From all the sparking reviews I expected a great dinner in a homey welcoming bistro but this was everything but that. Clearly this restaurant has changed hands.
Let me just say the only reason it's not 1 star is because the bar tender (also the only waitress) fixed our issue no questions asked. However I doubt we will be going back.
The wine my boyfriend got was way overpriced (double the cost) for the vintage (his words). It was $15 a glass half priced, so maybe it was just really $6 a glass and they said 15 so they could say it was half price? Every glass there was $15+
We started with the clam appetizer and it was great. The sourdough they offered was great. They didn't have any ice tea. Only soft drinks and wine. My boyfriend said that his dinner was bland. For my dinner I was served rancid bolognese. As soon as it hit the table the send of rancid food started wafting up into my nostrils... yum. I took 1 bite of the meat to see if that was it, it didn't taste rancid, then tasted the noodles and 'sauce'. The 'sauce' was more like just crushed tomatoes with some water. I only took 2 bites and wasn't about to risk it with that disgusting smell. I waited for the bar tender/waitress to come back to check on us but she never came back till my boyfriend was done eating. Meanwhile I got to smell the rancid plate till he was finished.
My boyfriend ate his, he didn't say he smelt anything. Then when the waitress came when his bowl was empty so I just asked for a box to be polite. My boyfriend made me think that i might have gone crazy because couldn't smell it, that and he hates confrontation when were eating out trying to have a good time. Then after waiting for the box and then some more for the check. Then more for her to take the card. Then more for her to come back and get the card. We finally got up and the box popped open in his hands and he looks over at me disgusted and rushed me out the door. We get right outside and I ask him "Did it smell rancid to you?" and he replied "Yes, that's that's disgusting." Know knowing I wasn't insane I grabbed the box from him and opened the door and the bartender / waitress was right there. I politely asked her to step outside (I didn't want to explain in a full bard and 1 other table, in a very small place where everyone could here). I told her that my food was rancid and let her smell it. She didn't disagree and let me know she could take it off the bill or make something else. My boyfriend didn't know if she was just going by the "customer is always right" motto or really believed me. Either way I was happy with a speedy resolution that's for sure, but I think rancid food would scare away any customer for life. Me and my boyfriend have watched one too many kitchen nightmares (which most occur with new owners oddly enough)
All during our meal people were coming in to sit at the bar and every time someone would come in the whole bar area would chime out their name as they crossed the 7' to the bar. It made you feel very excluded as a dining customer because the bar is clearly the stand-out center of this small restaurant. They also monopolized the tender/waitress time so much it really isn't even worth being there if your not at the bar. She has no time to check in on you, ask how your food is going, if your enjoying it, be a generally good hostess. We got to over-hear her new plans for extending the bar and thoughts updating the menu though.
I'm not sure what they are going for as decor.... nothing says hip bistro better then empty picture frames, picture frames in empty picture frames, wall candelabras in empty picture frames? All the wall clutter with random adornments and the black wall paper made the space feel especially small. The bar was clearly the centerpiece of the room, which was also surrounded by silver plumbing pipes.... because people get so drunk they fall off their bar stools and tumble into the tables? I don't know, but i made them feel extreme separated in a bad, jail-house, kind of way. read more