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| - My partner brought me here for what we thought would be a nice, romantic birthday dinner at a cozy neighborhood spot. We hadn't been in a year or so, and were both disappointed - here's the good + bad:
The good:
1. Shared plate #1 - slow-roasted pork, green chile cornbread casserole and maple-glazed carrots were all excellent, especially the pork which was so flavorful. Would have this again in an instant.
2. Classic lime mojito - very good if not just a bit sweet (but see point about drinks below)
3. The happy hour menu - 1/3 of the dinner page - looked great. 3-6pm, may have to give that a try instead of dinner
The bad:
1. Place was empty at 8pm - just one other table inside besides us (plus one guy at bar, one table on patio)
2. No music until halfway through dinner - then The Cure, Violent Femmes and other 80s alternative - which I like, but not in a sit-down restaurant for dinner. And the bartender sang along occasionally - ugh.
3. Mixed drinks in a pint glass - never a fan unless at a dive bar.
4. Out appetizer never came - waiter said he didn't remember us ordering even though he commented that the dish was good when we ordered. With just one other table, a big disappointment. (to his partial credit, he did bring us A SMALL PORTION of the appetizer with our entrees for free)
5. Shared plate #2 - new york strip, cheddar mashed potatoes and organic green beans were all just OK. Not a fan of the sauce the steak was in, and topping of mushrooms, onions and peppers too heavy. Way too much mashed potatoes and green beans, which were both pretty bland.
6. Toward the end of our meal, a young boy came into the restaurant and started playing with a ball right next to our table. I am not joking. wtf?
Overall, I'd like to think we just experienced an off-night here. But, attention to details like mood and music (plus getting everything you ordered) are also important. Some of the food was very good, so we may give it another try sometime - but, truthfully, I think there are a number of better restaurants in the area.
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