Michael R.
Yelp
Perhaps my expectations were set too high, but honestly you can do much much better in Boston. I guess I expected fine dining and really this is a very casual restaurant with good (but not great) food, with service that does not match expectations.
The staff at the front desk was friendly and helpful on arrival, as there seemed to be some confusion about our reservation, but things were cleared up and we were shown to a very nice table. The dining room is beautiful, sleek and modern. Chairs are a bit odd, and if you choose not to check your coat, you can not drape your jacket on the chair, as it will constantly fall off. Check your coat!
Our waitress, while nice enough, did not have the polish I expected. She insisted on asking me what I wanted before the ladies at the table. OK, perhaps I'm a little old fashioned but even after abstaining and asking my wife what she wanted, she still insisted on starting with me the rest of the evening. Service was brisk, not rushed, but this isn't a leisurely meal, and when your spending nearly $200 a person, with drinks, well...
Food arrived at the table auction style with the runners not knowing who ordered what, and placing food, then lifting it and giving it to the right diner. At one point during service the music was turned on so blaring loud everybody was shocked, it took a bit before the volume was set to a tolerable level. Staff trying to remove plates before food was finished. Breaking glasses in the background, you get the picture. Just not at all what I would have expected.
So how about the food? Some dishes were good, the sticky toffee pudding for dessert was the only item I would say was great. I started with a Mushroom soup which was rich and creamy, but terribly over salted. My wife described her caesar salad as one of the worst she ever had, too salty to eat, and it was left virtually untouched and our server made no comment. I had the beef wellington, which was good. Oddly, no steak knife is provided, and while the beef is tender, it was difficult to cut the meat with a butter knife. Too much mustard was used, and it overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the beef. Our friend ordered scallops which looked perfectly seared and she was very happy with them.
So really what to say? Was the food terrible? Of course not. Was the service terrible, no. Can you do better in Boston? Yes, much better. I guess I'm thinking this may be a bit of a tourist trap. We left feeling let down.