I'd like to rant and rave about the Grove....but I just can't. The food was terrific, don't get me wrong. But the whole experience was just...well...pretentious. There, I said it.
I think it all comes down to whether or not you are a food foam kinda person. If you like foam, you will LOVE the Grove. And I don't judge that. There is some tasty kick-ass foam out there.
But if you are more of a Ruby Watchco, generous portions of wholesome, loving food kinda person the Grove may feel a bit...well...pretentious.
Best: deconstructed fish and chips - perfectly cooked cod with two kinds of peas (barely cooked fresh whole peas) and a killer silky smooth puree, deep fried beer batter, a house made aioli and potato chip.
Meh: shaved coconut sorbet (why shaved?) had a light, clean finish but didn't have that much personality.
Music was much too loud. I was literally shouting to my friend sitting one foot away from me.
I think the way to do this place is to spend the $50 and get 5 courses. We did three and couldn't help noticing how small the plates were. So pick a night when you want to splurge, go for 5 courses (I'll bet the wine pairing is great) and have yourself a delicious foamy blast. Maybe you can get your server to smile.
Vegetarian Score: 5/10. This is not a great resto for veggies. They only offered two savoury vegetarian dishes and neither was a homerun.