| rev:text
| - My dining at Bridges came about as a result of a doctor's appointment across the driveway for the best friend, and since there is absolutely nothing else within a reasonable walking distance for a blind woman. So we (she) decided we'd have our lunch here.
I have never been a fan of any hotel restaurant, unless a voucher for free continental is involved, usually due to hyper-over-inflated prices for regular ol' food. And this meal pretty much sealed that deal.
The basics of the meal, honestly, were not 'awful' or even 'bad'.
Two cups of coffee (a little bitter, but at least it wasn't brown Pittsburgh water), Ilene had a Turkey Club Sandwich with Onion Rings and I decided to brave yet another attempt at someone's offering of a 'Reuben', hoping within hope to find a good one. I ordered mine with fries.
The decor is a bit typical hotel overdone and VERY spacious (I assume they hope within hope for larger crowds) with an equally large bar area. The music in the background was that kind of Muzak pseudo jazz - lulling but not inspiring - and no recognizable tunes, and through it could be heard the droning of the sports channel on the TV in the bar.
The food - was basic food, presented with the industrial food service tricks. My Reuben was cut in half, and served so that the open inside of the sandwich could be seen. Upon inspection, yes indeed, the old trick I'd been taught when working for Gladieux at the old Pittsburgh Airport was there before me. They take the meat, ball it up, place it in the center of the bread, top it, cut it, spread it, and display this thick pile of meat poking out of the sliced sandwich. The trouble is, when you actually open the sandwich, all of the meat is in that center ball - it doesn't spread out to the edge of the bread. They fill that gap in with the sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and cheese. The bread was a marble bread, and was basic bread slice size, not the usual larger size that a Reuben would come on. The fries were real potatoes, but kind of soggy.
Ilene's Turkey Club was - well - a Turkey Club. Take a BLT, and add Turkey, and voila. A Turkey Club. Then take one half of a medium onion,. separate the rings, batter and deep fry it, and voila, Onion Rings. No big challenge here. When Ilene had finished, there was a chunk of bacon on her plate, and I snuck a nibble. The bacon was downright weird. It almost tasted like pork jerky that had been soaked in black pepper.
My big question for any hotel restaurant is generally, do you really WANT people to eat at your establishment? Then why charge double for something basic, especially in a neighborhood like Oakland, that can be easily gotten half the price and the same quality simply by walking five or six blocks? They're already charging huge amounts for rooms above - a sandwich is a sandwich - and can be gotten anywhere. Charge a 'normal' rate for the sandwich, and maybe locals will consider YOU at the same time they're considering the pangs in their belly. It has just never made sense to me, in any city.
Both of our sandwiches were in the $14 range, and add the coffee and the check came to slightly over $30 for lunch. Two Lat Tokes at Spice Island Tea house, about six blocks away, is not only more flavorful and unique, but BOTH salads would cost the same as ONE sandwich at bridges. It just isn't logical.
The service was fine, pleasant and helpful. But seriously, for me, it's a F.T.L.T. visit.
First time, last time.
It wasn't a 'bad' experience, or a necessarily 'bad' meal - it's just that in a neighborhood that has SO much different food to choose from, unless you're strapped to a dialysis machine from the kidney clinic across the driveway, why would you spend your money on this?
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)