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| - I've been extolling the virtues of the food and atmosphere at Helio Basin since I first ventured into the place nearly a year ago, calling it the best and most innovative Mexican food in town. Unfortunately, something has changed and it disappoints me very much.
First, the service model has changed, and not for the better. Last night when we came into the restaurant, instead of sitting at a table and being cheerfully greeted by a server, Now you queue up in a line at the bar, quickly peruse a menu, place your order with the person at the bar and then pay in advance. You then get your beer handed to you and a number to take to a table and wait for a food runner to bring your food. If you want water, it's now self-service at a water station --- no ice, just cold water. If this sounds like being in a fast food joint, you're right. Once you get the food delivered to you, there's no further interaction with anyone from the staff. What used to be warm, friendly service has turned impersonal.
Second, regarding the food, what was a small but really creative menu has now become a smaller, very limited menu. There used to be eight different taco offerings (called tortillas), but now there are five. The War Bonnet Carnitas, which was life-changing good, is now gone from the menu.No more coffee-rubbed skirt steak either. We tried ordering the fantastic guacamole (served with those wonderful chips made from spent grain), but were told that they weren't serving it any longer. Huh? Because we were standing in a line and didn't have the time to completely peruse the menu, there may be other dishes missing from the menu but that I just didn't notice.
I fear that corners are being cut and that quality may begin to slip. The chorizo tortilla no longer had the fried egg on it, which was a very nice touch as the runny yolk would blend nicely with the very flavorful chorizo. Not only is the egg gone, but they are using a different chorizo that feels like someone went to the store and bought a package of Johnsonville sausages to chop up.
I've told so many people, friends and strangers alike, about Helio Basin, but now I feel the need to call them all back to say the place has changed. I hope that this is just a temporary blip. It used to be a friendly place with a good homey vibe and killer food, but it sure wasn't on this most recent visit. I'm hoping that the owners can get it back to where it used to be. It's not close to my neighborhood but in the past it was worth the out-of-the-way drive ---- I guess I'll just stick to the brewpubs in my neighborhood.
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