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| - I hadn't been to Harvest Restaurant in a few years. I dine out fairly often, but I hadn't had good experiences with the service at Harvest in the past. Last night I decided to give this place another try, primarily because of its proximity to the theater (which we were headed to afterward). Besides it had been a few years. I assumed that if they were still around after all this time, maybe they had figured out the issues with service.
My dinner guest and I were immediately taken back by the cold nature of the maître d'. She was straightening out her work area when we entered. And it took her an uncomfortable amount of time to acknowledge our presence. When she did, the greeting was rather perfunctory- not rude, just apathetic.
It was 7pm on a Friday. In my experience, that's usually a busy time at restaurants. There was a line running out the door for the mid-range restaurant next door which had a 30 minute wait. Harvest has a higher-end menu & was only about 50% filled. We looked at each other quizzically as the maître d' appeared to struggle with where she could seat us. The place was HALF EMPTY??
It appeared they were well staffed, but we were seated maybe ten minutes before our server came to the table. I guess I am accustomed to a more immediate greeting when a restaurant isn't busy. I did not see a sommelier, but I'd think SOMEONE could have stopped by during this time- if only to get our drink order.
While we waited, we noticed the decor which was quietly sophisticated. White table linens, a formal place setting & slightly subdued lighting made for an inviting atmosphere. It was ALMOST romantic, but the lighting was a bit too bright for that. Even though it's close to Christmas, there was an air of restraint with the holiday decorations. There was just a simple strand of cranberries running across the wall- near the ceiling. So many places overdo the holiday trinkets this time of year. We thought this approach was more refined.
Our server was helpful & friendly with a demeanor that was appropriate to the elegant atmosphere. She had recommendations about what we should order based on our preferences. And those recommendations seemed to make sense. The wine & liquor menus were extensive. They even had my favorite bourbon- which is not all that easy to find. The prices are pretty much what you would expect for a higher-end place.
We were served a "tasting" of soup, compliments of the chef. It was very good and I wished I had just ordered that for dinner. But I had already ordered a locally-sourced New York Strip Special that was not on the menu. To my disappointment, it arrived at almost ROOM TEMPERATURE. I had to wonder how long it had been sitting back there waiting to be delivered to the table. It was perfectly seasoned. I'm sure it would have been very good if it had been served while it was warm. My dinner companion ordered the Wild Striped Bass. When she made the order, the server was careful to explain that the chef prepares this with the skin on it- meant to be eaten with the skin. It arrived beautifully presented & she liked it. She also ordered the Harvest Martini which was a hit. It was spiced with cardamom and was very appropriate for the season.
We noticed that many of the other diners appeared to be from out of town. As a local, I have always liked the philosophy of Harvest (farm-to-table using organic, locally sourced ingredients) . But the failures in service that I have experienced there are just not what I expect from a fine dining experience.
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