07/22/09

Great Service and a Great new menu

by WhiteCoat

From the start the service was spot on as well as the wine list (with some great selections, hard to find bottles ) and the new menu is great a big departure from the old. The lamb was fantastic as were the steaks. As a whole one of the best bets in Orange County.

• Pros: The service was great, and the new menu is exciting
• Cons: Pricing a bit steep

02/16/09

Bad Service! Bad Food! Overpriced!

by Subscience007

Upon arrival the first thing that bothered me was instead of being seated in the restaurant... they ushered us out into a makeshift patio tent where they crammed as many people as possible into. The heaters were somewhat working to say the least but we didn't make a scene and beared with it even though it was a cold evening. For the 130/person pricetag on Valentine's, you'd think maybe a glass of champagne or sort of holiday cocktail would be in order as part of the menu, but no, drinks were 15 dollars extra. For Starters, a lobster citrus pallete taster... which actually was probably the best item we had all night, even though it was one bite. Appetizer- I had the Oysters on the half, I love oysters, and these tasted like seawater with a splash of their special vinegarrette, which basically hid the taste. Horrible... oh, and probably the smallest oysters I'd ever seen. Dinner- had the Filet Mignon, which, was "just ok". Finally... dessert. I ordered a berry dish with vanilla ice cream, and a cabernet sauce. From the sound of it it sounded refreshing... but what I got was a joke. The Service- From dropping plates, to serving us the wrong bottle of wine, to delivering drinks and food to our table that wasn't ours and having to backtrack, this service was an absolute joke. I ended up spending 400 dollars and I was treated like was at Outback. Oh, and the best part... I get a 25 dollar gift certificate with my bill..Oh AND they gave my date a rose, which would have been great, IF THEY REMOVED the thorns from it! are you serious, a thorny rose? Someone didn't get the memo. The bloody marks on my date's fingers I'm sure have already healed... After signing my check I left the restaurant, apologized to my date, threw the gift certificate away, and said a couple of prayers.I never complained once while I was there ... but thats what sites like this are for.

• Pros: The cocktails.
• Cons: The Food, service, and ambience.

11/10/08

Perfect romantic evening!!!

by hjotis

It's been a few years since my wife and I paid a visit to this Laguna Beach land mark, but we were feeling frisky and needed to get away from the kids so we decided to revisit. What a great night! We were greeted in the charming patio area by a very friendly waiter who escorted us in and introduced us to the cute hostess. We opted for a drink at the bar. The bartender offered a few champagne cocktails (forgot the name, I think it was a Chanel), and they were very well made, not too sweet and very refreshing. The bartender and the waiter who greeted us engaged us in a entertaining conversation about travel experiences. The bartender sweetly showed us a picture of his baby to us and others at the bar. It's obvious the staff is very close and work together well. We had another round then we're taken to our table. Once again the same waiter who greeted us and introduced himself (Michael,easy to remember as it is our sons name) and after a brief conversation left us alone with the wine list.

Some of the best bread I've ever tasted arrived along with a great olive spread. The chef sent out a tasty little cheese dish and we were off and running. After choosing a favorite Pinot, our server described the menu highlights and offered a few recommendations. His culinary knowledge was impressive and he treated us as if we dined there every night, very friendly and amusing. We shared a fantastic scallop appetizer, they were served with a corn and truffle pudding that was amazing. I had the lamb which was perhaps the best I've ever had and my wife had a filet that was perfectly cooked. The service was attentive without being obtrusive. We were offered a souflle but passed,a decision we were soon to regret as we saw one being served at the next table. The Manager stopped by to thank us for dining with them, which I thought was a nice touch. After some nice strong French roast style coffee our check was presented with perfect timing. A fantastic experience! Thanks!

• Pros: Service, Ambience, Wine list, food and all around charm