I was looking forward to having a Nordstrom in the area and have tried out Bazille two times since the opening. The only positive about this restaurant is that it's the only place other than a pretzel shop to eat something at the new SoNo Mall. By average restaurant standards, this place is a joke. By Nordstrom standards, Bazille at Sono is an embarrassment. Having "dined" here twice it is clear an effective management team has not been put in place. The waitstaff lack the very basics of good customer service and the kitchen staff seem unable to keep up with even low demand on the kitchen.
My first visit was on 11/27/19. I took 3 teenage girls for a late lunch arriving around 2:45 having toured the new mall. The Girls ordered French Dip sandwiches and I ordered the WARM ASIAN GLAZED CHICKEN salad. Our waiter initially seemed to be making an effort but his odd mannerisms and faux-familiar banter were disarming and strange. The service was slow. Beverages were offered and it seemed to take an exceptionally long time to take the meal orders. Once the orders were taken, the lengthy wait began. As our waiter buzzed about, he never once mentioned a delay or apologized for the unusually long wait. We arrived quite hungry and the slow service was frustrating. The food came out after about 45 minutes from our arrival at Bazille. The girl's sandwiches were enjoyed but the chicken on my salad was covered in a sauce that was so salty it literally hurt my tongue to taste it. I can't even imagine how one produces a sauce that high in salt content. Having waited so long, and wanting to carry on with my day, I did not complain and just ate around the salty chicken.
My second, and final visit was on 12/22/19. Having spent the afternoon trying to finish up a bit of holiday shopping, I again found myself looking for a bite to eat at the Sono mall and settled on the only show in town, Bazille. I approached the unstaffed reception station and picked up a menu, noting the restaurant was not very busy and imagined I'd be able to get a bite quickly. Two gentlemen approached looking for a table and the team greeted the gentlemen, offered them a table and ignored me despite my arriving and standing there before they'd arrived. A few minutes later I asked the team member if I should seat myself or wait to be seated. She offered to seat me and placed me off to the side in front of the kitchen (under the windows into the kitchen). I sat for quite a while reviewing the menu and watched wait staff and bus staff rush about the area, ignoring my presence at a table. Most buzzed by with their eyes to the ground, breaking the basic customer service rule of making eye contact with customers in your area and acknowledging their presence. This went on for quite some time and I gathered my menus to leave. I began handing them to the very nice lady at the reception area when she asked if I'd changed my mind. I explained my experience above and she quickly offered to seat me, take my order and ensure it was processed quickly. The crab salad I ordered this time was the opposite of the previous one and almost flavorless. The kind lady at reception was trying very hard to correct a customer service issue that should never have occurred and she should be commended for that. However, my impression of this establishment as a whole is very poor and I will not be returning. I will pack a snack in the future rather than get stuck looking for a bite to eat at SoNo mall. It's a shame really because Nordstrom is known for its high quality and outstanding customer service. read more