M S.
Yelp
Nice first visit to Primrose in Steamboat, but a few things could be improved.
Glanced at their menu(s) online the night before, and they were accurate and up-to-date. (I once went to an out-of-the-way NYC restaurant because online indicated they served a certain dish that I wanted to try, only to discover when I arrived that the menu online hadn't been current for over 6 months! Therefore, part of my criteria since then was that your menu AND PRICING online has to be accurate or an automatic reduction of one star).
Quinn was my delightful server. Calm and knowledgeable. I mostly ordered according to her suggestions so I must have missed it in the actual menu where they indicated they were going to force add a LWD surcharge to every bill. Their three letter acronym stood for Living Wage Disparity, I assume it was only for the kitchen staff, but I'm not sure because it's entirely up to the restaurant operators to determine how the funds are actually dispersed and in this case, were somewhat cryptic. I'm also not sure why spending $75 would only yield a $2 charge for the kitchen, with no way to increase the amount? Other local establishments allow you to write in a gratuity for the kitchen staff as well as a separate one for the serving staff. Would most diners actually leave less than $5 or not leave anything at all for the kitchen? I hope not, but I suppose this is a very small step toward a living wage in a resort town.
Anyhow, I arrived for Social Hour Menu (4-6pm Daily, some nice different menu items plus you can still order from the Dinner Menu) but without a reservation. Their menus clearly indicate which items are gluten-free and there seemed to be quite many options for those looking to dine there.
After some discussion with the hostess, I was seated at the Chef's Bar which was very nice for a single guest and I was the only one seated there so far; and it was right across from where the food prep was occurring, giving an introvert something to actually watch from time-to-time instead of pretending to be constantly glued to their phone. There was no acknowledgement from the nearby kitchen workers when seated, which was fine, but as they worked they discussed UTIs in some detail. While I personally didn't mind, it did seem odd to discuss this while they prepped so near to the public?
First round, on a lark, tried a Lockhart Martini ($13, very strong for a rare martini drinker, but very smooth. I enjoyed the stuffed blue cheese olives) and the Local Lamb Meatballs ($18, 4 small but extremely flavorful. A little bit of a kick to them, but that didn't overwhelm overall. The sauce was described in a way that made me think it would be better. It wasn't bad by any means, just too subtle, in my opinion).
At some point on of the worker's finally said hello and we briefly chatted as, I assume, Chef had just arrived. Chef also didn't acknowledge any of the now half a dozen guests seated at "his bar" but shouted over it toward a random table that a doctor was seated at that he knew. Chef never checked in with the closer diners while I was there. I'm okay with that, but a curious choice in hospitality. Closest to me was ongoing oyster prep, and I must say that the entire time I spent at Primrose, every food worker wore and constantly changed black nitrile gloves on any hand that touched food. Nice! There were about 6 guys prepping and one lady that night, with the opposite blend for serving staff.
After ordering, I went to one of the large single restrooms. In the room was a large sink, a toilet, a urinal, a spectator's chair?, and a cool container of mouthwash with disposable shotglasses on the sink counter. Classy!
When I returned, I discovered that Quinn had replaced my haggardly folded cloth napkin, with a fresh one. Very nice impression!
2nd Round arrived: Spiced Pear Martini ($16, Quinn tried to steer me to something else to accompany my entree, and she was 100% right! There was nothing wrong with this second martini, but it definitely would pair better with a perfect Fall day than with a burger necessarily. I did find the spiced pear to be more my style than the Lockhart, however purists are likely to prefer the opposite). The Primrose Burger ($15, It was pretty charred but still flavorful. It had lots of toppings and was accompanied by fries + ketchup).
Finale: I ordered a Dr. Pepper to cap off the evening with the Ice Cream Sammich dessert ($7, very nice blend of ice cream and a cookie that was both crispy & chewy). Again, Quinn tried to point other there were additional dessert options on the Dinner Menu, but I wanted to stick with the Social Hour Menu. It was too much food for one person after two earlier rounds, but it was tasty. I love how they present the bill!
Enjoyable dining, with very nice food/drink options. Thank you and listen to Quinn!!!!
Pricing: $$$/$$$$$ (mixing menus).
Sorry for the extreme length of my review, I'll work on the brevity thing!