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| - Normal, IL location. Came for the beer and a snack on our way driving home to Madison WI from Memphis. We had an hour to spend since we had a 10 -12 hr drive incl breaks. Super upscale brewpub compared to what we're used to in WI (this was especially disliked by my beer connoisseur boyfriend). Keep in mind we came on New Year's Eve at about 8:00 and the customers and hosts may have bee more dressy than usual (waitstaff in jeans, collared shirts). The server greeted us promptly. She was very nice and it's obvious she takes pride in doing a good job. She took literally about 5 minutes to tell us in depth about the food specials, down to that they use butter not margarine, desert specials down to what pannacotta is and its texture ...uh yea, I know what pannacotta is..., where the beef comes from, how much the 32oz steak weighs with and without the bone..... We aren't big meat eaters and rarely eat beef. Got the $12 ceviche appetizer, which was good. The beer is EXCELLENT. Hefeweizen, Sours, chocolate raspberry stout (prominent rasp/chocolate flavored but not sweet -like many fruit/chocolate beers- faintly tart from raspberries and nicely baking cocoa type bitter from the chocolate... Interesting to have bitter in beer not from hops) and couple others.
At the end, we mentioned to our server we came mainly for the beer and even if for food it would be good to find out if the customer is interested in the item before going in depth of detail.... Particularly before they have drinks or even water in front of them.... About 5 min after she took our drink order, she came back with water and we watched our drinks appear on the bar 5 min later and sit there another 5 while she was at another table (going in depth again?). She acknowledged she went deep in detail with the food but said they're supposed to. I suggest they reconsider the approach with this.
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