Jeremy S.
Yelp
I've now dined here 3 times--twice for takeout, once in the restaurant, so this is a carefully considered review, not a "omg, the waiter seemed SO rude, 1 star!" kind of thing. I'm now well acquainted with the menu, the value proposition of what they're trying to do, and the neighborhood (I live a half mile away so LOVE the idea that there is a restaurant like this in this unlikely place!).
On value: Don't even think about coming here without getting the Groupon, which will save you the full cost of an entree. Even *with* the Groupon it's on the spendy side ($185 for 4, included 1 bottle wine). This is not one of these places where you'll feel full after the appetizer, or can skip the app because the entree might be filling. You will leave hungry unless you get both an appetizer and an entree.
On food: Their dishes show off some creative concepts and interesting taste pairings. I definitely enjoyed the cauli wings and the fried brussels sprouts. My son loved the mac and cheese bites. My parents found the salmon surprisingly infused with flavor. There are lots of things on the menu that *look* really interesting, and are OK when they arrive but not as dazzling as the writeup sold them. They dishes, though considered with an attentive eye, are highly uneven in terms of quality and value. The cauliflower quesadilla was embarassingly bad--literally soggy tortilla chips and unmelted yellow cheese you might get in a dismal retirement party. My steak chimichurri was limp, not warm (and importantly--not NEARLY as large and bright as this same dish is in the Yelp banner photo). They charge too much for these dishes for this to not be fatal faux pas.
On setting and staff: While the servers were friendly, the pace, attentiveness, and professionalism was not up to the price point. The restaurant room itself is a banquet hall that has not really been converted: you expect a slight bit of ambience at that price point. (Outdoor dining is nice but, hey, the sun and beautiful neighborhood do the decorating there.) Dish pacing was uneven and may have contributed to some dishes being past their prime by the time they reached the table. The poor logistics of the establishment (the kitchen is down a large set of stairs, some ways away from all the table) may contribute.
I appreciate what Roots is doing, I do think there's some calibration to be done before I try the place again, but I'll be paying attention to others reviews and experiences as this is just around the block.