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| - i really wanted to love this place. the structural focal points within a floating, quasi-organic wave of the ceiling/ textured back wall were a delight to look at. bar table surfaces lit up through a marble veneer-- seems crazy but it worked!
the hostess was on the phone when we arrived for our reservations, but didn't acknowledge us with eye contact or any form of accommodation. then she seated us in the section closest to the throng of casino goers and sloppy drunk coeds with their yard margaritas in tow, trailing the smell of cloves and cigarettes as they pass. fortunately, our request to be reseated was granted.
i had a cucumber martini that was really sweet. not bad, but not good- mediocre, at best. i loved my lobster/mushroom/black truffle gnocchi- i could've eaten two servings. a tad on the salty side, but the pillowy texture of the gnocchi was great. the SO's short rib plate came out room temp and asked them to reheat it; they replaced it with a hotter whole new plate (though i think she wanted it even hotter).
herb butter tasted exactly like tony roma's: very salty and seemed like they didn't use fresh herbs (schillings?). complimentary bread looked and tasted like a stale version of the par-baked il fornaio rolls you can buy at trader joe's.
our server, reed, was professional, thorough, and responsive. the surprise birthday dessert made me smile like a geek, and it was quite good. tip: they have a special tasting menu for $45/person, which includes app, main, and dessert. though it looked tempting, we opted for a la carte instead.
overall, it was a good experience. a pretty nifty pre-birthday meal. :)
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