"4"^^ . "2006-10-19T00:00:00"^^ . . "3"^^ . . "4"^^ . . "I had heard that Jim Gould's kitchen and waitstaff were slow and food was overpriced, so I went in expecting to sit around at my table for 2 hours waiting for a flavorless $30 steak. Instead, my waterglass was never empty while I was able to have a fluent conversation with my guests without feeling put upon by our waitress, and my $15 pasta dish tasted like exactly that. \r\n\r\nThe menu is on the expensive side for resaurants IN CHAMPAIGN, but let's face facts for a moment and remember that if we want to eat rack of lamb with dried fruit compote, it's going to cost more than $6.00. \r\n\r\nI got a little over-design whiplash from the interior, because 90% of it is this upscale steakhouse vibe but then they have a mondo tacky hunting lodge shale fireplace up against one wall ugly-ing the dining space up like the ugly elephant in the otherwise tastefully appointed room. Same problem in the bar; it has nice white leather couches and a huge wine cellar but then big neon Amstel signs up in the windows. \r\n\r\nIf I can convince my friends that I had a good time here over the tidal wave of bad press this place gets, I'll definitely go back."^^ . "3"^^ .