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| - I am on the road practically every week for work, and one of my fundamental travel philosophies is to get out of the hotel and try to experience local restaurants. However, there are times where eating in the hotel is a necessity.
I have dined at Ember Grille a number of times, either sitting in the restaurant itself or ordering food to-go to take back to my room. My experience has been a total mixed bag. Sometimes I am pretty satisfied with my meal and the service, other times I'm disappointed/frustrated at the lack of attention to detail.
Service: For some reason, there tends to be a lack of presence at the front of the restaurant - sometimes I am waiting to pick up a to-go order or be seated and nobody can be found to help. I've stood around for 5-8 min sometimes before someone appears. Once seated, however, the wait staff seems to be pretty attentive. If I have a special request with my meal, they are able to accommodate. I've noticed that the kitchen tends to be on the slower side, so enjoy a drink and conversation while you wait.
Food: I tend to order the same thing whether I am taking it up to my room or eating in - one of their salads + protein. I figure you can't really mess up a salad and it shouldn't take too long to prepare. Unfortunately, I've observed a confusing trend - maybe it is just by coincidence or happenstance, but it has happened a number of times and it baffles me. You know how when mixed greens get old, they are wilted and even sometimes rotten? When I've ordered salads to-go, the majority of the greens have been rotten; when I've ordered salads in the restaurant, the greens are fresh. What a disappointment!
Ambiance: The restaurant is on the darker side, and it's nothing to call home about - just your standard restaurant feel. There is only a very small TV at the bar, so if you are trying to catch a game, go into the Westin lobby bar or head to one of the local sports bars in Charlotte.
It's unfortunate that I can't leave a better review, but my experiences have just been so hit or miss. If they prove me wrong, I'll be sure to update my review.
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