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| - I've eaten here once, but once was enough for me.
The problem here wasn't so much that my meal was outright bad or the service was poor or the meal was too pricey. It was a combination of many small things which, when weighed against this restaurant's reputation, simply dulled the dining experience.
I took my ex-girlfriend on a date for our anniversary and to commemorate her performance in a local play. She ordered the Chicken Piccatta, while I ordered a Surf & Turf dish: Steak and Lobster Tail, to be precise. The service was on the slow side, even though it was early and the restaurant was nearly empty. The waiters were friendly enough, but with no one in the restaurant, our food came far too slowly.
As far as the food went, my partner's Chicken Piccatta was incorrectly seasoned; it was far too lemony, which overpowered everything else in the dish. My steak was underdone (I ordered it medium rare, it arrived rare), while my lobster was overdone and slightly tough.
All of this food was extremely expensive. Now, I understand that steak and lobster tail are not exactly cheap, and I don't mind paying high prices for good food. However, when I pay those prices, I fully expect perfection with my meal, which this restaurant did not deliver.
In summation, this restaurant billed itself as THE fine dining restaurant in the Champaign/Urbana area. However, though advertised as a 5-star dining experience, this restaurant only really delivered a 2-3 star performance. By themselves, I could forgive simple mistakes such as overseasoning or overcooking a dish, but not when so many of these mistakes are made in one meal, not when this place advertises itself as being utterly upper class, and certainly not at those prices. You can get a far better dining experience with better food at better prices at several other places in Champaign/Urbana.
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