Joel K
Google
Restaurant Review – Port St. Lucie, Florida
A couple of weeks ago we tried a restaurant in Port St. Lucie. In all fairness, we almost turned around before going in. Pulling into the lot on a Thursday evening around 8:30 p.m., we noticed only one table of two inside, which gave us pause. But since we had already driven nearly 30 minutes, we decided to give it a try.
They say with this place you either like it or hate it. We hated it.
When we walked in, the server told us to sit wherever we liked. Being a small restaurant, we picked a corner table. The service throughout was actually considerate and attentive, which ended up being the only bright spot of the night.
I started with a house salad, which arrived in a plain bowl with the dressing in a plastic container for me to pour and mix myself. Unfortunately, the dressing tasted like something straight from a jar I’d buy at a deli back home during lunch. Fresh herbs and a house-made touch could have made a world of difference.
We also tried the burrata. It was dry and hard—nothing close to the creamy, delicate burrata it should be. The prosciutto served with it was decent, but it couldn’t save the dish.
For mains, I ordered the pounded veal chop. Sadly, the sauce was worse than something from a can, the veal quality was poor, and the pasta on the side was so overcooked it resembled mashed potatoes. I took two bites and left the rest. The Branzino, the other entrée at our table, was fishy and tasteless. We ate just enough to realize we didn’t trust it, then stopped for fear of getting sick.
The bread and garlic oil served at the beginning of the meal turned out to be the only thing I ate that night. Thank goodness for that.
We skipped dessert, left a 25% tip on a bill that came to about $150, and walked out disappointed. Between the bad food and the wasted evening, it felt like I had thrown $200 straight in the trash.
I did hear they’re planning to open another restaurant closer to Valencia in Port St. Lucie. If that’s true, I hope they raise their standards dramatically, because reviews travel fast and this area is desperate for quality dining. We always find ourselves driving 30–45 minutes just to find a decent meal.
By principle, we usually give a restaurant a second chance before writing it off completely. I’ll try to honor that rule here, though it will be difficult. If I go back, I’ll review it again. For now, I can’t recommend it.