"I haven’t been here in a while and it was nice to go back. The food was phenomenal. It’s not cheap, but you’re not going to the bistro in Nordstrom for a “good deal” anyway, right?I got a cup of their legendary bisque and it was so delicious while not being overly creamy and rich (in my opinion. I also got the lump crab, avocado and mango salad and every single ingredient was fresh and tasty and the dressing was just a perfect accompaniment- not overbearing. Their hot tea selection was also great- had a jasmine green that was lovely.Here’s the unexpected part: I sad at the bar so in full view of the kitchen and the back and forth between the manager/expeditor, servers and chef/cooks. I spent several years working in restaurants and I was just floored with how incredible this crew was! Everyone was calm and respectful to each other (tough to do during a rush while also communicating and moving everything through with a sense of urgency. The clear focus on providing a great experience was evident. Super impressive!This gets me to my next point and frankly my only “complaint” about my visit: the setup where you pay (and presumably tip in advance is clunky and I’m certain leads to fewer tips than this crew clearly deserves. Asking customers (not at the bar to tip in advance of any service received is a recipe for receiving no tip or a very small one. So few people have cash on hand to tip after the meal so, at the very least, there should be a second opportunity to tip on a card. The pay up front model fits with a cafeteria or buffet- not a high end bistro with excellent service- just my two cents."
