Nola's is known for contemporary American cuisine, situated at 9 West Park Row, just off the…read morevillage green in Clinton, NY--an historic, small college town near Hamilton College, led by Executive Chef and Co-Owner Janssen Fay.
We visited over the weekend with friends who had dined there previously. Our 6:30 reservation was honored promptly upon arrival. The village setting is quaint, and the restaurant itself is warmly decorated--upscale enough to feel special but still relaxed and approachable.
After being seated, our server presented the drink menu and specials. Our friends ordered the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer, along with the Steak Nicholas and the double smash burger. My wife selected the seafood special--a blackened salmon with lobster salad--while I opted for the Steak Nicholas as well.
The food arrived in a timely manner and was everything was very good. My steak was perfectly cooked, complemented by the house Worcestershire sauce and compound butter. The fried green tomatoes were also well-prepared. The only disappointment at the table was the brown butter cake our friends ordered for dessert, which they found dry and lacking freshness.
Where the experience fell short, however, was service. While our server was polite, she was difficult to find at times, leading to long waits for assistance. There was also some confusion when boxing up leftovers. The most significant issue arose when it was time to settle the bill.
Our total came to $260, and we requested separate checks. Unfortunately, our server seemed very flustered and unsure of how to split the bill, and after some back-and-forth, she suggested dividing it evenly. We agreed simply to avoid further delay. However, when processing payment, the card charge came to $153 before tip--well above the correct half of the bill (approximately $130). Combined with our friends' $200 cash payment, the total ended up being $380, which inadvertently resulted in a very large gratuity - something we didn't realize until we had left the restaurant, as the confusion surrounding how to split the bill was frustrating and we simply wanted to head out.
While we take responsibility for not carefully resolving the issue before leaving, the confusion around the bill frustrated us in the moment and left a negative final impression on an otherwise enjoyable meal.
Overall: The food was excellent and worth trying, particularly the Steak Nicholas and seafood offerings. That said, service and billing procedures could benefit from improvement to ensure a smoother dining experience.
