Hell Point Seafood: Not hell, but not heaven either

I went to Hell Point Seafood downtown Annapolis for dinner the other day. It occupies the space down by the Harbor where Phillip's used to be. I had been dying to go, because it is owned by Bob Kinkead, of Kinkead's in DC, but the food is supposedly one-third the price. It's about one-third as good, too. Don't get me wrong. I'm not being too critical; Kinkead's is pretty good. I actually have a quasi-mathematical justification for the one-third figure. I had three courses, so one might think that only one of three were good. However, one would be wrong. The soup and dessert were both good, but the main course was eh. I think that the main course should be weighted more heavily especially at a restaurant that specializes in seafood, so it should count for two-thirds. The highlight of dinner was the tomatillo soup. It had nice large chunks of tuna in it and a really nice spice, which was surprising. I don't remember the soup being described on the menu as spicy, but it was; not truly spicy, but spicy in comparison to what passes for spicy at most restaurants. The runner-up course was dessert, an apple tart tatin. It was good, but not the most imaginative thing in the world; certainly no tastier than a good homemade apple pie. I had flounder for my main course. The crabcakes were over $30, so I didn't want to spring for them. I didn't get tuna; although I like it a lot, it's so commonplace, and like scallops, it's one of those things that's usually good as long as its fresh. The flounder was disappointing. It was encrusted in cornmeal, I think (can't remember). It wasn't particularly flavorful or moist without the sauce (which I'm having trouble remembering now). Everyone else seemed pleased with their entrees (tuna and scallops), but I was expecting better given the Hell Point's relationship to Kinkead's, especially because seafood restaurants in Annapolis need to bring their "A" game, since Annapolis is a coastal town. Lest I forget that part of this blog is about coffee, I will note in parting that the coffee was almost bad. It was extremely strong, which I like, but tasted like it had been burnt or sitting for awhile. I probably won't go back because the food didn't impress me enough to justify the expense.

Rosa Mexicano: Eh....

You know, it might be better if people told you that a restaurant sucked before you went there, because if it were only halfway decent, you'd probably be okay with your experience there. Of course, the problem with that is that you might never go if you heard that it sucked. How does this relate to Rosa Mexicano (http://www.rosamexicano.info/ -- D.C. location at 575 7th Street)? Well, I had been wanting to try it for the longest time, because I had heard great things about it. As a result, my expectations were rather high. RM was fine, but I don't think that it lived up to the hype. I was with a big group and we first ordered the guacamole, which was made tableside, always a fun touch. It was of course nice and fresh, but a bit on the bland side; maybe it could have used some salt or something... I ordered the chicken tortilla pie. I once had a discussion with a fellow cheese-loving friend about whether something could be over-cheesed, and we concluded that it could be. I think that the tortilla pie was a tad overcheesed, which detracted from the overall presentation of the dish. We ordered churros, which were okay and could have tasted a little less greasy and a little fresher. The coffee was fine. Nothing to write home about, but not bad at all. Would I go back? Sure, if other people were going, I wouldn't pitch a fit, but I wouldn't go out of my way. If I went back, I would order the mole because it looked really really good. Oh, and the black beans served with the entrees are to die for. Hands down the best part of the meal.

Stoney River: Not So Legendary Steaks

My husband and I went to Stoney River Legendary Steaks in Annapolis (http://www.bambuza.com/) for a special occasion. The food was fine, but I would definitely try other steakhouses before going back. I remember being more impressed with Ruth's Chris's than with Stoney River. I gave Stoney River a chance even though it's a chain. While I don't turn my nose up at the chains that bind me, I prefer local restaurants. I think that the Stoney River ownership turns its nose up at chains because its website says that the steakhouses, located in several states, are a "collection" and not a chain of restaurants. Stoney River should just own its chaininess like Mortons and Ruth's Chris's. Enough philosophizing. The highlight of the meal for me? The bread with honey butter. The bread is unique; our server (who was really nice) likened it to fried doughnut holes. A close second? The coffee? Perfect, except that it could have been hotter. Sadly, the rest of the food wasn't a highlight. Not that it was bad, it just wasn't that good, especially for a supposedly high-end steakhouse. The salad offerings weren't imaginative at all. Standard steakhouse options. We got a mixed green salad, which included bacon and good cheddar and some almonds. It was good and fresh, just a bit boring. For steak, we ordered a coffee-cured filet and New York strip. The coffee-cured filet was interesting. The texture was good and the coffee flavor was noticeable; I wasn't wowed, though. The New York strip was disappointing. Although we ordered it medium rare, it came out more medium. It was tougher than it should have been (especially for aged steak) and only somewhat flavorful. The sides were ok; we had greenbeans cooked nice and firm, un-noteworthy asparagus, and scallopped potatoes that hit a nice cheese note without being too rich, but could have used more salt or flavor. We ordered the ganache cake for dessert. It was HUGE! I loved that it came with chilled shotglasses of milk -- a perfect accompaniment. The cake was so-so, served chilled, and the chocolate flakes on the outside tasted a bit stale. The frosting was yummy, though. I give Stoney River kudos for serving real cake. I hate ordering cake that turns out to be flourless, or in other words, not real cake. The verdict? Not bad, but not great.

Other Seattle Notes

To conclude my culinary tour of Seattle and so as not to bore everyone to death, here are some quick thoughts on two more Seattle dining spots: Restaurant Zoe (http://www.restaurantzoe.com/index.html). Good, but but not as good as Palace Kitchen. Again, it had a casual vibe. Gourment food with jeans. Yay! Good coffee and cool non-alcoholic cocktails, like the very refreshing cranberry orange crush. Can't remember what type of salad I ordered, but I remember being underwhelmed. My entree, the Whole Hog, was creative, and consisted of pork mixed with various other things encased in a crust. Tasty and unique. I had the pumpkin pie sundae for dessert; excellent pumpkin ice cream with crust crumbles. Good coffee as well. Bambuza (http://www.bambuza.com/). The only truly disappointing dining experience I had while in Seattle. It may have been because we went too close to closing -- an hour close, not 5 minutes close. I ordered a shrimp and papaya salad. The shrimp was undercooked and bland to the point of yucky. The summer rolls were your standard Vitenamese summer rolls, and the recommended catfish hotpot, while somewhat tasty, was submerged in a half-inch of grease. Not appealing. The restaurant charged extra for rice, which I think is absurd for an Asian restaurant. I was told, however, that in Asia, rice doesn't necessarily come with dishes because it's viewed as poor man's dish, so maybe it's more authentic that way.... Pike's Place Market. I bought the best apples (honeycrisp) that I have ever eaten there. Definitely order a bun at the Chinese stand in the outer part of the market (can't remember the name), but stay away from the juice stand. I can't remember if it's the same stand as the Chinese stand, but I ordered fresh grapefruit juice and it tasted a bit rancid. I wish that I would have had more time because the food offerings were extensive and looked unique. I think that I need a good week to eat through the entire market....

I'm a Douglasite! Part I: Meet the Chef and Etta's

What's a Douglasite, you ask? Well, it hearkens back to my trip to Seattle, where I had two of the coolest dining experiences EVER!!! I happened to be lucky enough to meet Eric Tanaka, the executive chef of Tom Douglas's Seattle restaurants. His girlfriend accompanied us to lunch at Etta's Seafood in Pike's Place Market (http://www.tomdouglas.com/ettas/index.html). For someone who appreciates food as much as I do, it was super exciting to meet an executive chef of any restaurant, let alone someone who has won a James Beard award and appeared on Iron Chef. Eric came and sat at our table for awhile and was kind enough to answer all of our random questions about food, like: What cookbooks do you use? Where do you find inspiration? How did you become executive chef of a restaurant even though you didn't go to culinary school? And so many more. So now, the food. Granted, it's been awhile, but the high points have been seared into my brain. As I mentioned before, we went to Etta's and a few nights later, I went to Palace Kitchen. Both were excellent, and I think that I might have had the best meal of my life at Palace Kitchen. (More on that in part II) At Etta's, we had a bunch of appetizers: spring rolls, dungeness crab cocktail, and a tuna salad. It's too bad that I can't remember more details (it's hard enough for me to remember what we ordered) but all were excellent with unique twists. I can't remember being disappointed by anything. I ordered the crab cakes, which were good, and other people in my party ordered wild salmon cakes and a seafood soup (can't remember if it was pho or curried). I sampled all and would have ordered any of them, even the salmon cakes, which is surprising for me because I generally don't like salmon at all. Apparently, wild salmon tastes a lot different from farm-raised. We had a caramel apple concoction and a cocount cream pie for dessert, both of which were amazing. I was told that the pie crust is a point of pride for the restaurant, and it didn't disappoint. And the cherry on top? The coffee was GREAT! Of course, we were in Seattle, but still... I would definitely go back and highly recommend Etta's to anyone who wants to go to Seattle and eat some good seafood.

Proof: The Battle of Charcuterie

I went to lunch at Proof (http://www.proofdc.com/) where "food is the focus. wine is the passion." Unfortunately, I didn't get to partake in the passion because I went there during working hours. While some can handle drinking during the day, I'm not one of those people. I liked it. It offers cheese and charcuterie boards, which I love. I usually go to Sonoma (http://www.sonomadc.com/) on Capitol Hill (SE) for that sort of thing, but it's inconvenient from my office location. So, I was excited to find a restaurant that offered it that was closer by. The meat and cheese selection was good. We ordered speck (pork) and bresaola (beef), gruyere and pipe dreams (goat cheese). It was tasty and came with raw honey, apple puree, and wine-soaked raisins, all of which complemented the cheeses and meats well. I must say, though that I prefer the presentation at Sonoma. It comes out on a nice butcher block and is accompanied by a heartier amount of yummy grilled bread and more interesting accompaniments -- like red and white wine jellies, nuts, truffled baby peaches, and delicious mustard. I also like the atmosphere at Sonoma better. It's less corporate than Proof, although that's to be expected given its location. Enough about Sonoma... I chose the shrimp burger for my main course, and was not disappointed. It irks me when I go to a restaurant and order a chicken burger only to discover that it's not a burger at all, but a chicken breast on a roll. It was like a big burger-sized lump of shrimp toast (fried minced shrimp), which was pleasantly crispy on the outside. It was topped with jalapenos, cucumber, and cilantro -- remniscent of bahn mi, the Vietnamese sandwiches that I love so much. For dessert, I ordered the mini chocolate bundt cake. Not too adventurous, but nice nonetheless. I liked it because it was real cake. I hate ordering cake at shi-shi restaurants and getting a piece of cold, flourless crap. It was a real cake and was served warm with ice cream. Parting notes: (1) I liked the "bread" basket. The bread wasn't bread. It was more like long, crispy crackers served with a refreshing yogurt dip, which is probably a lot healthier than butter; and (2) The coffee was decent. French press and typical for an upscale restaurant. The verdict? I would go back for lunch during the workweek, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to go back for dinner. Sonoma on the other hand....

Woodberry Kitchen

Our friends came into town from NY a few weeks ago for the Marine Corps Marathon. Since we were picking them up at BWI, we decided to head into Baltimore for dinner, since we rarely ever venture out there. I picked Woodberry Kitchen (http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/), which is located in the Druid Hill area. The atmosphere was great. The two-level restaurant is housed in an old foundry space. The second level is open and overlooks the first, so the ceilings are high. The ambience are warm and woody in a hip way with a wall of windows and walls of brick accented by stacked logs and wine bottles. It reminded me of a toasty restaurant at a luxury ski resort. The menu, which has a wine bar aura, centers around organic and local meat and produce and is extensive. We had decided what we wanted only to later discover that we had overlooked an entire menu of specials. The menu is fun with a selection of appetizers and snacks, for as cheap as $1 (popcorn). There's just something special about being able to get anything at a restaurant that is not McDonald's for $1. We finally settled on the pear flatbread, which featured pears, of course, and blue cheese. While highly recommended, it was a bit oily and soggy for my liking and the pears seemed to be drowned out by the other flavors. The bread itself, however, was excellent. I ordered the hanger steak, which tasted like it had been infused with cinnamon or other fall spices. It was delicious and cooked exactly to my liking. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the chicken, which was highly recommended by the server. It came to the table undercooked, and when I say undercooked, I don't mean slightly pink. It was raw -- translucent raw. The the server was apologetic and offered to bring out a soup while the dish was re-cooked, but our friend who ordered it was full from the appetizer and his yummy side of cheesey crusty spaghetti squash, so decided to pass. Disappointingly, the server had to be asked to remove the chicken from the check. We splurged and ordered coffee and a slice of the pumpkin roll cake. It was like a pumpkin jelly roll cake filled with cream. Very tasty. The coffee, relatively decent, was the French press variety. It was presented in a unique way. The presses came to the table with a miniature hourglass to tell us when to push the press. I'd go back if I lived closer, but wasn't that blown away that I would make a special trip out there to go again.

P.F. Chang's Annapolis

Before I get to the food part, I would like to warn you that this location doesn't have real parking except for valet, which seems a bit weird for a P.F. Changs in the Annapolis suburbs. Since the rest of the new shopping center isn't open yet, I'm not sure if the parking situation is permanent or if a lot will open. If the restaurant isn't going to have a lot, that could create a problem because we parked further away and walked, and parking won't be anywhere near as available once everything else is open. Now for the food. There's a healthy debate about whether P.F. Chang's (http://www.pfchangs.com) is good food. I know people who scoff at it because it's not authentic Asian food. My take on it is that it's all about attitude. You don't go to Chipotle expecting authentic Mexican food, but it's still ok fast food. Likewise, if you wanted authetnic Asian food, you would go to an authentic Chinese (or whatever ethnicity) restaurant and not a pan-Asian national chain restaurant. Of course, P.F. Chang's isn't authentic Asian food. Once you get over that hurdle, you can appreciate the food, which belongs in the Americanized pan-Asian genre. For appetizers, we ordered the chicken lettuce wraps and the spring rolls. The lettuce of the lettuce wraps is iceberg lettuce, and the filling is minced and seasoned chicken mixed with mushrooms and other veggies. The lettuce wraps are good enough, but every time I've ordered them, they don't come with nearly enough lettuce. Even if you were to stuff the lettuce wraps as full of filling as possible, there would still be some left over. C'mon now restaurant management people! The spring rolls were too greasy and therefore mediocre. I ordered the spicy chicken, and my companions ordered the beef chow fun and the wok charred beef. The spicy chicken was fine and flavorful, but I can't say that I was impressed enough to order it again. The beef chow fun was good with nice pieces of charred beef. I didn't try the wok charred beef. For the sake of the blog, I ordered coffee with my meal and was pleasantly surprised. It's billed on the menu as organic French roast, had a nice flavor and strength, and was well brewed. My only complaint about it is that it wasn't hot. However, we went to the restaurant at about 10:30, so chances are, it had been sitting in a caraffe so as not to burn.

Fondue Monopoly

I went to the Annapolis Melting Pot (http://www.meltingpot.com/) because my friend AZ had a giftcard, which we happily discovered was worth $75. Fondue is fun, but I wish that I could try it somewhere other than the Melting Pot or at home. While the Melting Pot changes its menu up, and the food is fine, it would be interesting to see what a different and probably more authentic take on it would be. I've seen other fondue restaurants in Denver and Quebec, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to go. Here are my main gripes with the Annapolis Melting Pot. First, the ventilation is horrible. I wreak when I leave, and steam was constantly blowing in my face. The Melting Pot should seriously consider installing hoods at each table. Second, I think that it woud be nice if fondue restaurants provided timers if people want them so that they can more thoroughly monitor cooking times. We ordered the Wisconsin trio cheese fondue, Southwest Cobb Salad (a bit bland and too icebergy), the signature selection (two types of beef, shrimp, chicken, and salmon) cooked mojo style (think citrus), and the Oreo fondue. The mojo cooking style is my favorite to date, but costs an extra $5. As always, the chocolate was excellent! The Melting Pot shined in the beverage category. No, I'm not talking about anything as unimportant as cocktails. I'm referring to the coffee. I asked the server if it was good, and she gave it a ringing endorsement as a regular coffee drinker. She was pretty right on. It had that restauranty twinge, but otherwise was pretty good. It was nice and strong without tasting bitter or burnt, and tasted as if it had been brewed in a clean coffee maker. Here's to hoping that the Melting Pot gets a competitor!

PS 7's

I went to PS 7's (http://www.ps7restaurant.com/, 777 I Street NW) for lunch the other day. I liked the sleek and modern atmosphere. I was also a big fan of the bathroom. Its walls are embedded with glass spheres containing live fish, and the sinks are made of a clear matte material and lit underneath so that they look like they are glowing. While the atmosphere was a little cooler than the food, in my opinion, lunch was a nice dining experience. It was priced very reasonably for a DC finer dining establishment. PS 7's offers a prix fixe menu (3 course) for a low $20. I selected the pumpkin soup, the hot brown, and mini doughnuts for dessert. The pumpkin soup was warm and comforting and garnished with pumpkin seeds. It was good, standard pumpkin soup. Nothing too inventive, but serviceable. The same goes for the hot brown -- turkey on bread with bacon, tomatoes, and mornay. It was tasty, but I would have liked the bread to be a bit thicker. It was about a quarter-inch thick and blended in with the turkey, especially soaked in the sauce. Dessert for me was disappointing. Since I've tasted the beignets from Cafe du Monde, I've had really high standards for doughnuts. They shouldn't be that hard to do. However, the doughnuts weren't really hot and were doughy and tough -- perhaps undercooked, in the middle. I only ate part of one. Let's not forget the coffee. PS 7's serves it in a French press, as a lot of restaurants are starting to do. I have some reservations about the French press. For one, when I make it at home, the coffee is never hot enough for my liking. PS 7's didn't have that problem. The coffee was scalding (in a good way). A tad bitter with some grounds that made it through, but otherwise ok. Would I go back? Probably yes for the prix fixe menu that doesn't depend on restaurant week.

Jackie's Restaurant

We went to Jackie's Restaurant, 8081 Georgia AveSilver Spring, MD 20910, this past Friday for a friend's birthday dinner. Jackie's is a fun place. The decor and lighting are unique, and I loved that we were able to see right into the kitchen. The restaurant sported cool booths with some of the most interesting and funky upholstery that I have seen and nice seating areas for large groups. The bar looked like a lot of fun as well. Jackie herself approached our party and asked who the birthday celebrant was and personally said happy birthday to him. It was a nice touch. Unfortunately, I didn't try the coffee. Jackie's serves Mayorga, though, for anyone who wants to know. That's all I can say about the coffee, because I would have needed to taste it to see if the restaurant brews it properly. I didn't order coffee, even for the sake of the blog, because I've been sick and thought coffee might upset my stomach. I had a sip of a Jackie-tini (I think that's what it was called), and it was very sweet and fruity -- not that alcoholic tasting. As for food, we started off with the arugula salad. It was tasty. It was topped with goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and grilled (I think) pears. The dressing was excellent, although it may not be to everyone's liking. It was a spicy balsamic vinaigrette. While I like spicy food (especially if it makes me cry), a lot of people don't and could be thrown for a loop by the dressing. It wasn't exceptionally spicy, but would be to people who can't handle their spice. The table also got bread. Mind you, you have to ask for it, as the menu specifies that a basket of corn muffins and biscuits is available upon request. We requested it, and received baskets of corn muffins. They had a nice, sweet, buttery taste, but were a bit too dense or dry for my taste. They stuck to the roof of my mouth. It also took a long time for the server to get the bread to the table. For the main course, I ordered the pan-roasted cobia. Cobia is a flaky white fish. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about it. Having never before ordered cobia, I wasn't sure if I just don't like that type of fish, or if it could have been prepared better. It tasted a bit too fishy for my liking. However, it came with a delicious sauce, which I think was ginger and sesame based, bok choy, and an excellent mushroom and sweet potato tempura. My husband ordered the hanger steak, which was accompanied by fries and green beans. I had a bite of the steak, and it was excellent. I can't speak personally to the fries and the beans, but was told that both were good. Since I had been sick and my appetite was down, I didn't try dessert. Overall, it was a fun dining experience, and I would definitely return to taste the other menu offerings, and of course, the coffee and dessert.

Allison's Restaurant: So Close, Yet So Far Away

We had been to Allison's once before and were underwhelmed. We returned this time because there was a 2 for 1 coupon. We probably won't be going back again, but not because it was a horrible dining experience. It's simply ok, which to me, means not worth it. The post title has a double meaning. Take One. Allison's is just a few miles away from our house, but far away in that we probably won't go back. Take Two. Allison's could be a good restaurant; it's not horrible and with a little tweaking could be a lot better, but it's oh so far away from being my idea of a good restaurant. At some level, it seems like Allison's is struggling with its identity. It's not exactly Italian, but has a heavy concentration of Italian dishes (Americanized Italian) on the menu, although tonight's special was catfish with fries. Again, don't get me wrong. Allison's is not an unpleasant dining experience, it's just mediocre. Where to begin. I guess I'll start with the all-important coffee. The coffee, like the rest of the meal was okay. It was bland -- not weak, but bland, like it was brewed from Folger's. To its credit, the coffee was a good strength and tasted like it had been brewed fresh in a clean machine.

The bread came next. Normally, I wouldn't write that much about restaurant bread, but it was odd. The bread basket had a mix of cornbread and what appeared to be Italian bread. Usually, Italian bread comes in thick slices, but the slices of Italian bread were about a quarter-inch thick. The bread was extremely ordinary, and was like something that came from a supermarket. There were about 4 pieces of cornbread, and when I say pieces, I mean cubes of cornbread that were only slightly larger than large croutons. I'm not saying that we needed more bread, but it was a strange way to present it. It was served with a nice, sweet butter.

As an appetizer, we ordered the portabella/shitake mushroom ravioli ($8.95), which came in a lobster ginger sauce. This dish was the meal's fleeting flash of brilliance. I have to admit -- one of the reasons I ordered the mushroom ravioli was because I have recently been reading the Twilight series (those who have read it will understand). The filling had a nice texture and was complimented well by the sauce, which, while tasty, didn't have any visible lobster meat in it.

The main courses were so-so, and actually more like something you would get at an Italian deli rather than a sit-down restaurant. I ordered the lasagna ($12.95) and my husband ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. Actually, it should have been called spaghetti with meatball, as it only came with one meatball. While I'm all for portion control, I feel like there should have been at least two meatballs (even if they were smaller), just for appearance's sake. Sadly, the meatball had an overly mushy texture and was a bit short on flavor. On the brightside, the marinara was good. It tasted fresh, and the chef used the all-important fresh parsley. The lasagna was just okay. It was uninspired and overly cheesey (I rarely ever think that something can be over-cheesed). The cheese overpowered pretty much everything else. The lasagna was accompanied by a side of sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, and onions, seasoned with what tasted like dried oregano, rosemary and parsley. Dried herbs are out of place on sauteed veggies, especially at a purported fine dining establishment. The chef should would have been better off with simple salt and pepper. Despite being unimpressed with the main courses, we decided to get dessert so that I could write a complete blog entry :) We asked for the server's recommendation between the tiramisu and the triple chocolate cake. He recommended the cake ($6.95), which was disappointing to say the least. It tasted slightly stale or fridgy and was not worth the calories. It was boring, and again, akin to something at a grocery store bakery. The strawberry garnish was either marinated or an old strawberry. I couldn't tell. So, was this horrible? No. Would I tell people to avoid this restaurant? No. But would I call it good or tell people to try it out? Again, no.

Brunch at Chef Geoff's

So, it's been a long, long while. So much eating out, so little posting. I went to brunch with a group after the Army 10 Miler. No, I didn't run. I was just there for the food! We went to Chef Geoff's downtown. It's a good choice if you forgot to make a reservation. When we got there at 11 on Sunday, the restaurant was only one-third full, if that. There was a jazz band playing. I've been to CGs for lunch a bunch of times, and it's usually decent. Brunch costs $25. It includes coffee, tea, juice, mimosas, and/or bloody Mary's. The first course is fruit and "sweetbreads." For a moment, the horrible thought crossed our minds that sweetbreads could mean things like unsavory animal parts. Sweetbreads, according to Wikipedia (so it must be true) are defined as thymus glands of lamb, beef, or pork. I won't lie to you; I've never had real sweetbreads. They might be really tasty.... At any rate, we were relieved to discover that the sweetbread was a piece of coffe cake, which was actually quite tasty. The fruit was a mix of berries and melon. It was ok. I'm not really a fan of honeydew or canteloupe, especially as flavorless as the stuff that we were served. The second course was a choice of a bunch of different things. Half of us ordered steak and eggs and the other half of us ordered this crab/egg benedict dish. They were fine, but nothing great. The steak was ok, but honestly, something I could have made at home. The crab was like a smooshed up crab cake that wasn't very fresh. Again, the food was decent, but nothing to get excited about. However, the potatoes that came with the main courses were awesome! They were thick, yet crunchy. Wow, that sounds cheesey. The best part of the meal, though? The coffee! It was strong and well-brewed. I heartily approve! Not sure I'd go back again for brunch. In total, with gratuity and tax, it cost us about $70 for brunch (for two of us). Yeah, the food was decent, but is it really worth it to pay $70 for only decent brunch?