odd and disappointing experience :(. with all the #1 ratings on zagat, i was expecting a lot. we'd booked a reservation to celebrate my business partner's 65th birthday, so something special is what we wanted.
so, first, the table. it was jammed next to a huge column (that intruded into the space of one diner) and next to the door to outside, which meant every time that door opened (about every two minutes) two of the four chairs got blasted with hot air. as we were being seated, and when one of the four places was totally unusable, we asked for another table. the young lady who took us to our table looked at us like she'd never heard of such a thing. she then disappeared for over 10 minutes.
so as we sat there, hoping to salvage the evening and make the best of things, we shifted the chairs and table a bit and decided to stay where we were, really not wanting to make a fuss. so when she finally came back, we told her we'd just stay there. that was our first mistake. the next one was water.
we were asked what we'd like; we said fiji. we were brought 3 glasses of cold water and assumed it was fiji, but then one of the waitstaff came by with a pitcher and topped off our glasses with what i assume was tap water. to be fair, they didn't charge us for the fiji, but then again, they didn't give us what we ordered, either.
so, then, the drinks from the bar -- drinks were watery, but maybe that was because of how long it took (10-15 minutes) to get them? and i asked for a "splash" of cranberry in my vodka rocks. what i got was a cranberry juice with a spash of vodka. not sure it was the premium brand i asked for, either, honestly. it didn't taste right.
our waiter was extremely personable and pleasant. but gosh, do we really have to ask for more bread? more butter? didn't someone notice when we were out? with the premium prices charged at this restaurant and the zagat rating, i expected not to have to ask!
so our soup/salads arrived. my wedge wasgood-- verygood-- but pretty much standard steakhouse fare. one of our party had the lobster bisque, and again, it was good, but on a scale of 1 to 10, maybe a 5. meaning it was adequate but nothing special. but again, it isn't like they are famous for their bisque, so we awaited the steaks.
when the steaks came, wow, they were awesome. cooked perfectly. wonderful toppings. and the sides were great too. so at this point, dinner is looking up and we were enjoying it :)
we had declined the souffle, but were interested in desert. so when the waiter appeared near the end of our main course, we asked for dessert menus. about 15 minutes later, he came back around with our doggie bags of leftover steak, and said "oh, and let me get you dessert menus." umm, ok. 10 minutes later, he came back -- with two menus. i guess he had decided which two of us deserved dessert. and yes, that bothered me. so by the time he came back for our dessert order, it had been about 25 minutes from the time we'd asked for menus, and we figured we didn't want to wait yet another 30 minutes for that course, so we blew it off.
so, we paid the bill and headed out -- only to be waiting for our car at the valet and have the doggie bag break because it was wet -- sending our leftovers tumbling onto the sidewalk. why? because they didn't close the containers and the juices leaked out. what a perfect ending to the night, huh?
considering the cost of our meal, it was a bitterly disappointing experience. we really wanted it to be a special meal for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion. and so odd. great views, great steak -- pleasant waitstaff -- but spotty service and serious gaps in timing, not to mention the horrible table. all in all, i won't go back.