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😒 3/5 - Pretentious and Chic Work in Progress
By 👻 @mdglobetrotter, 07/27/2022 3:00 am
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We were eager to try this place, partly because we were interested in checking out this new hotel that had just opened when we visited a year ago. San Diego/Carlsbad is now in our regular vacation rotation. The "welcome" at the host stand nearly killed it at the start. No matter how chic the place, I'd rather feel welcomed than a sense of pretentious exclusivity more associated with New York or LA. We were told offhandedly it would be an hour wait for the outside table we had requested. (Later saw that two became available in 15 minutes.) When we said that we'd eat inside, we were told without prompting that we would get a table by the window and then walked to a table that wasn't. When I asked if they could clear off an empty adjoining window table so we could sit there, she said it would be a 10-minute wait because they are "short staffed." The short staffed excuse is something we've all learned to take into account but just lame at a restaurant offering up $75 entrees. In well-run restaurants, the host staff pitches in but it clearly didn't occur to her. Fortunately, the waitress was absolutely terrific. She was highly knowledgeable about the entire menu and had that great combination of being helpful and welcoming without being around too much all at the same time. The man assisting her also did a great job with good cheer. The one minor problem she solved without us even asking. Lovely, talented person who any restaurant should be proud to employ. (One food slip up that wasn't her fault: somehow the wrong entree was originally brought to the table but that was quickly fixed. Not a big deal.) The food was a mixed bag. We really enjoyed the brisket buns (kind of like a brisket taco but with Asian style buns instead). The octopus carnitas got a "meh" response. The octopus was well cooked and high quality. The tortillas were yummy. But somehow the dish just didn't really work or pack the flavor you associate with carnitas. The tuna crudo was solid but perhaps a bit small. We liked the papardelle with scallops special. The pasta was very good though the overall impression was good rather than memorable. The best part of the chocolate bombe desert was the delicious crunchy part on the edge--great texture and flavor. Mousse was also tasty but the tahini layer didn't work well for me. Maybe I'm a simple guy but it felt like too much going on here. The little caramel bonbons with the check were scrumptious. The building's architecture is a real feature. It sort of oddly overlooks a mixture of the road, the beach and the ocean. Tables are set up to face the ocean but you also discover that diners facing towards it get blinded in the pre-sunset hour. The space is gorgeous but really good architecture is functional as well as attractive. But I managed alright wearing sunglasses and the staff worked to hit the balance between open windows and protecting the customers with blinds. The bar seemed like a good place to see and be seen and enjoy a good cocktail during the sunset. The $14 valet parking (discounted because we ate there!) fee we paid on the way out seemed like a steal (from our pockets, not price wise). You don't have an option because the hotel's awkward placement on the property means that you have to use it. So it's a mixed bag and feels like a work in progress. But we quietly decided that we probably wouldn't stay here based on our visit.
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