First off, l must say that the ambiance and decor in the restaurant are exceptional. We sat at the revolving booth and that added an interesting element to what was an otherwise lackluster meal. There are a number of regional foods represented on the menu, but although that provides for a range of options it also does not reflect a clear identity for Drift when it comes to cuisine.
That aside, our biggest criticism was how slow the service was tonight. We went in with high hopes but found ourselves waiting some time for each course to come out. I know good food takes time and perhaps if they were busier it would have made more sense but I do not believe the food we received warranted the kind of time it took to receive our meals. When we arrived there were only 3 other tables occupied in a what is a fairly large restaurant and there were waiters standing near the door. Unless they were shorthanded in the kitchen, we had difficulty understanding the wait. It would have helped if we were checked in on to let us know that the food was coming or to let us know that things were delayed but that did not happen.
In spite of all that, I would have been fine until the interaction we had at the very end. The one thing that put my rating at a 2 star level was our experience with the dessert. We waited some time for our dessert which was surprising despite the long wait times for the appetizers and entrees because well - it's dessert. We had not ordered the souffle that the menu clearly stated would take 25 minutes to prepare because we had already been there so long and could not bear to wait any longer. My son simply ordered a vanilla gelato that he was excited about and after waiting for over 20 minutes, the waitress finally came and apologized to say that they were out of vanilla gelato. I feel like that is something we could have been told sooner. It would have given us the opportunity to change the order to something else. Instead, they tried to substitute it for something else we had ordered, but he was already disappointed at that stage. That experience was the final nail in the coffin. My son sat there disappointed and we were left with a bad taste in our mouths. I would be remiss if I did not mention that it was my wife's birthday dinner and although we noted it in the reservation, there was no mention by the server. At first I thought that dessert was taking longer because they had something planned but it ended up being an on brand delay for the establishment that evening. At one point my wife turned to me and said that she thought they forgot about us.
In short - they have a great location with a great view and ambiance, but if you do not have the service to back it up, then it's just window dressing. I understand that sometimes restaurants are short handed and there are newer staff working, but as patrons - we made the 30 minute drive on a Friday night, paid the $20 to valet our car, arrived with high hopes and left deflated for what was not a small bill. We had ordered drinks for what we expected to be a fun and celebratory affair. If this was a chain restaurant like a Chili's, it would not have bothered us as much but when you pay a premium, you expect more. My wife and I frequent restaurants and have eaten at everything from "hole in the walls" to Michelin star restaurants. I like to think that we are patient and understanding as we have experienced a lot in a number of different settings. But I can tell you that the Michelin star restaurants certainly do not make you feel like an afterthought and neither did the "hole in the walls". Yet we felt like one tonight. If you are looking for a nice view and well decorated restaurant, this is a great option but if you also want good service where you are checked in on and shorter wait times between meals, I suggest you dine elsewhere. I really wish our experience had been different. read more