I feel like I have a lot to say about this experience, and not for the best reasons.
This was one of the reservations I somewhat capitulated on. After doing some research, looking into the chef’s perspective and sample menus online, I decided to go for it. I was originally planning on lunch, but schedule changes opened up dinner instead. The pricing felt reasonable for what was presented on the website, so I committed.
Walking into the dining room, something immediately felt a bit off. It leans vaguely mid-century, but also feels slightly unfinished. Before the menu, I was served a small glass of hibiscus juice as a welcome. It tasted like a less sweet version of agua de jamaica: pleasant enough, but nothing memorable.
There’s the option of à la carte or tasting menu. I went with the tasting.
One thing that remained consistent throughout the meal was how quietly everything was described. Almost to the point where I couldn’t fully follow what I was being served. There were two amuse-bouches to start: a fork with some vegetables of unclear provenance that mostly tasted of vinegar, and a savory tuile with beef tongue that was actually quite good.
From there, things started to feel a bit uneven.
Service, right away, was a little wonky. Silverware was placed so close to the edge of the table that I had to adjust it myself to keep it from falling. Throughout the meal, I was repeatedly given the same fork, knife, and spoon combination, regardless of whether the dish really called for it. And sometimes, there were significantly long waits for this combination of cutlery to be replenished.
The first course was a cuttlefish “bolognese” with onion cream and fresh peas. It was tasty, but familiar: honestly closer to a New England-style chowder in flavor than anything particularly novel.
Next came seared mackerel with a spicy apricot condiment. This was enjoyable, though it arrived closer to room temperature than I expected for something described as grilled. Good, but not especially memorable.
The foie gras course is where things started to slip more noticeably. A clear pot was presented with a lobe of foie gras floating in a brown bouillon infused with seaweed. Some of the broth was extracted tableside with what looked like a turkey baster and served in a glass. It tasted exactly like what it was:bouillon.
The foie itself had taken on that flavor almost entirely, losing much of its natural taste. Texturally, it was jiggly and a bit slimy, making it difficult to cut and not particularly pleasant to eat. It was served with seaweed that was tough to cut and smoked eel that, surprisingly, lacked flavor. There was also a sauce involved, but between the hushed explanations and no written menu, I couldn’t clearly identify it.
The chef’s “signature” sweetbread dish was easily the high point of the meal. Sweetbreads sandwiched in grilled brioche with a few sauces: this worked. Rich, satisfying, and balanced in a way that much of the rest of the meal wasn’t. It made me wish more of the menu leaned in this direction.
Then came the lobster, which really highlighted one of the biggest issues of the meal: too many competing sauces. The lobster arrived sitting in two sauces, with a third on the side. Combined, everything just tasted like… sauce. The lobster itself was cooked oddly and difficult to cut.
This was followed by a second lobster preparation: a butter lettuce leaf with a cup of lobster innards mixed with mayonnaise, meant to be assembled like a wrap. It tasted fine, like a decent lobster roll, but felt unnecessarily deconstructed. It could have just been served assembled.
The lamb course included various cuts (brisket, loin, sweetbread, tongue, and sausage) with a tarragon condiment. This was good, but extremely small: maybe five bites total. The sweetbread and sausage stood out, and again, I found myself wishing the meal had more of this kind of clarity and focus.
Desserts continued the theme of slightly confusing combinations. A quenelle of ice cream over what was essentially mashed potatoes with caramel and Corn Flakes. Then pistachio ice cream with a coriander-forward sauce. Then a small spoonful of semolina cake soaked in orange blossom syrup. Nothing terrible, but nothing that really came together in a compelling way either.
Where things really broke down, though, was the service.
There was no shortage of staff, but they all seemed to be operating at different speeds and levels of comfort. Some were genuinely warm and engaging when I got their attention. Others felt noticeably uncomfortable interacting with me, and the disparity was hard to ignore. The overall feeling was awkward and uncoordinated.
I spent three hours in the restaurant, dining solo, and the pacing felt completely out of sync with me. There were long stretches, sometimes 25 minutes between courses, and during those gaps, no one came by to check in.
Finished plates would sit in front of me for extended periods. At times, my silverware would be cleared and not replaced promptly. There was a nearby couple who seemed to be on a similar progression through the menu, and it felt like my meal was being paced to match theirs. They were drinking wine and taking their time, while I was eating at a more natural solo pace, but I was effectively locked into their rhythm. At times, they were even served before me. Additionally, there were some tables that were also having the tasting menu and were served some really beautiful pieces of white asparagus. I understand the kitchen may have their rationale for serving different tables different dishes. But it would be dishonest to say I wasn’t coveting that dish a bit.
This is one of my biggest frustrations with tasting menus as a solo diner, and it was very noticeable here.
At the end of the meal, I had to ask for the check. When I paid, the staff member returned with the receipt, gave a quick nod, and that was it. No closing remark, no sense of completion.
As I was leaving, the chef asked if everything was okay. I didn’t feel inclined to make a moment out of it, so I simply said thank you and left.
There’s always the question of whether I should have said something. But honestly, this didn’t feel like a one-off issue: it felt like the system. When pacing, attentiveness, and overall flow are this inconsistent, it’s hard to imagine a single comment changing much in the moment.
This wasn’t a horrible meal. There were moments of genuine quality, especially the sweetbreads, and nothing was outright bad. But overall, it felt unfocused. Flavors often competed rather than complemented, and dishes leaned complex without delivering clarity.
What makes it more disappointing is the expectation. Based on what I had read and seen, I was expecting something more cohesive and confident.
I don’t regret going, but I also wouldn’t recommend it.
And maybe most tellingly, I think I would have walked away feeling much better about the experience if it had been a tight, well-paced 90-minute meal rather than a drawn-out three-hour one in a dining room that never quite felt comfortable.
by djquinnc