David R.
Yelp
If I could give half stars, it would be 2.5 rather than 2. The menu was a bit lean though overly ambitious for the chef. Service was solid though the pacing in bringing the plates was off.
Let's start with service. We were greeted warmly and promptly. Drinks were offered, ordered and served timely. Nothing truly stand out as unique in the drink menu, mostly canned cider, beer, and soda. Nothing original nor unique. Still, solid basic drinks. One thing that we did appreciate, our water glasses were never left empty! That's a big deal for us.
The serving of the food was rushed. We were not finished with the apps when the entrees were served, after, maybe at most, 5 minutes from the apps. Way too quick.
Okay the food. Apps first. The Alaska Sampler and the Scallops with Shrimp. The scallops were tiny though tasty. Well seared, firm, well seasoned. Same with the shrimp. Best part of the entire meal. The Alaska Sampler was decent. The reindeer sausage was great and the chutney was a close second. Everything else seemed pedantic. Not horrible, just not inspiring.
As for the entrees, two of us ordered the steak (sirloin), one of us the carnivore pizza, another the shrimp and scallops over rice, and lastly one of us the Cesar salad with chicken added. A very mixed bag of results!
The steaks were tough and the overall flavor bland. The mashed potatoes were rustic mashed. The veggies were sautéed green beans. What was very off-putting was the decision to plate this with a gravy/sauce better suited to a chicken pot pie. Think celery and carrots in what tasted like a chicken based gelatinous mixture. The flavors absolutely did not fit the steak or the overall dish. Way too ambitious!
The pizza looked amazing on the surface though was watery underneath which led to a mushy crust.
The salad was very tasty and fresh. Can't really go too wrong with a salad.
The shrimp and scallops over rice were the only dish that truly seemed to come together.
From start to finish, 25 minutes. Yes, 25 minutes. Felt like a fast food restaurant in terms of timing. The food just seemed like someone was trying too hard to stand out, be impressive, and served to flatter the chef's ego. One dinner patron at a neighboring table was overheard to say, "if this represents haute cuisine in Homer, then they would go crazy over a Chili's here!". Yes, that would be about right.