I'll start by saying I wanted to like this restaurant. Loved the menu. Pics and the reviews looked good. We love a gastronomic experience anywhere, especially in a small town. We support chef-owners and seek out those places to eat everywhere we go. Liked the look of it and where it was. So, going in I was anticipating a great dinner -- and it started strong! The deviled eggs were incredible -- probably the best I have ever eaten. See pic for reference. Don't you want those like right now?!? Our drinks were also very good - the first round.
Things started to turn when the shishito peppers arrived. They were undercooked and too crunchy. They needed a little more time roasting. I can understand if you don't want them to be soggy or roasted through and want a bit more texture. These were almost raw, but I worked on them a bit and turned my attention to the grilled salad Caesar salad and Butterbean hummus. These were delightful. I had almost forgotten about the shishito peppers. We had ordered the second rounds of drinks and were waiting on those when I could hear the bartender chit chatting behind me. I was beginning to wonder what was the delay, as the first round was like lightening fast. I turned to look and saw a few people at the bar, but he was working on it, so cool. A few more minutes later and the server comes back and announces, "oh, I forgot about your drinks!" They arrive with an explanation that "the owner, a very busy woman, was talking to the bartender and that delayed them." Ok. Well, I am starting to get full now, as we have been working on our second course. Since the food has been coming out quickly, I decide to finish working on what we had already ordered and my husband ordered the duck gumbo, which he had inquired about earlier. She took the order and off she went -- as did the owner out the door to go home...
This is when it gets worse. We are sitting and sitting, at least a half hour, I am finished, drinks are finished and no duck gumbo. Not even so much of a "I've checked on your order and it'll be up soon" -- nothing remotely like that. Instead, I start to see the staff chit chatting a lot more. There's a lot of standing around or worse yet the restaurant, including the kitchen is packing up. There are still tables around us and everything is getting cleared. In fact, all production in the exhibition kitchen has stopped or slowed, and they are packing up.
So, I wave the server over and ask if the gumbo is coming. "Oh, yes. It's on its way. They are putting a lot of love into it." Then she heads off. Next thing I see are chefs back in the kitchen making food again. Hmmm, at this point I am thinking she had forgotten it.
About 10 or so minutes later it arrives with another explanation.
"I should have told you it takes a lot longer to prepare this dish when you ordered. They put a lot of love into it."
We'll see, I think to myself. Hubby begins to eat and says it is lukewarm.
"What do you mean it is lukewarm?," I ask.
"Well the sauce is lukewarm."
"And the duck?," I ask, seeing it is medium rare.
"No, it's right." He eats it saying the flavors are good, but I know he is disappointed, as am I.
We used to own a restaurant, so I know how hard it can be. I was disappointed when we didn't get a stellar review and took steps to correct the issues. I'd like to say I would come back again, but I don't know. Maybe. The concept is right. I do wish the chef-owner, Sara, all the success. read more