elisabetta T.
Google
We visited the restaurant to celebrate our anniversary.
The manager who seated us wished us a happy anniversary, which we really appreciated. Because of that, we expected perhaps a glass of Prosecco, or some small gesture to acknowledge the occasion.
Our server arrived without introducing himself and immediately asked if we wanted a drink. We received our drinks and were waiting to order our appetizer and wine. We waited quite a while.
When we ordered the wine, the server wasn’t familiar with the name and asked us for the BIN number—the identifier printed before the wine’s name. Honestly, I was surprised. To me, this seems like a training issue: servers should know the wines on the menu without needing a code as if we were placing an order on a delivery app.
We ordered the tartare as an appetizer, prepared tableside. Our server mixed the ingredients in front of us for more than five minutes without saying a single word—no explanation of what he was doing, how he was preparing it, nothing. He also didn’t try to make small talk or create any engagement. The tartare itself was very good, but the experience felt quite dull. We expected more interaction.
For our mains, we ordered the Filet Mignon and the Bone-in Rib Eye, along with Béarnaise sauce, mushrooms, and asparagus. The asparagus arrived cold.
The steaks, however, were delicious, and the medium-rare cooking was perfect. My husband said it was the best steak he has had in Calgary so far.
Then came dessert: Crème Caramel and Cheesecake. Unfortunately, neither was enjoyable. The Crème Caramel was completely flavorless, and the cheesecake was confusing and disappointing.
When we asked for the bill, my husband paid without double-checking. As he was paying, I reviewed the receipt and noticed one of the desserts was missing, so I pointed it out to the server. The transaction had already been completed, and our bill, including tax and tip, was just over $520. The server thanked me for mentioning the mistake and brought a second bill for the cheesecake. Of course, we paid without saying anything because I did eat it. Still, I would have expected him to say, “The mistake was mine—it’s your anniversary, the dessert is on us,” especially considering the level of service we had experienced. That didn’t happen.
As we were finishing the last of our wine, the server suddenly said, “It’s your anniversary, right? Don’t leave yet—I’ll bring you a candle.” He returned with a plate of whipped cream and meringue with a candle melting into it. After two desserts we didn’t enjoy, the last thing we wanted was more wasted food, especially after we had already paid.
On a positive note, I absolutely loved our table, right next to the grill where the steaks are cooked—really beautiful. And the overall location is wonderful.
Both my husband and I have worked in this industry for many years, so we understand that sometimes service can fall short when staff are busy or dealing with other issues. We are always very understanding of that. But unfortunately, there was nothing about our experience last night that truly impressed us. Given the level of the restaurant, we expected a completely different standard of service.
