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| - I made reservations for The Packhouse on OpenTable for a Saturday evening. We were easily able to park for free in the attached parking garage behind the building. We checked in at the host stand and were immediately seated.
The ambiance inside the restaurant was well thought out. It felt very cozy and somewhat rustic. Our server was also very friendly. As a starter, she brought us two dinner rolls and a side of butter. The rolls were delicious and sweet. I could have probably eaten another one, but I guess since we were only given one each, they're being rationed out.
We ordered a glass of Malbec and the Fried Green Tomato appetizer. Good thing there were only two of us because there turned out to be only two slices of tomato on the appetizer. For $12. Hrrmm. I guess they justify that by sprinkling some crab meat and goat cheese to the stack, but...two? I think I'd rather see just fried green tomatoes...and more of them for $12. So they were good, but not $12 good.
Next came the entrees. I ordered the Airline Fried Chicken. My partner ordered the Packhouse Burger. Both of us chose the squash casserole as our one side. The coating on the chicken was very tasty, not greasy, and there was (surprisingly) only one small bone. It even came with a somewhat spicy jalapeno honey sauce for dipping. The squash casserole was disappointing, though. It was pretty dry for a casserole, and it was the only thing on the plate besides the fried chicken. It was plenty of food for me, but for $21? It felt like it needed another small side or some garnish or something. My partner said the burger was good, not great. Again, especially for the price of $15. For less, we can get a bison burger at other restaurants.
I'm torn between giving Packhouse 3 or 4 stars here. I love the atmosphere, but I can get similar, better, and cheaper food at restaurants like Leroy Fox. I think Packhouse needs to lower their prices or step up their game to meet the expectations of those higher prices.
The next day, I got an email from OpenTable that the restaurant had canceled my reservation so I wouldn't receive any points for dining there. What?
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