily presented. Disjointed. Too much sauce. The artichoke dip was microwaved. Seriously? That's like a Gordon Ramsey-level violation. And lazy. The burgers. Meh. Fries. Meh. Even the sweet potato fries that are usually spectacular at CF were terrible. Limp. Over cooked. Soggy.
Sigh. I can't go on. This is how we felt when we left. Just disappointed. And we paid too much, so that part burns but I hate complaining during a meal--it ruins the bon homie. Just kills it and then I get mad. I don't like souring the mood for my boys b/c I'm always happy to be with them. Even over a table of crappily prepared food. So, I'll pay. I just won't go back.
My boyz now call CF The Restaurant That Will Not Be Named. | 0negative
| 755 |
This one was tough because I really wanted to like the place. I understand they have a good breakfast buffet, but we were there for lunch and only then because of a fall festival and Civil War re-enactment - ironic since it was the same day as the Racist rallies in neighboring communities.
We were whelmed...some neat historical stuff - I saw an antique shower caddy on one of the tables - maybe it was not an antique. There were people dressed in period costumes - Civil War, Revolutionary War - 70's War - "Whattaythink it's good for! Absolutely nothing - say it again! - AWWW!"
We walked around a bit - photo ops with the almost one year old grandson - him on my shoulders using my ears as handholds and reigns - pulling my hair and using the top of my head as a bongo - love that boy! It's the noon time hour and thoughts turn to food. The place is packed - nearly SRO. Weird system they have for food orders. This may only be at lunch, not sure. You make your way to the back of the restaurant/store wait in line and place your order from the whiteboard menu. Sounds simple enough - right? The thing is, this area is kinda small. Not so much the area, but there are a couple of tables crowded close to the counter. So while you are standing perusing the menu, your butt could possibly be in someone's face - or at least too close for comfort. OK, you place your "food" order her. They write it down on the old fashion order pad that I used to use almost 4 decades ago when I ran a burger joint in the 70's. From there you take your copy of the ticket back through the crowd you already had to traverse to wait in line again under a sign that says "PAY HERE". This is also where you place your drink order. OK, so you have already waited to place your food order. You are then sent here to wait and place your drink order and pay for it all. THEN you go back and wait for your name to be called when the food is done. Being a novice, I assumed you had to wait DOWNSTAIRS - wait - I forgot - there is a dining area UPSTAIRS! Not knowing their system, I wait DOWNSTAIRS AFTER taking our drinks UPSTAIRS to the table being held by other family members. Turns out if you don't wait DOWNSTAIRS and you don't yell "HERE!" when your name is called - they will bring it UPSTAIRS and call your name again. So all the time I was waiting DOWNSTAIRS could have been spent UPSTAIRS with family and that cute grandson! My father-in-law spent a majority of the time waiting DOWNSTAIRS as well when he could have been UPSTAIRS. Are you tired yet after the time we spent on the stairs?
When all the logistics are somewhat figured out, in shifts, we receive our food. Wife and I ordered last, but received our food first. Daughter's hamburger is way under done for her - had to send it back. My wife orders the catfish plate - fries instead of beans - gets beans - had to go DOWNSTAIRS to notate the error and get fries - which involved another trip DOWNSTAIRS when they were done. They were not planning on bringing them UPSTAIRS as they were sitting by the register waiting to be picked up. They DID deliver my daughter's burger UPSTAIRS without me going back DOWNSTAIRS. The catfish? Sad - obviously commissary frozen - overwhelming taste of freezer burn. Coleslaw - soupy mess that they served not in a separate container, but dumped on the Styrofoam plate along side the baked beans. Use your imagination as to the blending of these two sides. While not even wanted, the beans were actually the star of the meal. Bluntly - the catfish meal sucked. I had the Italian sandwich and asked chili for my side instead of fries - I got both. The fries are your basic frozen shoestrings that get real cold, real fast - nothing to write home about. How can one screw up cold cuts? It was fine. The chili, while not the least bit spicy was good - not great - good. There was a grilled cheese and a hot dog ordered within the group - they were OK.
The ordering process needs updating. Too much confusion in trying to figure out the system they have in place. This place has so much potential yet they basically serve you food that someone else cooked in a place far, far away, froze it, then sent it here to be reheated and served to you on Styrofoam. On a more complimentary note - the jams, jellies, sauces and such are VERY reasonably priced. The Amish place in Nolensville carries some of the same products, but here they are about 30% cheaper here - case in point - "Traffic Jam" - a jam made from multiple berries - $4 here - $7 in Nolensville.
This is definitely not a destination dining experience, but go if you are in the area, but be selective in your dining options... | 0negative
| 883 |
I used to love this place as a kid. It was a special treat when my mom took me here, so it had a lot of fond memories attached to it. I hadn't been for a few years, as I felt that this establishment had lost it's touch, but for old times sake I decided to give it another try after hearing it had been renovated and changed management. This was a mistake.
Upon our arrival, around 5:00 p.m. , we weren't greeted. There was no hostess but there was a manager on a personal phone call, who upon seeing us didn't end the call promptly. We stood there for a few minutes waiting until she finally ended the call saying she'd call the person back later. As we entered the dining room, we notice that it was almost deserted, which should have been yet another warning flag. Don't ignore warning flags people, it won't end well. We were seated and told that the server would be along for the drink order and to help ourselves to the buffet.
As we entered the buffet area, I noticed that they had removed an entire section of buffet. This would limit available options quite a bit. I grabbed some dry ribs, perogies, mashed potatoes and broccoli salad. I then went to the "carvery" where I waited for 5+ minutes for someone to notice me standing there. Not a single staff member noticed, or cared. I began to wonder if I was supposed to carve the meat myself, but decided against it. If someone hungrier than me decided to carve and hurt themselves, this place would be dealing with a lawsuit. I ended up returning to my seat with no meat from the station. On the way by, I noticed that the chocolate fountain was barely operational and had a bunch of stuff floating in it. Not to mention the bananas were brown and the pineapple was dried out and also brown. I wasn't impressed but I decided to try to enjoy my meal.
The first bite I took was of mashed potatoes, and they were instant. Instant potatoes on a buffet that costs $26.95 per adult for dinner! The dry ribs were evidently previously frozen and from a box. The perogies were small and chewy and had sat in the warmer for far too long. In fact, the only good thing on my plate was the broccoli salad, which I could make at home...and it still would've been better. That's when my partner pointed out to me that her chicken was raw. She also told me that the ginger beef was dry and impossible to chew. I called my server over immediately and there seemed to be a language barrier. She didn't seem to understand the severity of the raw chicken. Nevertheless she took the plate to her manager, who didn't even bother to come to our table. Though, she did get the chicken removed from the buffet.
With my partner no longer wanting to eat, I waited for a few minutes for either our server or the manager to return with an apology. Nobody came so I sought out the manager myself. I stated the problems with the meal: raw chicken, instant potatoes, disgusting food, no employee at the carvery, and finally the broken chocolate fountain. Her first response was, you're paying for your meal. I'll give you a discount but that's it. I was a little put off, as I had asked her what she could do for us. I stated that we had consumed less than a full plate of food combined and had no interest in consuming anymore. She again refused to give any more that 15% off and I told her that was unacceptable. I asked for her general manager's number and she claimed to be the GM. I then asked for the head office number, which she gave me. I stated that I would be calling head office and I wanted her to remove at least one person from the bill, given the situation. Eventually she did, but not without a fair amount of attitude and ridiculous statements like "so what we serve instant potatoes," "the chocolate fountain just broke this morning," "please tell head office I had the chicken removed from the buffet," "I didn't feel the need to come speak with you," and "you came in here looking to cause trouble." To say that I was insulted by her handling of the situation is an understatement. Honestly, our meal should've been free. It's a wonder to me that this place is still operational.
This place is dangerous. They do not prep or serve their food in accordance with health and safety standards. Their employees are unkempt and seem to have low morale. In fact we saw a chef outside smoking in his uniform and watched a male employee scratch himself and fill empty buffet stations without washing his hands. For $26.95 a plate, I'll eat somewhere I'm not at risk for food poisoning. DO NOT EAT HERE. | 0negative
| 843 |
After over a month of trying to communicate by phone and email, this place has shocked me at how horrible their customer service and event coordination skills are. I had to go in person just to talk to someone, anyone! My sister and mother were trying to host my baby shower there in Jan 2017. All of us called them multiple times. I first started calling over a month ago after my husband and I stopped by on a Sunday drive and loved the location. We had spoken to Heather, the manager, briefly on our first ever visit there about hosting events and she said how easy it is to set up and gave us a great price of $250 for a Sunday, plus the cost of food. We loved the price and that it was 5min from our home. So I told Heather I would be calling her to set up the details. Well, I called and called for 3 weeks after that, it was early enough that I wasn't yet worried but my sister was beginning to get stressed because she wanted to send out invites of course. So, after getting zero call backs (and leaving multiple messages with waitresses) from Heather, the only person that you can deal with there for events apparently, I went in person on a Sat just to finalize my date and set up food and event details. I went over everything with her at that meeting and gave her my sister's email and phone number. She said her husband Brian was the chef there and would send me the food quote. I told her to contact my sister so my sister could relax, since no one can reach Heather by calling her at the club. I also asked her if she could guarantee me the date so we could get moving on mailing out invites and that as soon as she contacted my sister, they could pay her, that day even. My sister was the host and my mother was paying for it so they were trying to take the stress off of me and coordinate with Heather directly. She promised to email me over the contract the next day after we met and to contact my sister with her direct cell, I never got an email and my sister never got an email, call, text, or even smoke signal! Well, another 3 weeks went by of me calling and finally I got a waitress to talk to Brian, her husband, who was there and said he emailed the contract...only he sent it to the wrong email (left out a # in my email that was written very clearly). I asked him to resend the email. I get the email finally with the contract. I respond to his email asking him to correct some things on the contract and receive no response...big surprise. I call them and ask to speak with Heather daily...6 times a day some days because I've sent out invites at this point and want to finalize and pay for this event, another 4 days goes by and finally I reach her today, Sunday the 4th, miracle of miracles! I tell her about the many communication issues, not being able to reach her during normal business hours (Wed-Sat 11-3pm), about the email issue with her husband, and how she "forgot" to ever reach out to my sister like she promised to do with her direct cell # or email! I ask her to please reach out to my sister since no one can ever reach her by calling and her husband does not respond to my emails nor email my sister. This should not even be stressing me out this much, since my family is trying to host it and it's such a simple 20-25 person event with simple apps that we asked for...but they lack basic communication skills or common sense. When I asked Heather to reach out to my sister, whom she had the contact info for, she told me to have her or my mom come in on a Wed to meet her. I said they work, I don't know their schedules, it's not really convenient for them to stop by and hope you are there...and really I shouldn't be coordinating her meeting my family when she has their contact info, they are hosting and all they want is for her to pick up the phone or answer/send an email so they can work out details with her directly. I begged her yet again to please just call or email my sister and suddenly she sounded flustered and said "you know what, that date's booked anyway!" and hung up on me! WHAT THE HECK KIND OF YATCH CLUB ACTS LIKE THAT???? HEATHER AND BRIAN ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST KIND OF MANAGER/CHEF TEAM, ZERO COMMUNICATION, ZERO EVENT PLANNING SKILLS, ZERO CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS. I ALREADY MAILED OUT MY INVITES BECAUSE THEY ASSURED ME THEY WOULD HAVE THIS EVENT WITHOUT ISSUE. I WAS MORE THAN PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING! I AM DISGUSTED WITH HOW THEY TREATED ME AS A HUMAN AND AS A (VERY UNDERSTANDING AND KIND) PREGNANT WOMAN LOOKING TO HAVE HER BABY SHOWER THERE...DISGUSTED. | 0negative
| 867 |
Honestly, my latest trip here doesn't even deserve two stars, but my experience from the first time I visited Valanni makes up two of the stars I've given.
I first visited Valanni as part of restaurant week. We made reservations and even though it was packed, we were seated right away. Our waitress was sweet and attentive and the food was great. It was a good enough experience that we were saving going back for a special occasion.
That special occasion was tonight. I've just been promoted at work, I've got a nice amount of money to blow and I'm thinking I'm going to treat my two best friends to a real nice meal. We walk in and there's almost no guests, not a big deal, it's a Monday. But there's also no one to greet us, so we stand around for a few minutes until a gentleman I assume is the manager comes up and asks, "can I help you?" What a weird way to greet people entering your restaurant, but okay, I tell him we'd like to eat and were immediately shuffled off to the far back corner behind a wall and he asks someone to dim the lights in our section. It's almost as if he wanted everyone to ignore us all night which is exactly what happened.
The manager disappeared promising the waiter will be with us shortly. It's five minutes before he fills out waters and asks us our drink order. I had noticed a happy hour sign out front so I ask about it, but our waiter cut me off before I finished my question with a, "bar only." Okayyy, it didn't say that anywhere, and we weren't asked if we'd like to move to the bar, but whatever, we were here to celebrate so I order my drink and pay twice what someone three feet away from me payed for the same drink. No big. But neither of my friends ordered alcohol, one opted for a soda and the other just water. At this point our waiter became snippy with us, as though he had already made up his mind about us as guests based on our drink choices. It takes ten minutes for our drinks to arrive, and I know they've been sitting for a while because all of the ice in mine is nearly melted and I watched the bartender make it and set it aside while our waiter was chatting up the manager in the front.
But again, we're here to have a good time, so we order. We get one tapas plate, three large plates, and a side of truffle fries. These aren't cheap items either, we're going all out, I'm making mental notes for my second drink and a dessert as the waiter disappears. This is the last we will see of him for over an hour. A very nice busser brings out our food, and it is delicious. The side order of truffle fries I got was huge. So big that I never touched my salmon plate, I pushed it away from me and was only eating the fries. This is something a normal server would remark on, "oh is something wrong with that?" But again, our server is awol, so no one bothered to ask if we liked our food, much less if anything was wrong with it. Our water glasses sat empty the entire time we ate, only getting refilled when our food was boxed (by the super nice busser who was the only person to ask if our meals were okay.) My friends soda was never refilled, and at $3.50 for a six ounce glass, that's ridiculous. I wasn't asked if I wanted another drink either. Once the food was boxed and bagged our server finally came back over to ask if we wanted dessert, but honestly we didn't want to sit there for another hour waiting, so we asked for the checks which took ten minutes to get, thirty seconds for us to pull our cards out and another five for him to pick up and return.
It's really too bad that we received such awful service because like I said, the food here is amazing. The drinks are always mediocre and not worth the price, but I'm a sucker for treating yourself, so I always get at least one. We came out to spend money and have a good time, but we were treated like they didn't want our business, and so they won't have it. | 1neutral
| 754 |
True story.
I went to college with Mick McGrath, the founder and owner of Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza. In fact, he was the editor at the Sagamore at IUPUI while I served as the arts editor. Unfortunately, while he was busy taking his career and future seriously I was doing a high-speed downward spiral into emotional oblivion that involved a rapidly increasing fondness for all things with a central ingredient of alcohol and a tendency toward self-destruction fueled by one too many life tragedies in a row.
Yeah, I know. Who's ever heard of a downer of a Yelp review? Don't worry. I promise that it gets better.
Flash forward almost 30 years, or as I like to call it "Yelp Ambassador Brittany's entire lifetime," and McGrath has become the beloved owner of a mini-chain of beloved Indiana pizza joints while I'm sitting at home on a Tuesday night writing a Yelp review.
Yikes.
Seriously, though, after I finally dealt with grief issues, sobered up, and did a Monty Python and started looking on the bright side of life, I watched my own good fortunes skyrocket in the worlds of writing and activism while I couldn't help but smile with familiarity and gratitude as I watched McGrath's good fortunes rise. Even at my worst, and he definitely dealt with me at my worst, McGrath was a good guy with a nice weaving together of compassion, talent and common sense.
While I normally frequent the latest member of the Jockamo family near Ft. Ben, I was in the Irvington area tonight and decided to revisit this original locale. While the Ft. Ben location is in a brand new building with a shiny, wooded and pretty awesome decor, the Irvington location of Jockamo is a more casual, more artsy, more laid back and more communal in spirit locale. As I arrived, and it should be noted that those in wheelchairs should use the back door that has a ramp, I was fortunately to arrive early in the evening dinner hour with only a few customers inhabiting the restaurant's open concept dining area. I was escorted to what could have been a four top in an area that offers up both tables and booths.
I was surrounded by what looked like a small group of friends, one family, one other customer in a power wheelchair (that had plenty of space), and a couple of the neighborhood police officers who were clearly familiar with some of the customers.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few years, you already know that for most folks (certainly not all) that Jockamo has worked its way into the hearts and minds of many Indy residents as a favorite pizza and favorite place to eat. While the menu is, in my opinion, a menu that works best for groups of diners rather than my usual solo self, they do offer a variety of sandwiches and even a relatively small 10" pizza that can easily be a 1-2 diner option. As I hadn't had lunch today, I opted for a 10" sausage pizza and my usual iced tea.
I tend to be of the opinion that Jockamo works best for those who are more experimental with their pizzas. I enjoy the sausage, which I've had more than once, but it's definitely not a city favorite for me - it is most likely in my top 5. Jockamo also offers appetizers, a beer/wine menu including local options, salads, sandwiches and, of course, a wide variety of pizzas including a build-your-own option. My meal came in at just over $10 - a good value for a very good pizza.
My server was Catie and she was friendly, helpful, got my always desired iced tea refill, and checked in regularly but not intrusively. I couldn't help but notice she used the word "friend," a simple word but one of those words that connects people. It's a subtle way to build relationship and, of course, building a relationship is also building a customer base.
I've never really been the type of person who thinks "I knew them when," but it's pretty cool to think about Mick McGrath in the early days at IUPUI and how he's grown his vision and provided Central Indiana places that serve up good food at fair prices with quality customer service. It makes me look back on those days with an even greater degree of fondness (at least the days I can remember - let's face it. Some of it is still a pretty foggy memory).
While I can't quite go a 5-star experience, Jockamo has become one of those places I go when I get a pizza craving or simply need to experience a little kindness because, after all, sometimes being called "friend" really can help you look on the bright side of life. | 2positive
| 810 |
*** This is a review for Bar Volver ***
When Volver opened in Philly, it promulgated the arrival of a ticket system a la Momofuku Ko and Alinea. While this works in only a few New York and Chicago restaurants, Philly's foodies were not having it - especially with the city's highest tasting menu price point. After a year's run in the Kimmel Center, Iron Chef Jose Garces recently decided to lower the stakes. Volver has now opted for a standard reservation system and more competitive pricing.
I'll keep my opinions to myself on Volver until I try it out. But earlier this year, the GF did stop by Bar Volver to try some of their "bites" and cocktails before heading to see Sister Act at the Kimmel Center.
The entrance to Bar Volver and the main restaurant are on the north side of the orchestral hall in the Kimmel Center. It's sleek and spacious, with a glass wall filled with bottles of wine along the entrance. Seating is available around the main bar, with comfortable lounge chairs and tables off to the side.
Mission Margarita [$12]
Reposado tequila, Pedro Ximenez sherry, lime, fig
The GF started off with what she deigned to be one of the best margarita's she's ever had. The smooth tequila was pronounced, but the understated sweetness from the sherry and fig balanced it out nicely. And with the brightness from the lime, this was definitely a winner.
Truffle Rush [$12]
Bourbon, truffle, lavender honey, lemon
When I saw that there was a truffle cocktail, I was intrigued and knew I had to try it out. I assumed the truffle and lavender honey was from Garces Trading Company, and while this was an interesting tipple, the truffle overpowered the bite of the bourbon. After a few sips, the headiness of the truffle was all I could sense.
Tuna Tartare [$14]
Yuzu mayo, edamame, shiso, chile oil, crunchy garlic
But on to the food! One of the highlights from Volver is the fact that they get a daily shipment from the famed Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, Japan. The components of the traditional tartare came out in separate stainless steel dishes. The tuna had nice texture and a lusciousness that was perfect for the tartare.
The wasabi-yuzu mayo was a nice counterpoint to the fattiness of the tuna, with the crunchy garlic adding additional texture. The tartare came with a quartet of grilled foccacia - a common element to many of the other dishes we ordered (read: we had way too much bread). Still, the bread was fresh, pillowy, and crusted on the outside.
Wagyu Tartare [$12]
Shallot, dijon, capers, quail egg yolk, tomato, fines herbes
The wagyu tartare was served similarly. It was fresh and was well-seasoned to accent the great beefiness. The dill was bright, with the capers and tomatoes providing the acid.
The creaminess of the egg helped to bring everything together. This was all served with more foccacia
Wagyu Tartine [$9]
Shaved ribeye, black truffle provoleta, charred scallion
We decided to try two tartines as well. The wagyu was shaved thinly and was complemented with sharp Argentinian provolone. The charred scallion mix provided great acid and flavor, all atop some more grilled foccacia.
Ham & Cheese [$6]
Spalaccia, red pepper confit, tomme de savoie, basil aioli
The ham and cheese highlighted La Quercia spalaccia. The cured shoulder is from acorn-fed Iowa Berkshire pigs, aged up to 22 months. This resulted in strips of pork that were almost glassy and translucent. The richness of the ham was complemented nicely by the acidic sweetness of the red pepper confit and the herbaceousness of the basil aioli.
Lomo Iberico [$8]
Iberian cured pork loin, red pepper - Dehesa Cordobesa; Adalucia, Spain
Loving secreto, I had to get an order of the lomo iberico as well. While I didn't know that it came atop more of that foccacia (sense a theme?), the ham was clean and delicious. The acid from the tomato underneath helped to balance the fattiness of the pork. Due to the overload of foccacia, we opted to forego most of the bread for this course. This may have been for the best because there was less to detract from the secreto.
Triple Cream [$12]
Organic cow's milk, cave-ripened organic triple cream - Champlain Valley Creamery
We decided to end our meal with a triple cream cheese - light, airy, and buttery, with some slight bitterness at the end. Delicious and of course, served with more of the foccacia.
Service was friendly, but contained. From what I hear, there is more of a show put on at Volver. As expected from Chef Garces and his staff, the flavors were all there and the dishes were well-seasoned. The bread overload aside (I realize the typical Bar Volver diner will be ordering one or two bites), Bar Volver offers nice riffs on cocktails and an array of dishes that will whet your appetite to consider shelling out for the true Volver experience. | 2positive
| 834 |
Welcome to The Mill. Located on Central Avenue near 3rd Street, this is a place that is different. As soon as you arrive and sit down you can tell. It is not typical but different. When you look at the menu you can see what is offered, but it is different.
We were here to try something new and different from the variety that was offered. But first was to consider as we looked thru the menu.
First thing to do was to look at the wine list. There are cocktails, beverages and wine. A good list to view and consider. There are even a few special you would normally consider but they are here for you this time. There are good selections so we waited for those while we considered the menu.
When the drinks arrived we were able to speak with the waitress with recommendations and questions. Monique was very helpful. She would take her time and discuss what we were interested in. She even gave us suggestions we might not have considered. She provided the details and discussed how everything was made. This is not typical of most places. At The Mill they discuss everything with you to make sure you have what you are expecting or more.
First to arrive was a dish we could share while we waited. This was The Mill Charcuterie. It was unique. We had an assortment of Duck Bacon, Foie Gras Torchon, Pork Belly Croutons, Octopus Bacon, and Canadian Gator Bacon. There were also a few more selections of cheese to enjoy with each bite you took. It was fresh, tasty, and enjoyable as you ate it while you waited.
Along with a cocktail, this selection was perfect to share as you enjoyed the evening and waited for the meal to come. There are truly a variety of selections to start with. From cheese to Bruschetta to Hamachi Rudo and even Seafood Foie Gras. It is here for you. Otherwise ask the team and they can help you decide which is the way to start.
We started with Littleneck Clams and Spaghetti Squash. It sounds familiar but it is not. It is fresh, tasty and enjoyable with each clam you take. There were a total of 24 clams in the plate. This was then mixed with Spring Peas, Red Pepper, Bacon, Parmesan, Chablis and Egg Yolk for extra taste and richness.
Next there was Cider Braised Muscles. This was about 24 muscles that topped a special sauce. This mix was made of Bacon, Sweet Onions, Cauliflower, Smoked Pine Nuts, Grilled Focaccia and a combination of Gorgonzola cheese. This was different. And tasty. Very fresh as the muscles were brought in from the morning. The chef made this to perfection. The taste was new, different, and an experience you need to have.
From seafood we went to traditional items you might select. To start we had Meatloaf Wellington. Normally, It would be Beef Wellington, but this time it is meatloaf but made the same way as beef. You would think you were back in England for this and we had to ask Monique if the restaurant was British. This was unique and different.
The entree was mixed with Loaded Potato Casserole, Braised Collard Greens, Honey Hot Sauce Gravy. It was fresh, rich and tasty. Each piece was something to enjoy. It is not a typical meatloaf as you manage. Instead it is a new meal you received and want to try. It is a special feature of the house.
Finally, we had to have a Bone in Veal Chop. This was a grand size. Served with Hasselback Potatoes you had your choice of a sauce to place on the side. Caramelized onions and mushrooms was an ideal selection. As for the veal it was medium rare. It was on a large bone if you wanted to hold it. It was also fresh, tasty, rich in flavor, and freshly grilled. This was made as it should be and for something to enjoy as you took a bite of the meal.
Dinner could not end without dessert. And here at The Mill, there are a few good selections to consider. We did ask Monique and she discussed each one with us to consider. The list is not long, but the desserts offered are enough to consider.
We selected two of the recommendations. First was the Apple Crostada. This is a torte made of buttered brown streusel and then layered with fresh sliced apples, candied hazelnuts, caramel, and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Perfection. It is light and fresh. It is not heavy and it is not sweet. It is seasoned properly to let you know what it would be like after the first bite. It is delightful.
Next up was a special. This was the selection of the Chef, Ted Dorsey who is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu. This dessert was the choice that he created. It is Poundcake Grilled Cheese Cake. It sounds different and it is. It is a special poundcake that is baked with white chocolate between the two layers. The cake itself is mixed with real Stilton lemon cheese. There is a side of peach coulis. It does sound different. But when you try it you will realize this is special to enjoy.
The Mill is a special place to discover. It is on the street we would normally venture. But this time we crossed the street and went into The Mill. It was different. | 2positive
| 917 |
Disappointing experience all around. My family likes to go to Pinnacle often because they have a really cool building - high ceilings, nice big booths, and televisions which are great to watch the various sports games that are on. They also have decent beer offerings on tap and the complimentary housemade chips are tasty. In general, I would give Pinnacle a 3 star rating, as they are pretty average all around in regards to service and food. However, when we went in on a Saturday before the holidays, we decided it would be our last visit.
To start off, the restaurant was completely empty. This is important to keep in mind, because in theory, a restaurant that serves breakfast should probably have a fair amount of people at 10-10:30 in the morning on a Saturday. Many places have waits to get in and once we encountered the hostess, I could see many people opting to just leave. The hostess greeted us and we asked if we could seat ourselves in a booth since it was empty but she insisted on seating us. We wanted to sit in a booth by the bar and generally like to sit in the center one facing the tvs (as mentioned, we have previously been regulars here). She tried to seat us one over from the center booth. Literally right next to it. I don't know why it was so important for us to sit in the other booth when there was no one else there...I get that sometimes servers have different areas they cover but it seemed like a moot point in a space so dead. Needless to say, we got a lot of attitude, but she ended up dropping it and we sat in our preferred booth. As a sidenote, our booth did have the perfect view of two employees (one being the hostess) sitting in a booth of their own, drinking coffee and chit chatting. Maybe she felt uncomfortable with the idea of us watching them slack off? In general, hardly any of the five or so servers were doing much of anything. I would think that would mean stellar service awaited but read on!
Our server...while he was nice enough, he was forgetful in bringing out certain things (ie. plates for our appetizers...guess we were expected to all huddle over the main plates and dig in?) and had to be asked regarding refills. When we asked for a lunch menu, he said they didn't serve lunch on the weekends. Cue confusion, as we have had lunch there many times, and generally do a combination of breakfast and lunch foods. We went on to clarify that we wanted the regular menu, and finally he realized we did not mean the lunch specials menu...Maybe that was our bad, but one would assume if there were no lunch specials on the weekend, you would offer up the regular menu for other offerings instead of acting like breakfast is all that is served? We got some attitude here as well when ordering from the main menu. It was 10:45 am by this point and some people in our party ordered breakfast items, some ordered lunch items. The server came back a little bit later to tell us that 'the chef was very unhappy with him' for presenting an order with regular menu items before 11 am, because apparently that is when the regular menu ordering can officially commence. Let me reiterate...we were the ONLY ones there! Most of the items we ordered were also most definitely frozen food that just needed to be thrown in the fryer. So sorry to the chef if you did not feel like making a little extra effort for the only customers in the place. It was also unfortunate that the waiter told us to 'just come in later next time' if we wanted to order breakfast and regular menu items, like he was helping us see the light with that bit of advice...next time, I'm going somewhere that actually values my business. If this is the general attitude that has been floating around this place, I can see why no other customers were there.
That being said, the food was just ok. Nothing wrong with that, but also nothing worth going back for when the service is lacking (and that's putting it kindly). I like to support local businesses but I can't support an establishment that has employees who feel inconvenienced by having customers. Fun fact: 'Pinnacle' is defined as a high, pointed piece of rock. This experience was so unpleasant, it felt like a piece was broken off and jabbed in to my spine the entire visit, so at least the place is true to its namesake! | 0negative
| 789 |
DATE NIGHT WIN!
Once a month my honey and I like to explore a new place on a date night. He usually chooses and makes the reservation and I look forward to the surprise. This month he chose Urban Grub and I'm so happy that he did!
Urban Grub had been on my "wanna go" list since we moved back to Nashville. We love southern food with a twist and that's exactly what Urban Grub delivered.
They offer a diverse menu with many options but in this case that's a good thing, not overwhelming at all as some menus can be. They also offer higher end cuts of meat, large dry aged steaks and Kobe beef steak options both of which they give u the option to split with another person in ur party.
It was freezing the night that we went so it was so nice to see that they offer complimentary valet! The atmosphere inside is warm and welcoming and somehow seems to blur the lines in the best way between super romantic dining and casual dinner and drinks with friends. They offer so many options for seating as well, inside around a central fireplace, the bar area that offers a full menu, the heated closed porch area, and we can't wait to try what looked like a gorgeous outside seating area which was lit up by a central tree with lights in it!
Once seated we were greeted by our wonderful server who told us about the menu since we hadn't been there before. My husband ordered his staple, an Old Fashioned, which he said was one of the best ones he's ever had. He also loves oysters so a half dozen was ordered for him.
This is where our dinner took a turn in the best way ever! I TRIED OYSTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME!! He always orders them but I never have the courage to eat one. They had a "wood fired" option (the pic of the cheese covered ones lol) and I thought this would be a good way to introduce myself to these little sea creatures.
THEY WERE INCREDIBLE and every time I go to Urban Grub I will order them! So good in fact that I felt the bravery well up into my soul and I went for the RAW ones. I immediately understood why people just swallow them and told our waiter that as I was joking about my first raw experience. He said wait a minute and came back to the table with one raw oyster, a different, more subtle kind, and said if I was going to be trying them raw for the first time this is the kind I should try, the Blue Point Oyster out of Connecticut. He was right, way better experience! Not as meaty, and a nice salt content.
Onto dinner! Yea, it's good and we are STILL eating! Lol. I ordered the filet and my husband ordered the lamb chops, we also split two sides...the Mac n cheese and the roasted carrots.
My Filet was literally like Butta'. When u don't need a knife to cut through a medium rare steak you know it's going to be an amazing bite. I topped mine with a mushroom sauce which I wish there had been less of or I had gotten it on the side because it kindof overwhelmed the delicate filet but that's on me.
My husbands lamb chops were incredible. Cooked to a medium rare perfection. His had a silky cauliflower mash on the plate that complimented the meat in the best way.
Our choice in the Mac n cheese is one that we usually wouldn't make but were so glad we did. It was super creamy and had the best flavor, definitely one of the best Mac n cheeses I've ever had. The carrots were fire roasted and had an incredible char on them which was my favorite part. They were sweet and salty in the best way. It almost tasted like when u roast a marshmallow and you always have that piece that catches fire...and it's the best part of the bite!
This time around we didn't have dessert, we were way too full from the delicious meal we enjoyed. Next time the charcuterie and dessert is definitely on our radar!
Prices are what you would expect for a beautiful dining experience but at the same time was still affordable for the quality and style of food you are experiencing.
With so many menu options from steak, fish, pork, and vegetarian options this would be a great place for dinner with friends or that special someone no matter what they like to eat.
We can't wait to go back and Urban Grub will probably be a date night regular for us! | 2positive
| 799 |
The only way I can think to describe our recent visit to Iron Barley is that we died and went to hole in the wall heaven. From the over the top eclectic atmosphere to the unique and surprising food offerings, it's truly a rewarding dining experience.
The menu at Iron Barley is small, but that's ok. They always have several specials going, everything from appetizers to main dishes. We started our meal off with the sausage sampler, which was three different varieties of homemade sausage served in a spicy, smokey- sweet BBQ sauce with bread on the side. All were delicious, particularly the jalapeno sausage patties. The Captain was so hungry he used the bread to mop up the remaining BBQ, which was almost as good as my mom's version, and her sauce rocks!
Captain ordered the Oak Roasted Pork served with toasted barley and vegatables. Be forewarned, this pork chop is HUGE and I was surprised that he managed to eat the whole thing. Since I don't dig on swine (except for bacon, duh!) I didn't give it a taste, but I could tell based on his numerous "yums" that it was delicious. The only way he could think to describe the taste was to compare it to "eating a campfire". The pork was perfectly smoked and it smelled fantastic. The toasted barely is pretty darn good too. It's served in a savory tomato sauce with spices and herbs. It's not something you see on a menu often and is my recommendation for a side if you've never had it before.
I ordered the Ballistic Elvis which is one of Iron Barley's best known sammiches, and lets just say it's not for everyone. I personally think it should be called "The Pregnant Woman's Ultimate Feast", as the toppings are ridiculous yes curiously appealing. They start off with hot Texas toast and top it with peanut butter, strawberry jam, bananas, cheese and bacon. The bacon is optional, but you may as well throw it on there anyways, what have you got to lose? To make it complete, a dill pickle on the side. YUM-O?!?
When my sammich arrived, I felt like kicking my own ass. What the hell did I just order?? It looked like death on a plate and I felt my stomach roll over. I was actually sweating a bit when I went to take my first bite, but praise Jebus that I took that bite 'cause this sandwich is AWESOME. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful the flavor combination is. I was literally doing the chair dance of joy over how tasty it was. It got even better about half-way through when I started to get this weird feeling of heat in the back of my throat. Come to find out, they also add crushed red pepper to it! Seriously, I don't know if the inventor of this concoction was a genius or a stoner or what, but it was pure bizarre goodness. You just have to try it to get it.
The sammich is normally served with chips, but I decided to order a healthier side ( LOL) and got one of the specials, a barley risotto with sun-dried tomatoes. It was delectable. The barley was cooked perfectly and had a nice sweetness to it, and it was loaded with slices of the tomato. It needs to be put on the menu as a regular side. I would do very bad things to get a hold of this recipe. If you are lucky enough to try it, please do so. You won't be sorry.
To top it all off, Captain ordered a slice of Peanut Butter Blaster Pie. Now, the pie is ok. It's served frozen and tastes good, but what you really want it the Habenero Strawberry sauce and the jalapeno whipped cream that is served with it. Yep, jalapeno whipped cream. They mince up jalapenos and mix it in, and it's really, really good. It's a flavor combination that sounds weird but is very satisfying. Once again, just TRUST me. It's really, really yummy.
In addition to the concoctions above, they have more traditional sandwiches and main entrees. They are also known for their Double Dogs, which are hot dogs served up weird like the Monte Cristo. Also available are soups, salads and chili. The have a full bar and if you feel like trying a different beer than the old standby, they have a nice selection to choose from. Lunch specials are also available.
Service is exceptional. Everyone was great, and if you have a question about the menu they have the answers. The atmosphere is very entertaining as the decor is hard to miss. Literally, I have a fake mounted deer head wearing Mardi Gras beads right next to me! They have live music on the weekends so it can get loud. They are always busy in the evenings, so don't be surprised is the place is packed and you have to wait. They do offer seating on the main floor, but my recommendation is to eat in the basement level, which is darker, more eclectic and has a really cool bartender. Prices are reasonable for sammiches and dogs, but it can get pricier if you order the main entrees or specials.
My only regret? It was too dark in that dang basement to take pictures! So, you are just going to have to take our word for it and go experience it for yourself. It's definitely a fun time...trust me :) | 2positive
| 922 |
Casa Del Matador just opened up recently in the village. I was very excited to see this open and try it. There just arent any newer clean upscale Mexican places in or around Boise. If this place turned out to be good, I knew it would be a hit.
Like most of the other restaurants in the Village, this place is mostly a huge bar. The only restaurant I can think of that does not fit this mold is the Counter. I did notice that they seem to have an upstairs. It did not look like it was open, so I could not tell if this was really a diniing area, or just for show.
Casa Del Matador is basically a huge bar with a few booths and tables thrown in. Its noisy and busy!
We went here on a Thursday night around 7 and it was packed. There was mostly 20 somethings and 30 somethings when we went.
The menu is small and does not have the traditional Mexican items on it. They have the normal tacos, enchiladas and burritos, but they all have some sort of twist to them. Most items, according to our waitress and spicy. I saw a couple things that said they had habanero.
It was so busy, that we were not able to get a table. We had to sit around an elevated fire pit, that thankfully was not going.
The 1st thing I noticed was the very interesting decorations. There are huge things hanging fro the ceiling that look like over sized Christmas decorations. It was very unusual, but I liked it.
Our waitress was very friendly and had a great personality. She took our order promptly and we got our food in good time, especially considering how busy it was.
I had the fajitas. I ordered half steak and half chicken. They dont have a price for half steak and half chicken, so they charged me the price of the steak fajitas, which is $18. Very expensive compared to other Mexican restaurants.
When it came out, the 1st thing that came to my mind was that old commercial; "Where's the beef?"
I got 2 pieces of steak and 4 pieces of chicken to make my fajitas with. The rest were veggies and there was not a lot of those either. The steak that I got was in chunks instead of cut up nicely like other places that serve fajitas. They were not bid chunks my any stretch of the imagination, but too big to be just a bite.
This made eating the steak hard. The steak had a good flavor, but was chewy and tough. Cutting it into smaller portions would have made it easier to eat.
One thing that I did like about the Fajartis was that they roasted their bell peppers. Most every Mexican place that I know just sautes them. This adds a nice texture and smokiness to the bell pepper, which I loved.
The chicken was just ok. It did not have much flavor to it. I was happy to see that I was not charged extra for guac, like some other places do.
I was very dissapointed in the fajitas and especially the lack of meat. Next I will tackle my wifes meal. She had a chicken burrito. The burrito was big, but we soon discovered why.
It was so large because it was filled with black beans and rice. We had to do a burittoectomy and like an exploratory surgeon, look for the chicken. I counted 4 or so pieces of chicken in the "Chickenless" Burrito.
If you like garlic, you will love the salsa. One word of cation on this is that if you are on a sodium restricted diet like me, be careful with the salsa. its loaded with salt as well.
I thought I was going to OD on salt right there in the restaurant!
We noticed a young man in black walking through the restaurant. He came to where we were, picked up my empty water glass and filled it.
This young man had no expression on his face, and never said a word the entire time we were there. He was not taking orders, so I am guessing he was a manger, or something like this. Whatever he was, he needs customer service skills and a personality.
The bottom line here is that If you are younger, make good money, love the bar scene, want some ok Mexican food that is non-traditional, and like to socialize, this is the place for you.
If you are older, prefer a more quite atmosphere, like meat, are on a budget, and prefer more traditional Mexican food, you will NOT like it here. | 0negative
| 788 |
So, the lady and I decided to go here for dinner tonight. Too long, didn't read version first: We ended up eating at Super Cucas.
The place is located a little west of Bevmo on upper state. It's neighbors with a couple good dive bars and a kick ass German restaurant. The decor inside is very modern and pretty. The tables have shutters, guillotine style, that open and close so you don't have to shift around tables to change their size. It is designed with efficiency in mind, considering there are only 8 4-tops in the place. It is small, cramped almost, but the palate they use, as well as the modern furniture with Asian flare, lets you feel cozy instead of claustrophobic.
When you walk in the door a waiter will come greet you, sometimes promptly, sometimes after 10 minutes. They had 3 waiters, 1 "host", and 1 busser running about a restaurant with maybe 20 people in it. Ironically, the staff was very slow to get your order, and multiple staffers asked if we would like to order, even up to twenty minutes after we had originally ordered. Our water glasses were refilled precisely once, after we had already gotten our bill, which took around 15 minutes to get and another 20 minutes to get back. Over all we spent maybe 20 minutes eating, and around 50 minutes waiting about.
You will notice that there are round, dark black holes in the tables. Those are grills. Yes, you cook your own food here, and that is pretty cool, or, I guess hot. It's fun, a novelty like fondue.
The menu, at face value, looks good. They have a BBQ sampler, $40 for every BBQ item on the menu, soup, salad, dessert. It looked like a damn good deal. However, we decided to try the BBQ beef (Bulgogi, pretty much, but not called that), salted pork belly, and beef bebimbap. Total cost was a little under $10 per dish, which didn't seem bad for two people. Of course, the meals include a tofu miso soup, which didn't use bonito broth (all vegetarian) and Banchan. Banchan are small bowls of pickle, kimchi, daikon kimchi, and bean sprouts served with rice, only, in this case, the kimchi and daikon kimchi weren't really kimchi, since they didn't have fermented shrimp paste in them, according to the hostess. There was also two inexplicable bowls of mayo pasta salad and mayo heavy coleslaw, but my girlfriend was happy with that. There was no rice, which was strange, since it is a staple of most Asian cuisines, including Korean.
After about 20 minutes of waiting on food, it comes out. I see 2 small white plates and I am thinking, "Ok... these should be loaded with meat. I mean, $10 to cook your own dinner, per plate, that should be quite a bit of meat. It also took 20 minutes, and gods know they didn't do anything other than MAYBE cut the meat." The plates slide into place on the table and I sit there, looking at 8 small slices of onion, 4 slices of pork belly (it was just "thick" cut bacon) and 6 half dollar sized pieces of beef. I am flabbergasted at the portion size. Korean food is NOT about strict portion control, in essence, it is about excess, eating loads of spicy rotting cabbage, grilled beef, and mounds of rice. You do NOT leave a Korean table until you are stuffed.
So, being a good sport, we slap the meat on the grill, and I have to admit the beef was good, really good, but $10 for MAYBE 1/4lb it was not. The pork belly was, indeed, pork belly, but it was very small, too thinly cut, and wasn't the best I have had, although it was the most expensive pork belly I have ever eaten. At this point in the meal I am looking for my bowl of rice, my bibimbap and a waiter to fill my damn glass up with water. I look around, waiters are flitting about large tables, but our table is being left to the way side. There is a table of 4 Asian girls sitting next to us, who came in after we ordered. They received their food first, their bill first, and left before us. The waiter also gave them a 10% discount with their access card from 2012. I tried using mine, they said they don't take Access yet. Anyway, the bibimbap never came and our waitress never came back to our table. I finally flagged down the bus boy and got my check, 15 minutes after asking for it. In the mean time we are both rather thirsty, rather hungry, and I was getting rather upset at the complete lack of organization, and how much of a rip off the place was. Finally I get my check and the bibimbap, which never showed up, was charged on there. I finally called down our waitress by literally grabbing her arm as she walked past the table, not looking at us, and explained how we never received this dish. She didn't understand and insisted we did. I told her no, we didn't, and we are not impressed with the meal or service, although the beef was very good.
She eventually apologized and removed it from our bill and didn't come by the table again. I paid $20 for 4 pieces of bacon and the equivalent in weight to a mcdonalds hamburger. Will not eat here again. | 0negative
| 922 |
I came to the Dish Bistro yesteday with two fabulous Yelpers for a Girls' Dinner Date.
I started off with a Lavendar Lemonade (monin syrup) while contemplating and recontemplating the menu options.
We settled on crab cakes for an appetizer and they did not disappoint! Curtis, the front end manager, had intrigued me as a fellow coastal person who knows his seafood. He promised fresh crab encased in the perfect oven baked cake and it did not disappoint! The mango sauce was phenomenal with tangy sweet chili bites every now and again. The crab itself was plentiful and easy to locate in the large chunks throughout the cake. I would definitely order these again!
Next up, we shared the Pear & Cambozola Triangles - oven baked flatbread topped with sliced pears, caramelized onions, thyme, Cambozola and Asiago. Yum, YUM, yUmMy! This appetizer pretty much stole the show for me. This is an item I will order again and again! The unusual cheese combinations complimented by the light and fluffy flatbread with pear goodness was DIVINE. DIVINE I SAY!
We couldn't decided on which soup to try so we ordered a bowl of each and shared amongst ourselves. The real surprise was the heartiness of the Corn and Tortilla Soup. Just phenomenal and everything I could want in a tomato based soup full of veggies. Surprisingly, I wasn't as wild about the Tomato Cream Basil Soup. I've read rave reviews on it and I do love tomato based soups but it was just missing something for me - fresh pepper, a touch of sugar perhaps? It just didn't pop for me but tasty none the less.
And like above, we shared our 3 entrees to get the best of everything!
First up was Gourmet Mac & Cheese served with house made root vegetable cripss and house greens. The Mac & Cheese was creamy and consisted of several cheeses (just the way I make it!). Myself, I'd like to see a little bacon in it or jalapeno or maybe some sharp cheddar sprinkled just on top. It's still a mean Mac & Cheese and I wouldn't hesitate to have it again.
Second was Braised Short Ribs in a sour cherry demi-glace with mashed potatoes, and seasonal veggies (carrots, broccoli, and asaparagus). The short ribs were cooked to perfection and came easily and completely off the bone. I love the sour cherry demi-glace - in fact, so much so that I'd like more of it!
Next up, and my favourite, was the curried duck pot pie (deconstructed with a puff on top)! YUM yum YUMMY! Man oh many did the Dish Bistro get the flavour compliments just right with this. It's not your typical creamy and heavy pot pie in a pie crust. It's deconstructed with a fluffy pastry puff a top of a savory curried broth soup filled with tender duck and shitake mushrooms (to name a few). YUMMY! I would order this again in a heartbeat! This also came with a side of house made root crisps and a salad.
Before dessert, we took a little tour, as our orginal reservation was for the Court Yard or as I will call it from now on, the Secret Garden, but it was raining cats and dogs! The little tucked away patio and garden outback was breathtaking! The owners, Carol and Mike, have thought of everything from lighting to blankets to keep you warm. They did warn us that the sun is directly overhead at lunch time so be prepared for some heat and to leave with a tan.
Words simply cannot do this little garden wonderland justice, so please PLEASE please check out my pics. Gorgeous even on a rainy day!
Next, we headed back in and I had a decaf latte while we contemplated dessert. The latte was perfect and exactly what I had hoped for.
Again, for dessert we shared 3 items:
First up, was the white chocolate raspberry creme brulee with pieces of fresh raspberry hidden underneath the sugar crust. Hmm... just thinking about it makes me want to make another dinner reservations.
Second was the reduced chocolate brownie which we were told was reduced from pure heaven with no cocoa! It came warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream. This brownie was decadent and delicious but not heavy.
And lastly, and my favourite, the lemon tart! Oh. Em. Gee. I would come here AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN just for the tart lemon curd piped into the phyllo pastry shell crust. Of course, the fresh and perfectly not too sweet whipped cream complimented it like a dream.
We finished off the meal with a pot of cherry green tea (also local and from the Tea Girl next door).
I could not have asked for better company, better food, or better hosts! Thank you Carol and Curtis for answering all our questions and sharing so many fabulous stories about your restaurant. And even though we didn't a chance to talk to the Chef (Carol's husband, Mike) we did see him bring out several dishes to customers who clearly are regulars at this local gem! | 2positive
| 860 |
I do agree with most reviews about this place having a good presentation from the inside, and "decent" food. But I've gotta put it out there that this place will NEVER, EVER be visited by my friends and I!
When I first went to this place about a year ago I was actually very impressed. I loved the atmosphere, very clean and loved all the fun colors within the restaurant. But since the beginning I noticed shady things within the bill and their customer service!!!
First I noticed that the first time I was in there, they were not charging the chips and salsa (and let's keep in mind that they shouldn't be charged as no one really asks for them, they should be free, just like all other Mexican restaurants provide them for free).
Then the second time I was in there the chips and salsa were in the bill!!! Ironically, by the third time I was in there they weren't charging them anymore!!!
Secondly, since the first time I was in there I simply asked a question about the enchilada sauce they used and the older man that's always there (must be the owner) immediately interrupted me, not allowing me to finish my question by saying, "Yeah! We use ordinary enchilada sauce! There's absolutely no other that we would use"!
Well Gee Wiz! If they're serving Mexican food, they should know that there's two kinds of enchilada sauces. One is straight out of the can and the other is home-made by boiling the dry poblanos and blending them then only getting the pulp of what's left of them! That's why I was asking. I simply have my preference when it comes to this, but OK, I guess if they wanna be rude then be it!
So, I'm honestly the kind that won't make a big deal out of these kind of things. I just feel like I'd be too embarrased afterwards by making a big deal out of things.
Then I began taking my sister there, which just moved to Reno since December of 2010. She loved the atmosphere, too! But she too immediately noticed very shady things within the bill.
Then this place, Si Amigos began embarrasing me infront of my family and friends. One day my sister got off work and was asking me where to go for dinner. I said, "Si Amigos", since it was right around the corner.
When we got there, we stood there like freakin' idiots for over TEN MINUTES! And waiters, waitresses, and the main old guy that's always there that I believe to be the owner just kept passing by us. Looking at us waiting there and NOT ONE OF THEM ATTENDED US TO SEAT US! NOT ONE!
That was extremely embarrasing! We left! My sister said that she will never, EVER go there again and she's kept her word! She now prefers to go to El Borracho whenever she's in that area.
Just yesterday I was out shopping with a friend and I told her that this place, Si Amigos served decent food and sometimes depending on what you ordered you get a lot for the amount you pay.
So we went there, and once again and for the last time this place embarrased me again after taking someone there!!
My friend ordered ordered some food and asked for some limes on the side and guessy guessy... they charged those, when I know for a fact that I've asked them for limes before and they wouldn't charge them!!!
My friend ended up paying over thirty bucks for her plate, two drinks, and two simple tacos! Oh and let's not forget having to pay for limes, for goodness sakes!!!
I do not know of one Mexican place in Reno nor Sparks that charges for the lime slices! NOT ONE! You walk in to the places that sell tacos like La Michoacana and they will literally have lime out in the bar available for everyone at no charge!
If you go in to the Salvadorian restaurants and all the lime is free! And it's not just lime, it's many basic things to give your food a little more flavor.
My friend said she won't be going back to that place!
I can't really blame it all on them, even though, they have their shady ways! Because I get it, many people have stopped going there over the last year! Almost always when I have been in there I've noticed the place completely dead! I can see why!
But at the same time, you know what they say.... "YOU LURE ME IN ONCE, SHAME ON YOU! YOU LURE ME IN TWICE, SHAME ON ME!"
But regardless.... I can assure this Si Amigos place that they won't EVER see me in there again and I won't be recommending this place! They're just a bunch of greedy folks that are jinxing their own restaurant in to getting closed real soon!
PS. You may think that some of the prices are reasonable, but just wait til' you get that Si Amigos bill. Ironic that Amigos stands for friends, but there's nothing friendly about the bill! And besides, the food is just average, not worth all that money!
OH YEAH! I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION! ONCE THERE WAS A FREAKIN' LIL FLYING BUG IN MY FOOD! I TOLD ONE OF THE YOUNG LADIES THAT WAS IN THERE, SHE GOT SO PISSED SHE CALLED ANOTHER OLDER CRANKIER WOMAN! SHE GOT ALL UPSET TOOK MY PLATE TO THE BACK AND GAVE ME THE SAME PLATE SAYING THAT I'M SEEING THINGS! I KNOW WHAT I SAW! | 0negative
| 937 |
Passing by Black Rock almost daily on our commutes to & from the house, my girl & I have been wanting to try this place. And so the other day, I got out of work early & surprised my girlfriend with an unexpected date night! Called her & told her to be ready in about an hour. On my way home from work, I called Black Rock & spoke to the hostess, Kyla (I believe was her name), & booked a reservation for 2 at 8pm. I, also, mentioned that it was a special night & asked if I could bring some flowers to the restaurant early to have them set on the table before we arrived. The hostess sounded enthused, "absolutely!"
When I stopped in early, I was greeted immediately by the two employees at the host stand & after mentioning that I was the gentleman that called about setting the flowers on the table, the hostess exclaimed that she remembered me & that she was the young lady I'd spoken to on the phone - Kyla. I gave her the vase of flowers & 3 roses I'd bought & asked if the vase could be placed on the table before my reservation & if they could spread some of the rose pedals across the table.
I, then, asked if it were possible that I could find out who my server was while I was there so that I could place ours orders for appetizers & entrees ahead of time. Kyla said she wasn't sure who our server would be, so I politely asked her to speak to a manager.
A few moments later manager, Michelle, came over with a smile & asked how she can help me. I explained to her the situation & she obliged right away, telling the hosts at the front to inform the young lady who would be our server that she would be taking care of me & to come over & take my order. Shortly after, our server came over to me (I believe her name was Ashley, but not entirely sure) & I placed our orders with her so that we wouldn't have to look through menus on our date-night & could just enjoy our company & be brought food I knew my girl would like in a timely manner. I asked several questions regarding the menu, & the server was quick to answer, & explained that I would like the courses to come out one-after-the-other at a moderate pace, so as to not rush us, through each one. She happily said she would accommodate - & she did!
When we arrived for our reservation, the manager, Michelle, greeted us & asked if we had "priority seating," playing along with our date-night & heightening the experience, making us feel even more special. Michelle proceeded to walk us to our table which was conveniently in a booth in the back where we had some privacy that you would appreciate on a special night with your significant other.
Within about a minute or so, the server came over & introduced herself, & offered to get us drinks. Shortly thereafter we had our first dish on the table - the lobster dip. We were off to a great start! Taking a few bites & packing our food as we go, next up was our salads: a grilled chicken Caesar salad & a crispy chicken mixed salad. Each shared both salads & loved them both! (Although the croutons were a bit stale tasting, to be honest.) Following our salads, was our chicken dishes: the Dynamite Chicken & another chicken dish that I don't recall the name of. Lastly, for the grand finale, we had a sirloin steak on the black rock with shrimp! This was an incredible experience & my girl was fascinated by the volcanic rock on a tray that they brought out on a cart & placed on the table for us to cook our steak & shrimp ourselves! She was so excited to cook her own steak & shrimp with the garlic butter that they served it with.
All in all we were there a little over an hour & spent about $130 on all of that food we'd gotten! And the staff was incredible! Thanks to Kyla, the manager, Michelle, & our server, Ashley. (I think. Lol.) Black Rock was a great experience & my woman was happy with all of the food & that's the most important part!
Thank you, staff!! | 2positive
| 751 |
So the Bacara is amazing & if you can't have a good time there, you are probably a wet blanket and/or a curmudgeon who can't be pleased and just likes to complain. The good bits first: The grounds are stunning from every angle, the rooms are spacious and well-appointed and you will feel like a rock star who is getting her money's worth. I came with a girlfriend and we treated ourselves to facials and massages at the spa, and we both had stellar experiences with our masseuses and aestheticians. The spa is spectacular; its amenities are luxurious. We followed our spa with a dip in the adults-only pool and spent an afternoon sunning and reading without the annoying pitter patter of little feet belonging to kids who aren't ours. We cruised down to the beach, ordered drinks from the beach house, and got a cart to come back and pick us up. (Side note: the beach has natural tar so don't bring your cute Ugg slides or fancy AF sandals because they will be covered in tar). We had dinner at the restaurant Angel Oak one night and it was fabulous! The self-described aspiring sommelier made a fantastic suggestion I never would have picked for myself and I loved it.
Now the parts that keep Bacara from earning a 5 star rating from these broads who travel A LOT. Bacara is expensive & when you stay someplace that costs that much, you expect 5 star service. Yes, I'm about to list some ridiculous first world problems, but if you're reading it before booking, you obviously want to know and get where we're coming from. So at the pool, there is a menu & you can have a light lunch & enjoy a cold beverage. But no one takes your order and brings you the food regularly, although we noticed this was offered to one or two guests. We had some issues with our umbrella and were told they'd call someone to fix it, no one ever came. I mean fine, but definitely not great service. If I'm going to pay you $20/ beer maybe you could just walk it 10 feet to my chair.
The next day we waited almost 40 minutes for a table at the bistro for breakfast only to be told that they had stopped serving from the menu 30 min prior and the buffet was now the only option. Ummm whut. Unless it's the brunch at the 4 Seasons right down the hill, I HATE BUFFETS. The buffet was sub par, and definitely not worth $30 let alone the $90 we paid. And it was such a cluster f--- in there with people and the piss poor layout, that our food was cold by the time we sat down. The waiter was avoiding our table because we had expressed our disappointment in the whole no menu service thing. And no, we didn't do it in a douchey way, we just said that we had waited in line forever & still wanted the menu we waited for and asked if he could check w/the kitchen to see if it was possible. He was visibly put out and annoyed and then never came back, so we just went for the buffet. He only came back once with a coffee refill, but was johnny on the spot with our neighboring tables.
When we were checking out, we called the bell desk to get our luggage taken down to the car. Nobody answered the phone for about 20 minutes at the bell Desk. Finally got an answer and was told they'd be right there so we headed down to wait at the valet, where we waited nearly an hour. Now the valet guys are working hard & running around like crazy and had our car right away. But the guys at the bell desk moved about as fast as stagnant pond water & had no sense of urgency, which is annoying when you pay that much for the service.
Last little quibbles- when you order a large pot of coffee up to your room it should be enough for more than 4 cups (2 small cups for each of us). No flavored creamers, which okay I get it, I'm supposed to love black coffee because it's quality coffee and the aromatic bouquet of the beans blah blah, but I don't. I want flavor so just have the option available!
Why does housekeeping need to come in at 830 am?! It's so weird. No, I don't need your help with my towels at 830 am because I HAVENT USED THEM YET, and I'm still finishing my second cup (and last cup per that stupidly small "large carafe") of coffee!
That being said- we loved it and had a great time. It's gorgeous and the little things would never detract from what was otherwise a great stay. | 2positive
| 816 |
The Delmar Loop location of Mission Taco Joint is busy enough these days that they're pulling that thing where they pretend that their app-based reservation system malfunctioned.
You reserve a table hours in advance, only to get there and find out that they don't have any record of you reserving a table. If you want, you can stand outside on the corner for two hours like a dumbass.
Obviously, they'd rather just give your table to someone who wandered in off the street without a reservation. They figure at least some of the people with reservations won't show up anyway, and if they do maybe magic will happen.
It was no big deal. My mom was meeting us there. When she drove past, on Delmar, we hopped in her car and hightailed it to the Soulard location, risking life and limb to jaywalk across the busy street. (Thug life was in full effect.)
We weren't sweating the fact that the Soulard location is owned by the same scammers as the one in the Loop, because Mexican food.
I was half expecting to see someone from "Trops" urinating in the street near the Soulard location, but the area proved to be relatively desolate. There was still a large crowd inside. We probably got there just in time. We reserved a table when we left the Loop and didn't have to wait when we arrived.
The Soulard location is brighter on the inside than the one in the Loop and noisy as all hell. I wasn't sweating the volume, because if my parents had anything novel to say to me over dinner it would have been the first time since the (first?) Clinton administration. Your mileage may very.
The menu at Mission Taco Joint is similar to one you might find at a legit taqueria, out by the airport, but presumably more fancy. Essentially, they carry tacos, burritos and tortas, plus appetizers and a list of mostly tequila-based cocktails.
I of course immediately set about figuring out which cocktail I'd have. I'd already pregamed a little bit, but I wanted to get nice and lit. They carry a drink called the Zombie, which looked like it might have more alcohol in it than anything else on the menu. It costs a few dollars more than any of the other drinks, and supposedly they'll only sell you two per visit.
The disclaimer seemed like it may have been there for psychology purposes, to trick people into spending a few dollars extra on a drink. I don't know if it really had that much more alcohol than any of the other drinks, but it had about as much alcohol as you can put in a drink and have it not taste like sterno.
In fact, the Zombie is served with a garnish that consists of half a lime filled with over-proof rum that's been set on fire. I was instructed by the server to blow out the fire when I was ready to get my drink on and dump the rum in with the rest of the rum.
Pro tip: I wouldn't let it burn too long, because that might decrease the potency of the alcohol. I only let mine burn long enough to take a picture of it. #priorities
For apps we went with the the queso chorizo and the carne asada fries, or whatever they're called.
I don't know what I was expecting the queso chorizo to be, but finding out it's just a cup of melted cheese and some chips was kinda anticlimactic. It's mostly just cheese. There was only the slightest hint of chorizo. Charles Grodin in the movie Midnight Run would have been disappointed.
Truth be told, the carne asada fries weren't as big as my little brother (who doesn't work there or anything) described them, but they were pretty damn good: french fries, with gobs of melted cheese, cubes of steak, quacamole and what have you.
Lately, I've been wanting a burrito like Bobby Brown wants drugs, but I ended up going with tacos. I like the fact that you can get a few different kinds, and the taco of the month--deep fried shrimp with mango salsa--seemed especially tempting. I got one of those, plus a chorizo and a beef brisket.
Briefly, since I don't get paid for this:
The shrimp taco was the one to beat. It's hard to describe it without being inappropriate. Go there each month until they put it back on the menu, if necessary.
The chorizo taco was, as Rachel Ray would say, dee-lish, and partly made up for the minimal amount of chorizo in the appetizer.
Only order beef brisket from legit barbecue places like Pappy's and Sugarfire. Even the mighty Mexicans (er, in this case, white people appropriating Mexican food) can't make it as good.
We finished off the evening with churros y chocolate. I'm not sure if that's what they're called on the menu, but I had a Spanish textbook called "Churros y Chocolate" when I was in the sixth grade, and I've been meaning to try them ever since. It's been 24 years.
We didn't even order them, but our server gave us some for free because my mom told him it was my birthday. She does that in every restaurant we go to.
Just kidding, it really was my birthday the other day. (Check Facebook.) My mom would never lie about something like that. | 2positive
| 906 |
Since we are experiencing this current escalating pandemic crisis, I am beginning my review with a recent post from Zara's on NextDoor:
Safer grocery shopping for those over 65 +
Now offering Curbside and Home DeliveryHere at Zara's Lil' Giant Supermarket 4838 Prytania St., customer's over 65 can bring your grocery list and call us from the parking lot 504-895-0581. We will come get your list, fill your order and bring them to your car. No fee for those over 65 - for those under 65 we charge a $4.95 fee. Also, the store is very quiet in the mornings from 7:30-9am for those who still enjoy walking the aisles. We deliver in the nearby area for $7.95 with a minimum $50 order on Mondays and Thursdays with a delivery window of 2pm to 5pm. Including groceries, heat and eat options, beer, wine and liquor.
Email
[email protected]
or fax your grocery list to 504-895-1092. We will call to verify.
* Include your number and address with your order *
Quick VIDEO Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU-QW_YhZSw
REVIEW:
I shop locally since we need to keep New Orleans locals in business ... and even more now!! This is a review I wrote about Zara's.
I have been buying most of my groceries from Zara's on Prytania Street for decade since they are locally owned and in business since 1940. My grandmother and great grandmother use to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from third generation owner Albert Zara's grandfather.
It's a fabulous small grocery with an astounding display of goods for it's size, including a great deli, plus a wall cooler with lots of home cooked choices like eggplant or chicken parmesan, seafood gumbo, quiche, meat loaf, meatballs with or without spaghetti, lasagna, crawfish Monica, smothered cabbage - plus tasty ready to eat cold options - egg, tuna or chicken salads, pimento cheese and a couple other delicious cheese spreads, a couple of spinach dips (I like the one with artichoke). Like any typical deli they sell meats and cheese sliced as you like it but they also have Zara's ham, turkey or roast beef - plus fabulous po-boys, sandwiches with bread choices, and muffalettas. Some of the food choices are main staples with other changing options like my favorite butternut squash soup. There is a roofed outside eating area plus you can order from the outside deli window.
When things get back to normal they have their own butcher so you can get order great meat selections, a hot food bar serving breakfast then changing specials every day, plus there is a "heat box" with fried or baked chicken and chicken tenders, plus more items that were cooked that day like tamales, egg rolls, meat pies or boudin sausage. They have great holiday party platters, oyster and cornbreat dressing and you can order cooked whoe turkeys. They have great bar-b-que cooked under a tent on Saturdays. I was married for 14 years and was once asked if I missed being married. Without thinking I replied that I missed the grilling - so a half rack of ribs really makes me happy. (PS - They obviously sell out early!)
But back to what inspired me to write all this. I had an accident a couple of months ago with one of the wounds getting infected so besides being elderly with health issues, I now have a compromised immune system from taking eight rounds of antibiotics with five IV rounds while in the hospital. So I have to be more vigilant that most in these current coronavirus times of uncertainty. I see that the owner posted this commentary that we can all shop early since there are not many people there when they open ... and now I can sit it the car and they will shop and bring my items out to me without having to go inside on one of my "mo worser" days ... as can any of you whether elderly or having issues needing help.
I just leamed today that Zara's is now offering delivery in the nearby area for $7.95 with a minimum $50 order. You can fax your grocery list to 504-895-1092 or email ([email protected]) then they will call to verify.so include your number plus address.
Many of the workers have been there for years and most of them are very kind and want to be helpful so it is more like the "old days" when everything was locally owned except Walgreens. Zara's is a true neighborhood grocery that I could not live without!!
Zara's Little Giant Supermarket
4838 Prytania St. (corner of Lyons St) Street Car Stops N229 or N231
504-895-0581 / 504-895-0582
www.zarasmarket.com
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(https://zarasmarket.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=79ee977e254fae3f6740b62a0&id=597c4d4011) | 2positive
| 786 |
WARNING! This review is filled with irrelevant information and loads of mushy fluff, so if you're not up to reading just skip to the second to last paragraph, get to Prince's, and eat the dang chicken. Be sure to order the "hot." ;P
No trip to Nashville would be complete without sampling some "Hot Chicken" (how had I missed this on previous trips?) And, IMHO, there's no better place to get some than O.G. Prince's Shack. Sure, there are about a half dozen other joints in town offering up super spicy yardbird - one even claims to use Prince's recipe - but if you want the REAL deal "where it started" experience nationally renowned (not to mention James Beard Recipient) Prince's it is.
After spending a week in Music City engaging in all it has to offer, I finally made my way to PHCS on the very last night before I was scheduled to fly out. It was late, my Lyft driver took me from downtown Broadway to East Nashville with utter urgency (and very safely I must add). We pulled in the strip mall parking lot only to see the open sign off and everybody in the car sighed with a sense of utter defeat. "-( I thought I remembered their hours being until 4am (wow), but that's only on Friday and Saturday and my visit was on a Thursday - food for thought - free tip. :)
We lingered for a few minutes trying to figure out what to do when a very large (and handsome) security officer approached the window. I rolled down the window, almost in tears (major first world problems!), and he informed me PHCS had just closed. Chit chat, "from Austin...last night..." Him, "hold on a minute." "O...kay?" Security bod returned with a smile on his face and said "come on now." As he led me through the dark restaurant into the kitchen my spirits immediately soared. I could smell the grease and spice. Then I saw "her"...THE boss lady herself. Beautiful and sweet (yet firm), Mrs. A. Prince Jeffries (the great nice of Mr. Prince)! Closest to royalty I think I'll ever get.
The fryers were still hot and Madame Prince told a staff member to make me some chicken. [my mouth laid agape] "Make her some mild and medium. No...no hot. She can't handle the hot." Me, jokingly, "I grew up in Texas with a jalapeño in my baby bottle...but I do have to get on a plane tomorrow." Mrs. Prince, "No hot." Staff, "No, I'm making her some hot!" Hahaha! It's almost as if she was scorned that I had shown up after hours and she was going to show me! That's kind of how the hot chicken was created in the first place, so the folklore goes (that's another story I'll write in another place). Mrs. Prince, "No! She's gettin' on a plane!" I didn't care what I got as I was so grateful. The banter between the two was a sort of repertoire I can only assume was between family members. I've heard several of the staff are family, and if not by blood then adopted in.
So I watched in amazement as the young lady took four whole legs and thighs, dipped them in a red batter, dropped in fryer, removed and then generously shake shake shaked their secret spice blend on while the oil was still scorching hot. Magic. Oh, and Mrs. Prince made sure I also got some white bread. Giddy gal!!!
Took the two large servings of chicken back to my hotel. Opened, still steamy, hubby and I dug in. Amazingly crispy skin, the moistest meat I think I've ever had (no joke), a flavor blend like no other, yummy, greasy in a good way, so happy, so happy, so...holy FIRE! About five bites into the "medium" my lips started to puff up a bit and my husband's eyes were watery. Lol! Went after the "mild" instead. No retreat from the heat. Hahaha!
Overall: A foodie experience I will never forget! From the entire "adventure" to the blamtastic chicken. I am salivating as I write. Can't wait to have more. Prince's had done a pop-up in Austin about a week before my visit to the Shack. Maybe they're scouting to expand? One can only dream.
Thank you so much for making sure I got my chicken fix and all the hospitality Mrs. Prince and all. Oh heck, I'm tearing up again...xoxo...and you were right...no way I could have handled the "hot." | 2positive
| 756 |
OK.. as you can see from my review almost one year ago to the date, I've been to TRAX and loved it in the past. In fact, it's been a favorite of ours for a while now and we've never had a bad experience ... until tonight!
Not sure what the deal is there, usually you need a reservation and there is never an empty table.. this should have been our first clue things have gone downhill here..
We were a party of 2 and there were 3 other parties of 2 and a party of 6. My husband ordered the special salad of the evening.. a hot salad.. it was fresh spinach, pancetta and a hot balsamic dressing. What he received was a heaping pile of cooked spinach - wilted spinach, burnt pancetta .. or was it bacon? and a dressing that looked more like a glaze..
Moving on to the entrees.. my husband ordered his usual, filet mignon, medium rare... keep in mind, between he and myself (I order it medium rare when I get it there too) we've had this entree about 8 times. I ordered the salmon with a cherry bbq demi-glace. The waiter said that the chef recommends getting the salmon at medium rare, ok, that is what I ordered.
We proceeded to wait at least 40 minutes for our entrees.. after looking around and seeing everyone in the restaurant receive the entrees before us .. with the exception of the couple that sat down about 5 mins ago.. we were looking for our waiter.. anybody to notice! After looking at my watch several times and wondering where the wait staff was, our waiter finally came by .. to take the just seated couple's order.. he said "your order will be out shortly".. we waited, waited, and waited some more.
In the past, this was one thing that we loved about TRAX. The wait staff was very attentive and you never had to wait for a refill of water, in fact, the waiter would fill your wine glass in this BYOB. NOPE! Not anymore!
I noticed our waiter (who has been our server numerous times and commented that he recognized us) was in the back in the kitchen watching our order..
Here's what we think happened.. they totally botched our order and after noticing it, decided to get it out to us ASAP! My husband's filet was burnt on the outside as if they threw it on the grill at high temp to sear it and hope it got cooked fast enough.. And was RAW on the inside - it wasn't even warm.. The salmon was the same way! The demi-glaze was more like a gummy mess and the fish was crunchy and cooked on the outside but the middle was RAW! It was mush - it was not medium rare, it was more like sushi!
Needless to say, we didn't eat it.. and again .. waited, waited, waited for the waiter to come back. he wanted to know if we needed anything and I asked him to wrap up both our entrees and that we would take them home to heat them in the oven so they weren't raw and we could eat them.
OK.. here is where we get really pissed! Instead of doing some customer service to REPEAT CUSTOMERS! he began to argue with us about how the chef prepares 'medium rare' and next time we should order medium well.. OMG! I said to him.. we are repeat customers who ALWAYS get the filet and NEVER had it been rare when ordered medium rare..
Whatever! He took our plates and disappeared in the kitchen.. Do you think they inspected our plates to see if the items were RAW? NOPE! They wrapped them up and said next time, he hopes things go better. NEXT TIME??? Are you FXXing kidding me?
This place is not cheap! There are tons of restaurants in the area that know how to cook steak and salmon. In fairness, he offered to comp us dessert.. nope, we were ready to get out of there!
We were there for 2 hours and waited for raw food. The took nothing off the bill so we paid the $90 bucks.. left him a $7 tip and wrote we would not be back.
If you want to waste you precious time and get served raw food, I highly recommend this place. If you would rather be treated professionally and served proper food.. try something else. I hear From the Boot rocks.. We'll go there next time.
Oh - and just to add.. the party of 6 apparently had a disconnect on the chef's definition of medium rare or rare as they sent their plate back too and got a schooling from the waiter on how to properly order. | 0negative
| 805 |
If you want to spend a lot of money on very basic food and deal with snotty people, this is the place for you. If that's not your cup of tea, I'd skip this place.
We went with another couple who had heard it was a great Mexican restaurant. It's not. It's not great and it's not Mexican. Their chips were STALE. I'm sorry but for the price we paid for the meals, they could at least have chips that aren't stale. Even better, they could make their own. It was obvious these chips were not made on site. The salsa was okay. I've had better off a grocery store shelf.
Because we thought we were going to a good Mexican restaurant, we were under-dressed which obviously offended both the hostess and the waiter. We also had the poor taste of bringing children. We weren't the only others to do this the evening we dined there. They really should put a "no kids" sign out front for the looks of hate all the tables with kids got not only from the patrons but also every member of the staff.
Okay, now on to the menu. The waiter was very proud of the fact that the entire menu was in Spanish and asked if it needed to be translated. No, we can all read ingredients. That's pretty much what it was. The "names" were just a list of ingredients. As others have said, no appetizers and your "salad" comes with your meal. Actually, your salad comes on top of your meal. But, I digress.
The waiter made a big point of telling us that the chef/owner has spent countless hours creating the exact combination of ingredients for each dish so there will be ABSOLUTELY NO substitutions or changes. If you have a food allergy, DO NOT go to this restaurant. We were also informed that there was no children's menu and so we could either order them an entree at $25/person or feed them the rice and beans that came with the meal. I'm sorry, but I've been to some pretty swanky 4 and 5 star restaurants and they ALL make food for kids. Get over yourself, you're a two-bit chef in Tucson. We opted for the rice and beans. When I inquired about the possibility of cheese for the kids, the waiter gave me a death stare and said, "do you see it on the menu? It's not possible, no substitutions, no additions".
Now for the meals, BLAND, BLAND, and BORING. My meal was essentially machaca beef scooped on a plate. Nothing with it except the salad on top. I like machaca as much as the next person but not even a tortilla to go with it? Give me a break. My husband ordered a chicken dish and it was so dry he practically had to gag it down. As for the "signature" dish, three samples of whatever the chef/owner decides to put on your plate - you have no say in it. My husband said it best "I think it's what they can't sell tonight." The other woman accompanying us ordered it and it was exactly that, what wasn't selling. They all had the fancy Spanish ingredient names but it was basic food. One thing that the waiter raved about was nothing but tamale pie. Simple tamale pie. The husband of the woman was incensed, "We're paying $30 for tamale pie? You make that at home." "Yeah," she scoffed, "and mine's better." After moaning and groaning for quite some time, our waiter finally brought some tortillas to our table. It was a waste of food, they were so old they stuck together and fell apart when we pulled them out of the basket. I could have gotten fresher ones at the grocery on the way to the restaurant.
Going along with the chef/owner's belief that she alone knows what is tasty, there is only one choice for salad dressing, a bottle that is half lemon juice and half olive oil. If you don't like it, too bad. Chef/owner knows better than you do and the waiter will be happy to tell you so. Also, having my salad served on top of meal really bugged me. Give me a salad dish for crying out loud - or at least give me a plate that can hold it all without my salad being ON TOP of the main dish. And what about a salad fork? I may not be a foodie but I also wasn't raised in barn.
To top it off, the place closes each year for a month. For one week the owner/chef takes all of her employees to her house in Mexico. Our waiter made a point of telling us this, as though that would register in our analysis of whether or not to dine at that restaurant. Now, personally, it would be hell having to spend a week of my vacation with my boss and all of my coworkers. But, apparently, they all think it's just swell. Obviously business is good if the chef/owner can close for a week and take everyone to Mexico. I don't understand it and if this restaurant with it's over-the-top attitude and mediocre food what people in Tucson think is worth forking dough over for, I won't be eating out much here. Everyone in our party agreed, lesson learned, we won't be going back. | 0negative
| 902 |
Everyone enjoys a nice fresh sandwich made with beautiful ingredients. What's not to love? Opening in 2010, the first Press'd location made its debut right here in Edmonton with the promise of the perfect sandwich. Offering an alternative to the typical fast food menu, the restaurant has now expanded into a chain of nine locations in the Edmonton area and also restaurants in Calgary, Saskatoon, and Regina. Voted #1 Best Wraps 2018 by VUE Weekly, I looked forward to getting my hands on what Press'd has to offer. I popped into their Strathcona Junction location on a Saturday evening, which you'll find in the Strathcona Market shopping complex.
The restaurant is very clean and simple with a nice colour palette of white and lime green, accented by blond wood. It's a pretty typical model but it looks nice. There are several tables, benches, and even some booths for seating. I really liked the word cloud mural made up of all of the different neighbourhood names in the shape of Edmonton! Very cool. I was happy to find mine on there. The people working were very friendly and happy to take my order.
The menu at Press'd is pretty much what you would expect: There are a lot of sandwiches. There are also salads and wraps. In general, it all feels very healthy and it's as if they took the idea of Subway but made it fresher and more home-grown. I started my journey at Press'd with the Broccoli Crunch Salad (Broccoli, cheddar, bacon, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, dressing - $3.89) from the Sides section. I also found the Giant Dill Pickle ($2.19) in this section and that was a big YES. Apart from these, they do soups as well, which sound pretty good. This little salad was super delicious (like the container says) and was actually the best part of the whole meal! I loved the crisp green broccoli and I loved the different textures that created the crunch. Getting little bits of cheddar and bacon in there is always good and I enjoyed the creamy dressing. I would absolutely order this salad again because it was very tasty.
The giant dill pickle brought me happiness as well. Sandwiches and pickles just go together! Super flavourful and packed with a blasting dill punch, there was nothing wrong at all with this big boi.
Of course I was going to order a sandwich, because it's kinda the whole thing. There are many to choose from (19 in total) in several different categories like; Clubs, Basics, Plant Based, Signatures, and Classics. Any good sandwich starts with the bread, which Press'd bakes from scratch each day. There are five breads to choose from (including a gluten-free one) and you can pick any one that you want for your sandwich. They had a bacon cheddar bread (limited time only) and I knew that I had to try it. Lots of the sandwiches sound very good, making it difficult to pick only one. The California Club and Green Goddess both sounded good to me. But I had to order the Blazing Buffalo (Roast chicken, jalapeno jack, lettuce, tomato, wing sauce, ranch - $9.99 for 8" large) because I'm a sucker for buffalo chicken. At first glance, I was a bit disappointed because the photos of their sandwiches look so packed with ingredients and this sandwich seemed a little flat and thin to me. I will say that I enjoyed the bread a lot. It was very soft and warm, and I loved the bright orange colour and bits of bacon within. The rest of the sandwich was decently flavourful and I did get the hot sauce + ranch vibe that I crave... However, I was really hoping for more. It just felt like there wasn't enough of everything. The chicken was fine, as were the vegetables, but it was missing some life. I need something bigger and bolder!
Next, I was excited to try one the their wraps because they were voted as the best. Press'd offers four different types and I went for the West Coast Club (Roast chicken, bacon bits, cheddar, fresh guacamole, romaine, tomato, mayo - $10.09). Sadly, I think that I enjoyed this even less than the sandwich. It wasn't that the ingredients were bad, this wrap simply suffered from the same problem where it felt quite skimpy and lifeless. A good wrap should be rolled tight and jam-packed with stuff and this one was a little sad. That said, the chicken, again, was fine and I liked the bit of crunch from the bacon bits. The veggies were fresh and I would have liked way more cheddar. I barely detected any guacamole at all.
I really wanted to be a lot more enamoured with Press'd than I was. I'm always on the lookout for fast and fresh food options that won't make me feel like I just ate a pile of garbage. Press'd totally has the capacity to be that - and I think that they want to be that! I just believe that some quality control needs to happen to ensure that they are putting out the absolute best product every time. They've got good ideas and good ingredients, they simply need to execute them better. I would be happy to give Press'd another chance since they do have other sandwiches on the menu that sound good | 1neutral
| 898 |
I've been to Rooster about two times now. The first time was quite a while ago...I want to say two summers ago. A friend took me there and he told me it was a great place for breakfast/brunch. I ordered a crepe, if I recall correctly, and it was pretty darned good and we had good service.
Fast forward to this past summer (summer of 2011.) My boyfriend and I decide to go there for some delicious breakfast food. We got there and it was a freakin' zoo. I don't recall what day it was but I want to say it was late morning on a weekend. We were the only people standing at the front of the restaurant. There was not a single host or hostess in sight. After standing there getting stared at for a good ten minutes by other customers who were already seated (awwwkward) we finally decided to just go ahead and grab seats ourselves. Well of course, as soon as we seated ourselves at one of the numerous empty tables in the front dining room, a woman comes over and exclaims "you can't sit there." Well excuuuuuuse me, princess! She ushered us into the back room where almost every table was taken except for one tiny, piddly little, rickity table in the back. There wasn't a single lamp either so I could barely read the menu. I was tempted to just get up and move to a table closer to the window when she wasn't looking.
Yeah. Strike one. Then, we sit there waiting. And waiting. And waiiiiting.... not a single server came over to our table. We were kind of seated off the beaten path so to speak, so maybe with the way traffic flow went, we were harder to notice. I only saw like one or maybe two servers for our entire room and there were quite a few tables with people who looked anxious like they were either waiting to order or had already ordered and nothing was being brought out.
We seriously waited for over 35 minutes. We even timed it. No one came up. After the first 15 minutes, I told Sean I was going to go grab someone because I was getting anxious and irritable. After all, I was pretty hungry. He wasn't as hungry, I guess, and maybe wanted to see (bemusedly) how much longer it would, in fact, take to get a person to even recognize that we had been seated and needed to order.
Yeah, what the actual crap? Finally I got up and grabbed someone who looked like they worked at Rooster and explained everything. The woman said she was just getting off her shift but she'd go grab someone ASAP.
FINALLY, a hipster-y looking girl with short hair headed over to our table and apologized profusely for the unbelievable negligence of our table. She took our orders and disappeared. It took another 25 minutes or so for the food to come. I plowed through everything like a crazy woman. We both wanted pepper and asked for it but she never brought it and we had to literally walk over to another table and ask for their pepper. Yeah. Awkward.
The food itself was pretty good but nothing to rave about. I had the Nutella French Toast with bananas. It was okay but nothing I couldn't make myself at home. (In fact I am willing to bet that my own home-made French toast is far superior!) Sean had plain French toast with bacon and eggs and he agreed it was only mediocre for the price and the long wait. I think if I ever go back, I'd try something different for sure. Also I've noticed that their savory dishes seem to be even more lackluster than the sweet stuff so my one bit of advice to someone who might still be considering eating at this establishment would be to go for the sweets.
When we paid our ($45+) bill, there wasn't any sign of compensation or apology, not even from the server. I kind of felt bad for her because it looked like she was being overworked...as in they needed more staff for the size of the crowd (which wasn't even *that* big btw, it kind of died down since we'd been seated.) I still left her a good tip because I figured it wasn't her fault. But yeah, never again!
I am so turned off by this place that I really don't want to come back unless someone else is paying, and I have a snack in my purse to prevent me from going into a hypoglycemic coma, lol. | 0negative
| 775 |
To Yelp friend Monique W. I say 'grazie' since she summed it up just right for me too. "All together this was a mediocre dinner. It wasn't real Italian food." And one knows the eatery is in trouble when another person who awards DaVinci's a 2 star review for lackluster experience points to Bella Aquila (woeful in my humble Yelp opinion) as better Italian food.
Yet DaVinci's longevity in Eagle as apparently a locals (as we have been for five years now) favorite counts for something, servers are cordial and the restaurant uses cloth napkins at the formica top tables. Hence 2 stars. But the interior is dark and awkwardly laid out and all, from menu through venue, seems tired.
For context for opinion to follow I share that my husband is Italian heritage and grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn with a grandmother who spoke only Italian doing the family cooking and we are ourselves enthusiastic home cooks. With that as background, we'd say the food here is edible in a pinch and for sure not destination dining. We don't recommend it unless you are, as we were, simply curious.
LAYOUT / VIBE: When you enter the restaurant the bar is to the left and the dining room to the right. On the night of our visit we were early arrival, a little after 5pm which is when I understand the dining room opens, but we headed left into the bar given the dining room was empty and no one greeted us at the door so we "followed the festivity". (Bar opens at 4p and they have some happy hour prices on libations.)
FULL BAR: We chose cocktails as they seemed a wiser option than the marginal wines by glass although they were inexpensive (only about $7 as I recall). I imagine one of the claims to fame here is the full bar menu that offers libation classics and "cutsie's" like Key Lime martini's and Cinnabombs...or something like that. The Manhattans were good and under $9. If the bar were more comfortable a setting, it might be somewhere we'd stop for a cocktail before heading out to eat elsewhere. But it is dark and if not sardine can tight for seating, too tight to be comfortable for us. In fairness to the bar, the table set up in the dining room looked even more awkward for tight spacing.
MENU / FOOD: The menu provides a list of pastas from which to choose with the sauce of one's choice added and also options like meat or vegetable lasagna baked in ramekins or Ital-American mainstays like chicken Parmesan buried underneath heavy red sauce and too much melted mozzarella or chicken Marsala along with expected starters like fried calamari. The house salad was basically lettuce drowned in Italian dressing but it was the best part of the meal. As I recall prices ranged from about $15 to about $20 per entree. This may be Italian for folks who think Olive Garden's menu is the real thing or that Italians eat gooey Alfredo sauce (tip - they don't). Not that there's anything wrong with that, to crib the Seinfeld line. We all make different choices. (My husband's family will say, about 'imposter' Italian eateries something like this: "You know itsa place that thinks Alfredo sauce is Italian" that goes along with a shoulder shrug that means "whattaya gonna do".)
OUTDOOR SEATING: Sometimes there have been a couple of tables put out on the sidewalk. Unfortunately blocking sidewalk on occasion.
ACCESSIBILITY: There is a step up into a door on the front - bar side - of the building. I don't know if that is an operable door or not - we chose the entrance door on the side of the building which is level in. (I have MS and do not navigate steps well.) All on one level inside. Some bar seating is standard height as is all dining room seating. But all spaces are tight. Couldn't determine if there was clear floor space for diners using wheelchairs. Didn't check the loo.
PARKING: On street in downtown Eagle.
NEIGHBORHOOD ALTERNATIVES:
A) For Italian in a casual setting with friendly table service and also outside seating option, Red Bench Pizza is newly opened in Eagle. Pizza menu has a couple of pastas, small wine menu - some local - and beer. Open lunch through dinner.
B) For unpretentious fine dining meets casual warmth at French restaurant Bacquet's in Eagle that at times includes pasta dishes on the menu (among the best we have had anywhere) but you can't miss for any excellent dish here, charming ambiance - including patio seating, gracious hospitality, skilled table service and great wine options. Open lunch through dinner.
C) If a cocktail and exit is what you're looking for, Bella Aquila on the river in Eagle is a good place to sip one on the patio during Happy Hour in good weather months for serene setting or Bardenay on the river in Eagle for noisy but bright setting. Wouldn't recommend either for eats. Both open lunch through dinner. | 0negative
| 851 |
Two biggest complaints:
1. They mess up my order. A LOT. It is to the point where I dread calling them.
2. They put stuff in their dishes that's not mentioned in menu description
Wonton soup - while it is good, where on the menu does it say there are carrots?
Squid salad - again, no carrots mentioned but they put it in there. Squid feels extra chewy but flavor was good. They can cut the squid unto smaller pieces to me.
Pad See Ew - only says Chinese broccoli, but carrots, tomatoes, and red peppers made its way in there!
I actually do know someone who is allergic to carrots, so he would have a field day with this place. And I get it, you maybe want to "add color" with all those carrots and bell peppers, tomatoes, etc. My parents were the same way with their restaurants, but they at least told you about it.
So unless you have already gotten things in the past and know they put random stuff in there, you wouldn't know to customize it. And even if you do, they get it wrong an overwhelming majority of the time. I'm not giving a low rating because they add other things not described. I am giving a low rating because they do not get the orders right.
I can't say I endorse the spring rolls, since I feel like it is more dough than filling.
The mango sticky rice is good too, just extremely tiny... like for a large ant colony (compared to other Thai restaurants like Pattaya on campus). It is not meant for sharing.
I really like their stir-fried noodles with bean thread... when they get it right. I think it is like 1 our of 5 times (at best) they will get it right. Once they got the noodle type wrong. All the other times they get the veggies wrong. Who knows what mixed veggies they put in there. I guess it depends on who is cooking and what they have readily available. Menu says , "snow pea, bell pepper, onion." I've gotten it with tomatoes in there, broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, you name it. When I try to list specific vegetables (baby corn, mushrooms, and broccoli), they constantly get it wrong. It is literally three vegetables. I'm not exactly asking for the entire produce department. And on top of that... 3 veggies versus a dozen... if anything I'm saving them money and resources!
Sometimes they can make noodles extremely greasy, to the point we can smell the grease seeping in and out of our pores, and other times it is fine.
Thai iced coffee - no ice. You guessed it, they put ice in there. I almost always ask for no ice because if I say "light ice" it's not light - but I do this everywhere I go. Therefore, it is supposed to easier to say "no ice." If I order it for dinner take-out, it is because I want to bring it to work the next morning. With a bunch of ice, I am drinking watered down coffee the next say. If I order lunch take out, I cannot drink the coffee fast enough because I am all over the place at work that by the time I get back to my office, it is watered down from melted ice. I can't believe I am on here explaining my logic. I don't care if it means the cup will only be half-full because serving size is 8 oz coffee + 8 oz ice. I'd rather just have 8 oz coffee instead of an additional 8 oz melted ice.
Customer service can be a little rough around the edges. I'm not accustomed to being hung up on without finish ordering. It hasn't happened recently, but the person who did it also took my order today and cut me off in the middle of my veggie selection with a "yeah yeah yeah it is already in there" and ended up messing it up.
If you have requests, I suggest writing it down on paper and handing it over in person, or order online. I couldn't order online because I couldn't order coffee for some reason. Definitely do not call in.
I am willing to give another try to change my rating. Next time my order will be in written format (online or in-person). They get that wrong again I will leave it at 2 or bring it down to 1... depends what side of the bed I woke up on lol. | 0negative
| 761 |
Walking into a restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara on the Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend? Not easy, especially with a party of five. I wandered around with Matt B.'s family and we came to Palazzio after we found long waits at a few other spots. (There was also the new Arlington Tavern, which I vetoed based on the menu - it offered 3 oz. and 6 oz. portions of filet mignon, and called them hers and his, as if women get full on anything more caloric than undressed salad, ugh.)
Palazzio was busy and there was a short wait, but getting in was relatively painless. I guessed right away that I wouldn't love the place. There was a lot of neon signage and an animatronic caricature of an Italian chef on one wall. The decor and atmosphere were very Buca di Beppo, with promises of good cheer and mediocre food.
Service was excellent. Our waiter Erubiel attended to our every need. Matt's sister sent back her pasta over halfway through the meal because she found it too spicy. He apologized and took it back, and even went so far as to tell her someone in the kitchen tried it and agreed. She also asked for a box of garlic rolls to go, and Erubiel hooked her up with a smile.
The garlic rolls were complimentary, and they were pretty good. The bread itself was nothing special, but chewy and pleasant enough, and it came coated in plenty of garlic and oil. We noshed on these while we waited for our food, and Matt and I ordered beers. Palazzio has a rotation of Telegraph beers on tap, at a reasonable $5 for a tall glass. The pale ale was crisp and refreshing. If novelty drinks are your thing, Palazzio makes 48 ounce martinis. We saw a number of these spread around the room. They looked fun, but more bachelorette party than dinner with family.
Outsized portioning is Palazzio's calling card. The motto goes, "People don't leave here hungry or thirsty!" and good grief, it's true (and awkwardly phrased, much like this sentence). Matt and his family had been before, and when we ordered, they assured me that half a portion of pasta was plenty of food for two. I was skeptical, but sure enough, the portions were beyond all reason. Matt and I shared a half order of pasta, and I had the leftovers for a full dinner a couple days later. Beyond the novelty, I don't really see the point, but I guess it's something memorable.
Matt and I had the penne vodka shrimp, which brought a giant pan of penne tossed with sautéed shrimp and a spicy chili pepper vodka cream sauce with basil. It was passable, and I liked the slight heat and bold flavor of the sauce. The shrimp were decent, and there were plenty of them. The main issue with the pasta was, well, the pasta. The tubes of penne were cooked a bit soft. Not quite mushy, but close enough that it wasn't great. I also tried some of Matt's dad's stuffed manicotti. This was a heavy dish of pasta stuffed with ricotta, mushrooms, and spinach, then baked with marinara and served with Bechamel sauce and a side of grille vegetables. Not bad, but I didn't want more than a bite. I also got a twirl of Matt's sister's spicy pasta before it went back to the kitchen. This was the capellini grilled chicken and brie cheese, without the brie cheese. It was thin pasta tossed with roma tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and hunks of grilled chicken. Decent dish, and I didn't taste any unwarranted spice. To be fair, I'm pretty insensitive to small quantities of heat.
I'll also note that though we did not partake, Palazzio offers pasta dishes made with NoOodle (???), a no carb, no calorie noodle alternative. I went through a phase in law school when I was trying to lose weight and ordered a bunch of packets of Miracle Noodle, which is the same sort of thing. I had to take them out of their plastic packets, where they were packed in fluid, then wash them with water to get rid of the weird smell. Then I had to dry them by squeezing them gently with paper towels before combining them with my favorite flavoring packets from various instant noodles. The resulting mounds of calorie-free noodles with artificial flavoring were, you know, enjoyable in a disgusting way. All of which is to say, I would think twice before paying for them in a restaurant. Still, cool idea, and I'm sure the sauces here are better on average than Chapagetti seasoning.
Anyway, we left Palazzio full, even though none of us ate more than a quarter of a full portion. It's a good thing the restaurant doesn't demand an order per head - that would result in a lot of wasted food. I didn't love Palazzio, but I appreciated its gusto, and the service and beer were great. The place seems to be thriving, and I imagine it'll keep drawing people in with its abundance of cheesy Italian cheer. | 1neutral
| 860 |
Subsets and Splits