As the name implies, the people here do cook with a lot of soul and try very hard to please, with the service being very friendly and the chefs coming out to serve you their creations with a smile. The dishes are, however, missing the high points in execution and my dish was downright sloppy.
My husband ordered the braised calf with brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes and I ordered the fish over rice noodles and asian veggies. The amuse bouche they brought out was most welcome on this particular cold night: a creamy squash soup with buttery fried croutons on top. Comforting and delicious, it left us wanting more.
When the food came out, my husband's dish was good although unoriginal with the red wine braise and we had to admit we've had better elsewhere. The sides were as expected, just plain mashed potatoes and boiled brussels sprouts.
Mine was a hot mess. The fish suffered an unworthy death--or perhaps it committed seppuku--atop a pile of over-salted, overcooked, and unfocused ingredients that were cut and presented haphazardly on the plate. Falling apart, the rice noodles were mushy and the veggies were cut so big I had trouble putting some pieces of bell peppers and carrots into my mouth. The seasoning of everything had no discernible flavor other than salt and a hint of ginger powder. The dish would have benefited from better cutting of the fish for a more professional presentation, julienning the veggies instead of just slicing, not overcooking the rice noodles or perhaps using flour noodles, and a more focused and exciting flavor profile or maybe even a sauce as a binding element for the fish to the ingredients underneath. I think the chef thought he could save the dish by sprinkling store bought fried onions on top but it just added to the confusion.
In the end, while the service was attentive and friendly, the meats were perfectly cooked and all ingredients fresh, the presentation and flavors were amateur. read more