Ruth S.
Yelp
Upscale - a term that should be used judiciously - is how URBAN describes itself on its website. Upscale casual to be exact. URBAN sets itself up for a serious case of overpromise, underdeliver with this description because I struggled to find any aspect of this restaurant that would qualify as upscale. They should have left the description at casual. It's no more upscale than a common cafe and has a trough sink outside the bathrooms like you'll find at barbecue joints.
Upon entering, the host looked up at us and said nothing. The restaurant was almost empty. After a long, awkward silence he said, "Can I help you?" After telling him that we had a reservation, he wordlessly grabbed two menus and walked us to a table in a transitional indoor/outdoor patio area. I imagine that with the sliding glass doors opened, the space would be cool and inviting. With them closed, the room felt incohesive. A rustic wooden sign hung above our table, but the table and chairs were cold and modern.
A few minutes later, a smiling, friendly waiter approached for our drink orders. Two coffees. I don't know if the coffee includes refills because after I finished my first cup, I received a refill, but once our food arrived, no further refills.
My friend ordered The Full Monte - a generous plate of food. I tried a few of her potatoes - fluffy inside and crispy outside. Her scrambled eggs were not browned. Toast looked perfectly toasted. Silver dollar pancakes well executed. Without having tried everything I can say that it looked like 5 out of 5.
I ordered the shrimp and grits, which I would describe as another case of overpromise, underdeliver. I'd expect a bit of kick to cajun shrimp but these were bland and a bit rubbery. I'd wager that my plate sat under a warmer a bit too long. The grits were creamy, but bland. The arugula was the dish's saving grace as it looked fresh and added a bit of flavor to an otherwise unremarkable dish.
Were it not for our friendly waiter and how good my friend's food looked, this would be a three star, at best, restaurant. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, because every restaurant has uncharacteristically bad days. I prefer to eat at a restaurant at least three times before reviewing it, but I have no intention of ever returning to URBAN, so adding an extra star just in case this was an off day.
Overall, the experience was not great, not terrible - it was fine.