I generally try to avoid visiting "new" restaurants for the first couple months, to give them a chance to find their groove in both the front of the house and the back. Visiting Hyde Park's new Northville location reminded me of why that policy is a good idea.
Ambiance: We decided to stop in the bar for Happy Hour to check out the decor and vibe, and sample some of the food. Our table of 6, among the first to arrive that day, was seated in a nice spot in the corner of the bar, and told we would need to be out of there in 2 hours as the table was reserved. Nothing like being told you have to leave as soon as you sit down. The decor was nice - a significant transformation from the old Papa Vino's that inhabited the space in years past. Very dark, with some very modern accents throughout. The location of the service terminal is right outside the (very small) restrooms, making it somewhat awkward to work your way through lingering staff to get into and out of the restrooms. Overall, though, it was a nice upscale vibe without being too overwrought. You could see yourself here in anything from business attire to some nice jeans and a sweater.
Service: Given the fact we were on a timer, you would have thought we would have had a quick server moving us along. Alas, that is not the case. The woman we had (I don't know her name as she never introduced herself) was obviously incredibly inexperienced (at least to three of us who had waited tables at some point in our life). I grant it might have been a bit confusing, as some of our party arrived 20 minutes later than the rest, but it seemed like the entire time we were having to flag her down when we needed something (or, rather, ask the incredibly attentive and uber-present water pourer to find her for us). When food orders were taken, she literally took 2 orders and then turned around and left while I was holding a menu in my hand waiting to order - we had to hunt her down to order the rest of our food (which took 10 minutes, guaranteeing that everyones' dinner came out at different times). Wine service was similarly awkward, taking a very long time to find one of our bottles and then a prolonged question and answer session about how many glasses we would need. The poor server obviously had had zero training on how to present and pour wine, as the glasses she did pour were about 2 oz tastes. Overall, I felt like the whole visit I was waiting on our own table - in fact, if I had a key card and the terminal, it would have probably gone a lot smoother.
Food: It was a bit difficult to evaluate the food. We wanted to sample some of the bar apps, the burgers, and one of the specials of the day. Because the food came out all disjointed, a number of dishes sat around getting cold while we waited for the rest of the party to get their orders. Overall the food was acceptable, but nothing special. The fries with the burger were cold and limp, but the burgers themselves were tasty. We tried two of the flatbreads, which were rather good. One of our party ordered a five shrimp cocktail and really enjoyed it - the shrimp were fresh and massive. The wife, an oyster fan, said her oysters were good, but the portion was incredibly small compared to her favorite local raw bar, The Sardine Room. I really enjoyed a "chopped steak", which reminded me of the Salisbury Steak's my mom used to make. It's difficult to favorably evaluate the food when the server has you on edge, but I would say it was the high point of the meal. That being said, there was nothing exceptional.
Cocktails: The reason we really wanted to try Happy Hour is that we hoped we could find a good local place for cocktails (which would be super handy for business entertaining during the holidays). This wasn't it. We tried their signature smoked old fashioned - competent flavors but oddly served without ice and with the garnish on the side. The drink hadn't even been chilled in the cocktail shaker, so it was room temperature, which really muted the bitters and orange notes. The wife tried a Bees Knees, which she didn't even finish. In an age where the competition is upping their cocktail game with homegrown ingredients and impeccable techniques, these were nothing more than okay. Do not expect something on par with Sugar House, Standby, Foundation Room or even Browndog Barlor in downtown Northville.
Overall: Even though it's early on, I was hoping for a bit more out of Hyde Park. I figured having multiple locations (including one other in Michigan), they would have been able to get this one off the ground quickly. If you're going to present yourself as a high end, "Prime" establishment, you've got to deliver on all levels, and even in the casual context of a bar happy hour, this first visit did not. I will be back to try dining in the main room, but I'll give it a few months to see if that helps. read more