Brunch at Elliott's Craft Kitchen: A Promising Start With a Few Missed Beats…read more..
I recently visited Elliott's Craft Kitchen a fairly new spot that my group of four decided to try out for brunch. We were hoping for a fresh experience, but our visit turned out to be a mixed bag.
Ambiance and First Impressions...
When we arrived, the restaurant was surprisingly empty, which was a bit of a head-scratcher for brunch time. Even though we could hear staff chatting in the back, it took a good five to eight minutes before anyone came out to seat us. Once we were seated, we noticed the lighting was so dim that we actually had to whip out our phones just to read the menu. Not exactly the cozy brunch vibe we were hoping for.
The Food: Hits and Misses...
On to the food. We started with the cream of crab soup, which was just okay--nothing to write home about. The Brussels sprouts were a bit of a letdown. They were tiny and mostly just fried leaves rather than the hearty sprouts we expected. So if you're imagining those classic roasted Brussels sprouts, this wasn't it.
The chicken and waffles were decent in flavor, although the presentation could have used some polish. The pita bread for the crab dip could have been toasted or something more firm and doesn't taste like it was immediately pulled from a bag. Surprisingly, the star of the meal ended up being something as simple as the French fries. They were really tasty and stood out more than some of the fancier dishes.
Service and the Final Stretch...
Our server was kind and polite, which we appreciated. But the big hiccup came at the end. Their payment system went down, and we ended up waiting over 30 minutes just to settle the bill. After sitting for about 15 minutes we informed our server that we would like to wait in the lounge area to get more comfortable as I understand.... things happen. Although while we waited for about 20 minutes there were no offers of water or anything to make the wait less awkward (not to mention asking for payment without even presenting a bill). It felt like they were more focused on turning the table than making sure we were okay during the delay. Although maybe it was an awkward start to the morning. I will say our server did her best to work things out with the technology she was given. So, I still provided her a fair tip, not her fault.
Value for Money...
In terms of pricing, it felt pretty average overall, but there were a few eyebrow-raisers. For instance, the avocado toasted croissant--topped with over-easy eggs, baby spinach, and Grana Padano--was $19, which felt a bit steep for what it was. In comparison, a pork schnitzel dish was around $21. So, while the pricing wasn't outrageous, some items definitely made me pause and question the value.
Overall Thoughts...
In the end, my experience at Elliott's Craft Kitchen was a bit of a letdown. So I'm surprised by some of the reviews (maybe because it was not dinner). While there were a few highlights (like the fries and a well-made Old Fashioned), the service hiccups and the underwhelming dishes mean I'd probably think twice before going back. Definitely not for brunch but I would really consider Dinner after some more reviews. Hopefully they'll iron out the kinks as they get more established.