Louise B.
Yelp
Service blows here 1*. Waited 15 mins after being seated and had to ask the busser/waitress on next table to get served. Her pardon was they had a few tables to clean. That cleaned table then got seated, h20 service, their 3 drinks from the bar, and ordered dinner before we got a waiter?! Once we got him, our waiter really did ace it, super nice and attentive, but this lapse won't keep you coming through the door. From consistent complaints, management really needs to do just that...manage and train staff better and keeping a closer eye on flow to overcome this ongoing problem.
Cocktails are the worst I've had in OC and PDX 0*. Extreme weak pours and abysmal execution. All cocktails are $8, a bargain in the making were it not that all three we tried were equally awful. The Old Fashioned isn't difficult to make but misses the mark more often than not. Here it tasted like seltzer water was added, further diluting the whiskey on top of a full-to-the-brim glass of ice. The menu claimed otherwise to be simply made with Makers and bitters. Possible requesting for 1/3 ice, no seltzer? +stirring will help the poor pour. Sticking to beer & wine is a better bet.
The Manhattan was equally weak sans ice but served up as a shaken martini, the proof in the bubbles rimming the glass, ew! doubly offensive! Bartenders should know that cocktails comprising entirely of spirits, including bitters, such as a O-Fash need to be stirred to perfectly balance the dilution from ice, the exception being cream liqueurs.
The Carbs 3.5*. Last unimpressed visit 7 yrs ago, the pizza dough had 'cinnamon' added so we asked before ordering if this disagreeable addition had been discontinued. She was sure it was and we didn't taste it. The vegetarian calzone, with the addition of pepperoni (hubby is a recovering 10-yr vegetarian proving he's all in, inclusive and balanced lol) was very good. Crisp thin top and doughy bottom satisfied. I think it's shocking for a sit down restaurant charging $16 for a calzone to Upcharge $1.25 for extra sauce! ...nickel and dime walk-in café move, not for a restaurant where average couple's ticket is $50+. I prefer a thinner sauce, MF's is aok, thicker consistency that sits up, and herbaceous.
The Lasagne $14 comes with a small house salad. I subbed daily soup, French Onion which was cheesy and full of bread, lacking both crisper top of the bread croutons and depth in broth. Though fine, wouldn't soup it up again, and our friends ordered the minestrone which happened to be a bit too spicy for her, though she was suffering with a stomach ailment.
While the dough improved, after 7 years, we would return only with the expectation to be served within 20+ mins, sticking to beer and wine and the carbs. 99.5% SE and PDX wins out over OC dining.