Negatives: severely inattentive staff, excessive food wait times, order improperly fulfilled (just mine at our table), and severe attitude when the issue was pointed out. Also, petting dogs and not washing your hands before going back to work.
Positives: Good ambiance. Relaxing setting. Live, appropriately volume controlled music. Other three plates of food were far above what we expected.
Overall: I wouldn't choose to eat here again but I might go back at some point to see if I just hit them on a really bad day.
The Breezeway Restaurant & Bar is situated in a breezeway in antique downtown Sanford. It looks nice - it definitely has a "relaxed in Florida" type of vibe to it. My family had seen this place since it opened but finally decided to stop in. Two adults, an eight year old and a five year old.
We were quickly seated. But despite there being plenty (in my view) of servers, we were equally quickly ignored. After fifteen minutes (literal - I happened to note when we were seated) I had to ask for our server. Apparently there wasn't one - the person I flagged (Louis) said he'd take over our table.
Strike - Nobody should have to wait so long that they have to ask who their server is.
We ordered - I got their version of a chicken sandwich, hot buffalo style, with a twice-baked potato. My wife got a Mile high sandwich with fries, reuben style. My children both got a grilled cheese sandwich.
Children's food arrived 45 minutes after ordering. Adult food arrived 10 minutes after that (that's 60 minutes and 70 minutes from being seated). The menu does ask for patience because food is prepared to order, but 45 minutes for grilled cheese and fries is excessive in any world.
Strike 2 - Time to get food was too long, even being patient. Also, nobody updated us or checked on our drinks that entire stretch until the food arrived.
The food - Positives:
Everything came out hot and fresh.
Children's grilled cheese sandwiches were every part of the definition of amazing. Gooey, stringy cheese, toasted but not burned, edges seared. It takes skill to do something simple and make it professional. Kudos.
Wife's reuben - I almost risked her wrath to steal a bite. She wished she'd bought the other half the sandwich.
The food - Negatives:
My food. The sandwich didn't seem to have any sauce in it at all. I asked about the buffalo sauce, and was told that they use a butter base for the sauce so it won't appear red. I asked for the mayo that was supposed to be on the sandwich - I was told if I chose buffalo it wouldn't come with mayo. I asked for the mayo, since the description of the sandwich actually describes it coming with mayo.
This is where the service broke down, and my experience went downhill. I was asked testily by our server if I wanted anything else on it. I told Louis, "Give me whatever you promised me on the menu." He went back, snatched a menu from the pile (several others fell to the floor), and went into the kitchen (?) area.
I got my mayo. After putting that on, I got my first bite. It wasn't buffalo. It was unspiced - no obvious salt, or pepper or spice. It was a black and white sandwich in a world full of color. There wasn't a flavor to profile. It was warm, it was juicy, but it was utterly flavorless.
I asked again about the buffalo and tried to explain that it wasn't that I didn't think the sauce was hot enough, but that there was no sauce on it. I'm not immune to heat - there just wasn't any heat. Louis assured me the sauce was on there and asked if I wanted it recooked. Remembering it had taken over an hour to get this sandwich, I asked he take it off the bill. He took the plate, and threw it (loudly) into the outside sink.
At that point, when our request for ketchup went unheeded, I just stole the bottle from an adjacent empty table.
Strike - Kitchen for making the sandwich missing the ingredient I paid extra for, and the ingredients described in the menu.
Strike - Service for behaving like it was my fault instead of a simple kitchen error and for acting out in a public place.
Finally, the dog thing:
My wife and one child left first, and I was waiting to pay the bill when a lady with an obvious regular with a clearly friendly dog arrived. I am fine with dogs being around in an outside restaurant - especially friendly ones. But while waiting for my change, I saw two servers and the hostess vigorously pet this lovable dog, and then go back to their jobs, without washing their hands. One server delivered drinks and straws, one server helped deliver food, and the hostess went directly back to her station.
Final strike - Your hands are what you serve our menus, drinks and food with. I don't know if that's a health code violation or not, but it's definitely gross.
I really wish my first experience with this clearly interesting restaurant hadn't been such a disappointment. read more