Beautiful Atmosphere, Disappointing Food, and Seriously Overpriced…read more
I hate writing a review like this because the staff was genuinely amazing, but unfortunately, the food was awful, and at the prices they charge, that's a major problem.
We recently visited and our bill came to approximately $170, including a generous 30% tip. I understand that we chose to tip well because our service was good, but spending that kind of money on a meal that left us so disappointed is difficult to justify. Especially when that price approaches what we've paid for a chef's selection at Sienna Tavern in downtown Chicago.
Let's start with the $54 filet. I ordered it medium-rare, and it arrived well-done, gray, and completely lacking flavor. It certainly didn't taste like a prime cut of beef, and we honestly questioned whether it was even filet. The accompanying kale was soggy and unappetizing, with roughly five miniature carrots. For $54, we expected something considerably better.
The manager working the floor asked how my steak was, and I answered honestly: awful. When I showed her the steak, her response was, "Yeah, we don't know how to cook steak to the correct temperature." We were floored. She then asked if it at least tasted good. Again, I honestly said no.
She offered to replace it, which I appreciated, but we'd already been there an hour and fifteen minutes and had somewhere to be. At that point, we didn't want to wait for another meal.
Unfortunately, my wife's pappardelle alla ragu was arguably even more disappointing. The noodles were incredibly thick and gummy, reminding us of Amish egg noodles. The ragu was basic at best, with very little short rib to speak of. Our waitress, who was very good, introduced it as their number one seller. That made the experience even more surprising.
I'm also a huge Caesar salad fan, and Cafe Navarre has always been a favorite of mine. Sadly, this Caesar salad was tasteless and came with random fried chickpeas that we found unpleasant. I asked them to hold the onions, but I have to ask: Who puts onions on a Caesar salad?
The focaccia with goat cheese was excellent and one of the only real highlights of the meal. At $15, the portion felt a little expensive, but the quality was there. My two Grey Goose and orange juice drinks, at $12 each, were surprisingly well-priced and enjoyable.
Now, to be fair, the atmosphere and decor were impressive. The restaurant has a beautiful, upscale feel that genuinely reminded us of something you'd find in Chicago. The staff was also friendly and attentive throughout our visit, and I want to give credit where it's due.
However, this experience unfortunately continues a pattern we've noticed with NHG restaurants. Each one seems to become more disappointing, and Cascade was another example of a restaurant that felt overpriced and underwhelming.
In the end, we didn't eat even half of our food. That's incredibly frustrating when you've spent $170 on dinner.
One bright spot came as we were leaving. We ran into another manager whom we'd gone to high school with. He seemed aware of the situation, asked how our experience went, and we explained everything. He profusely apologized and unexpectedly gave us a $25 gift card. That was a very kind gesture, and we genuinely appreciated it.
We're willing to give the restaurant another chance when they open their new location near Notre Dame. Hopefully, the food and consistency improve because the potential is clearly there.
Bottom line: Great staff, beautiful atmosphere, but the food quality and value were nowhere near what we'd expect for the price. When you're charging $54 for a filet, the execution needs to be exceptional. Unfortunately, this meal fell far short.
I hope they take the feedback seriously because we'd genuinely like to see them succeed.
