"The staff made an effort, but the food felt like generic wedding fare—not the kind you look forward to, just something to get by on. The Maitre D approached us only after our card had been taken and asked about our meal. We politely expressed our dissatisfaction and mentioned we understood their staffing challenges. He explained their difficulties and offered dessert on the house, but then said the bill was already processed and gave us a note for next time. When our barely touched plates were cleared and we declined a takeout box, he didn’t offer any refund or further compensation beyond the dessert.
They are seriously understaffed, which explained the 30-minute wait for a drink, empty water glasses left for another 30 minutes, and an hour-long wait for appetizers. My dirty martini wasn’t dirty, and my husband’s mint and cucumber mojito lacked mint the second time we ordered it. The only dishes we found acceptable were the escargot and fried oysters. The Brie seemed spoiled, the seafood chowder was bland, the Caesar salad soggy, the ribeye smothered in tasteless brown gravy, the chicken piccata flavorless and slightly tough, and the vegetables steamed to the point they seemed purée-ready with no seasoning.
After an hour and a half, we asked to cancel our entrees if they weren’t started yet—we just wanted to leave. The waiter said they were almost ready, and unwilling to cause trouble or waste food, we agreed to wait. We shouldn’t have. The meal and tip came to $200, and we ended up needing another dinner later that night. This was our 10th wedding anniversary, and our original plans for the 18th were canceled due to a flooded kitchen. This restaurant was recommended as a place to dress up and enjoy great food. It might make a lovely wedding venue, and had we just come for drinks, our impression might have been different. But if you appreciate flavorful or fresh food, this won’t meet expectations. (The photo shows the steak after my husband tried to scrape off the gravy.)"
Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad
