good addition to columbia. my friends and i checked out this place for a business lunch yesterday. though the music was a weird choice for a bar/restaurant that appears to be aimed at those older than college-aged (the music was bubblegum pop and light country -- taylor swift, for example), we liked the decor and atmosphere. our first impression was that it felt a little like flying saucer inside but with a more interesting menu. the extensive beer list made my friends want to come back to check out happy hour.
our server was attentive and friendly. i had the pear salad with grilled shrimp, a cup of soup, and an iced tea, and my bill was around $18 before tip . the food was very good, but not sure the pricing is where it needs to be to draw a consistent lunch crowd. if i go again, i'll pick less pricey items. my friends had a burger and a grilled cheese and deemed them to be "fine." the homemade chips (which come with the sandwiches and burgers) got much better reviews.
the pizza choices looked really interesting (gourmet items a la carte), so that might be the way to go if i can talk my friends into sharing and eating something interesting (grilled eggplant, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, truffle oil, etc.).
i think this place has serious promise and adds something different to the area, but i got the feeling that it's still defining itself and figuring out how it fits into thecolumbiafood and bar scene. i'll give it a shot again in another week or two.