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| - I was super, extra highly hopeful the night I went to Mood - I had read great things about the chef and there are certainly some glowing reviews here, but... wow. Just wow. This was bad.
First, let me say a little about the Artisan itself - I like it. The gothic/bordello/nightclub vibe is just neat as hell, it's like walking into an eccentric millionaries mansion. It's quiet in the lobby, maybe some would find it a tad spooky, and no there's no signs pointing you towards Mood or the bar and the front desk is not going to jump out at you and start assisting your search - but it was easy to find where we were going and chirpy uniformed attendants would've ruined the vibe for me. This isn't a strip hotel, guys, don't except the cookie cutter approach.
We ventured forward into a multi-leveled and darkly lit bar area - I would sit in there for a drink anytime, and indeed next time I go to Artisan an just have a cocktail (or 6).
But the restaurant... man... We walked in, and waited. And waited. Walked away to see if we missed some sort of host stand, walked back when we realized we hadn't, the waiter looked at us, walked away... we waited. Finally he came over and said to sit anywhere. Since there were only two other tables occupied, we had our pick! The decor in the restaurant itself was neat - interesting ceiling details, cool, appropriate for the theme paintings on the wall, etc, and a great and funny piano player playing some tunes on a platform against one wall of the room.
However... some of the details were just chintzy. The flowers on our table were fake, and stuck into that green nasty sytrofoam stuff you find at craft stores. That wouldn't be horrible except of the fact that it was in a clear square vase, so you were stuck staring at frayed fabric flowers in a clear vase full of cumbled green styrofoam.... in a place with $30 entrees.
I ordered french onion soup to start, and then the lamb - my friend got the soup as well (we're French onion soup freaks, what can I say) and the airline chicken breast with garlic mash.
The onion soup was insanely salty. Insanely. I when I mean insanely, I mean that I like salt , took two bites, and thought I might be ill from the salt content. Neither of us could eat it, and just pushed it aside. The watier took them away without comment or question. Booo. Either he's used to food being sent back or he didn't care/couldn't read the table. Both bad.
Our entrees came out, and both were beautifully and artfully plated. Really gorgeous. Unfortunately, neither matched in flavor. My lamb was cooked MR (I was not asked a temp when I placed my order, a fact I noted but decided to just kind of see what played out..) but there was little sear on the outside and the meat was a bit cold, so I was left with the flabby semi-cold fat just sort of hanging out on the chop. Meh. Accompanying veg was just plain baby veg and the "oven roasted" fingerling potatoes appeared to have been boiled and left completely unseasoned. Maybe I couldve dunked them in some leftover French onion soup? Hmmm...
My friends food fared no better. The chicken breast itself was ok, both in flavor and temperature, but the garlic mashed potatoes they were nestled on were cold. Not "been sitting out waiting for table delivery a bit too long" cold, but "right out of the damned cooler" cold. Refrigerator cold. "Everything is made ahead, scooped out and molded on a plate" cold. Gross.
We both had a few bites, and pushed it away.
Just really, really disappointing. At least the piano player was a total laugh and the wine was nice! If they stick piano man in the lounge, I'll be double as likely to get nice and tipsy there on occasion but I will not be back for food, no thanks, no way.
One last thing - if you're still considering going, be aware that the menu on their site is not completely the same as the restaurant. Nothing huge, but a couple price differences and obviously some dishes are not exactly as they are described. Neither is ununusual in restaurant menus online vs in house, but just a heads up!
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