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| - My mother's birthday was yesterday and my stepfather decided to take us out to a place that his friend from work recommended to him. Apparently it was supposed to be pretty good, and so, we became the judge(s) of that.
Walking in, it seemed to me that the place had a bit of a nice quirk to it. It felt a lot like coming in to someone else's house, but also, it felt like it had a small touch of upscale that matched the stores nearby like Ann Taylor and Banana Republic.
Before I could fully admire the interior design, however, I immediately felt out of place. The hostess was dressed as if though she came from her high school Prom, the guests were in suits and dresses, and even the servers were all cleaned up rather nicely. And seeing as I came in with jeans and a chunky sweater to brave through the cold, it felt a little odd just being there. But the staff were all courteous and friendly, and they didn't give us any weird looks or silent judgments just because we were underdressed.
All in all, though, the ambiance here seems to be a bit far from the same casual you would probably feel from an Applebee's or Chili's. But at the same time, aside from the attire, it's pretty easy to feel comfortable here. The lights are dimmed nicely so that it's not overbearingly bright but also not too dark so that you are still able to see, and the candle on the tables add a nice little touch. I also quite like how the kitchen is visible. Just something about being able to see food being made seems a bit more - how should I say - comforting for me.
But anyway, on to the food.
Backyard Favorite Burger -- I never got to try it, but according to my stepdad, it tastes very homemade - a rather fitting adjective for the place, I must say. He also mentions that it tastes very fresh and has a rather nice crunch to it, though I'm not sure if for the texture or for the flavor. Nonetheless, I trust his word on it.
12 Oz. Cedar River Farm NY Strip -- Mom and I ordered it to be cooked on a medium, and it tasted better than I expected. We don't eat much so we shared it. Comes with a bowl of creamed spinach and french fries, which I felt was a tad odd to go with a steak and it seemed as if though they were just there for me. The steak was fantastically done, however, and it was seasoned and prepared very nicely. It seems I don't regret changing the order from the Filet Mignon just for the sake of having more to share.
Warm Bread Pudding -- The three of us split this as a dessert to top off a rather delicious dinner. It was served nicely and warm (as the name states). The bread is laid over a delicious toffee sauce and is topped with salted whipped cream and honey. It was very satisfying, and not too sweet that I stop after two bites but definitely no ordinary bread pudding. I think this beats my mom's, actually. (Hah!)
One complaint I do have with this place is the volume of their music, considering how hard it was to have a conversation with my parents and communicate with our server.
Another is the fact that while our server was so friendly and attentive throughout our visit, he seemed a little forgetful, somehow. There were quite a few mistakes that I felt were odd to make. Such as giving my mom a Sprite instead of a Coke? He did end up forgetting our order for the Turkey Meatballs so we ended up canceling it which took another guy to tell him to do so. And also, he forgot that my stepdad doesn't like ketchup on his burger and that he ordered mayonnaise on the side. I'm sure it could be discussed and easily fixed, and we easily forgave him for the mess-ups because he was that nice.
Overall, however, we had a wonderful experience and we've already considered on what to try on our next visit. Definitely better than I thought.
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