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| - This was my second visit to the HSG. The first time I went for Blues In The Barn. The entertainment was my favorite local bluesman, Paris James. The barn was very cold and the servers insisted on leaving the doors open. Service was slow and the menu was limited, not the same as in the main restaurant. But the entertainment was wonderful.
When a friend suggested going for dinner I was interested to try some items from the full menu. I arrived early, not knowing how bad the traffic would be. It was 15 minutes before the restaurant opening time. The door was unlocked so I went inside, stated that I realized I was early, but would it be ok to just get a glass of wine and hang out until my dinner companion arrived. I was told "no" in no uncertain terms, so I went back outside to wait. Strike 1.
When my friend arrived she asked for a cocktail not on the menu and was told that they didn't know how to make it and wouldn't guarantee it would be any good, Strike 2.
As an appetizer we had the polenta fries, which were crispy and tasty with a zesty chile aoli.
For my entree I had the veggie trio. The presentation was beautiful. The portions were miniscule. For $16 I got 4 small slices of beets, a tiny tasting cup of delicious soup with toasted hazelnuts on top, and one arancini (fried risotto ball) with a tiny carafe of tomato sauce. The arancini was yummy and crisp on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside. The beets were also flavorful.
In spite of having only three filled tables, service by two waiters and a wine steward was snail-like all through the meal, becoming surly when we asked for a coffee and a hot tea after dinner. We were never offered water, coffee or tea refills. Strike 3.
All in all, I will not be going back to HSG. I enjoyed the food, but the surly, slow service coupled with the expensive menu items make this spot a poor value in spite of the lovely old house and charming patio in which the restaurant is situated.
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