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| - In the interest of full disclosure, I will state that this review is based on a visit my wife and I took to this location in May of this year (anniversary dinner), and some details might be a bit fuzzy in my mind at three months' remove.
Between trips in and out of the area with my wife's best friend and me, my darling girl had seen this place many times and wanted to try it. So ... anniversary time comes around, and instead of our usual trip to Austin's at the Texas, we went here. Let's take this one piece at a time.
1) Entry. Upon entering and being seated, we were overwhelmed - and not in a good way - by the NOISE from the adjacent bar. As a fellow who has worked culinary on and off during his work-force years, it was always impressed upon me that "fine dining" carried an atmosphere as well as a food quality. Not a good start to our evening.
2) Service. Highest point of the evening. Service was excellent. Perhaps this night could be salvaged.
3) Food. My wife enjoyed her wedge salad. At this remove, I can't remember what I had for an appetizer ... which means it wasn't outstanding in any way. We both had the rib-eye, as this is our favorite cut of steak. Again, I point out that I have been cooking professionally on-and-off for about fifteen years. I was always taught that herbs and spices should be a subtle caress to the palate, not a solid right cross to the jaw. Way too heavy-handed. (And, yes, I know that's the "fashion trend" these days.) I will admit that the steaks were cooked to perfection; the guy at the grill did indeed know what "medium rare" really means. Side dishes were adequate. Whatever it was that my wife ordered for dessert was pleasing to her; as a diabetic, I passed on that. All in all, way too expensive for a sports bar, and way too crazy for a REAL steak house.
So ... If these folks ever decide to cure their schizophrenia and determine whether they want to be the "Cheers" neighborhood sports bar or a true fine-dining establishment ... if they ever discover that the key to a pleasing menu is subtlety without trying to compete with the "trendy" places that add herbs, spices, twigs, nuts, bolts, screws, bells, lights, whistles and gongs just because someone found bottles of something at Smart and Final ... if they ever shed themselves of the culinary curiosities of architecture over tradition ... I may just return. But someone will have to tell me, because we will not be back voluntarily. I love my wife and my taste buds too much to subject them to this again.
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On the newly-established Nighthawk 100-point scale: 20.
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