Steve K.
Yelp
Let me start off by saying, it's a bit unclear on why this place is ranked so highly. I see a lot of notes about the chicken paprikash, but before my diet changed, I had it. The individuals who think this is the best chicken paprikash they've ever had must not have someone who makes chicken paprikash. It isn't bad, but it is far from the best. No where near any home cooked paprikash I've ever had, and I can give you three places off the top of my head that will blow it away.
Now, MY visit. A Saturday night in Parma isn't going to be anything special, but the restaurant was pretty empty. The non bar area is exclusively seating people who want Eastern European food, but are too old or lazy to make it themselves. I don't criticize or judge others for their lifestyles, that's their business, so do not take this as judgement: Everyone in here was either over 70 years old, or would be classified as obese. It isn't the place to go for healthful or well balanced meals.
There is no one seating people, rather you walk in and just sit down. The podium for the hostess is covered in their...stuff. Our server, Rosalie, was nice and polite. She was also reasonably (but not overly) helpful in trying to find something on the menu that would fit my dietary needs. I landed on...a potato. Yea, I seriously had a potato for dinner...this is the only option they had for me.
My issues really where the bathroom. This was a three, possibly edging towards a four, until I went into the bathroom. They seem to have tried to remodel it, but gave up 75% through. They could use more frequent visits to follow up on customers not flushing, and a tad more space, or making it a single person. I physically did not fit in the urinal, or at the sink. As in, when I tried to wash my hands, the divider flopped over to the right and I was putting pressure on it trying to get my hands on the sink. The soap was out, and the paper towel dispenser didn't work.
I know people often don't think of the restroom as a symbol of the business, but I see it like the kitchen (and often notice this correlation). It is a staple area, used by the staff, that is rarely seen, and rarely mentioned. Not off limits, but not really talked about. If the associates (or management) care, they clean as they go, or they notify that attention is needed. This should be as clean/well maintained or better than the kitchen, a place customers can't go...so what does the kitchen look like, and what shortcuts do they take there? Clearly the staff isn't using soap when they wash their hands.
