Cafe Brio
August 28th 2006
(Jaime's words in green)
I made reservations for 6:00 to experience the chefs 3 course dinner special for $28.00. Parking was easy and the first sensations to hit us was how small and intimate the setting was. Outside patio, tables, booths, they had quite a variety of views to take in the atmosphere. The décor is French artwork, a little too heavy on the boobs for my taste, but a nice ambiance nonetheless.
7/10
The first course we decided on, being the salad was the Hearts of Romaine. It arrived promptly and at first glance quite plain. Laying in the middle of the plate were 5 to 6 leafs of romaine lettuce, with a light coating of dressing and paper thin crouton pieces. After the first sampling of the salad I found it to be quite refreshing and flavorful. The dressing, although light on the amount, was tangy and it had a bit of a “kick” to the taste. The wafer thin croutons were unusual but added a bit of flair. Overall the salad was nice, however I didn’t find that it stood out as anything really unique in regards to Caesar salads.
7/10
The main course I selected was steak frites. Two words… “nailed it”. The steak was done to perfection (med. Rare for me, med. Well for Jaime), and the seasoned frites (fries) were fabulous. It looked a little on the small side at first, but was really quite filling. The meat was very tender and tasty. One of the best steaks I’ve had dining out!
9/10
Dessert was a Crème Brule. I was again impressed. I’d say it was the best Crème Brule I’ve had. Perfect size, perfect flavor, temperature and consistency. Well Done!
10/10
The service we received in our dining experience can only be described as mediocre, unfortunately. Our server was in professional attire and nicely dressed, however her attention and service skills seemed to be lacking. After being seated and our drink orders taken, I realized that our server was the same lady that swiftly walked between us at the front of the restaurant. With out so much as an “excuse me”, she made her way directly between us, forcing us to move aside for her. It has been described before that the most important part of a professionals dress or uniform is the smile. I only recall a smile shown to us 2 times, and most other times there was a flat, bored look on her face. We had to request a second cup of coffee after we had fully completed our first cup, and it required us to be patient as we tried to get her attention at times. To complete the dinner, the check was placed on our table with some mumble of “here’s the bill”, no eye contact and no smile once again. Perhaps it was a challenging evening for our server, however in an establishment such as this, I would have expected more quality service.
5/10
All in all Café Brio was a memorable dining experience. We’d definitely go again. Jaime and I give Café Brio a 37/50.
(Jaime's words in green)
I made reservations for 6:00 to experience the chefs 3 course dinner special for $28.00. Parking was easy and the first sensations to hit us was how small and intimate the setting was. Outside patio, tables, booths, they had quite a variety of views to take in the atmosphere. The décor is French artwork, a little too heavy on the boobs for my taste, but a nice ambiance nonetheless.
7/10
The first course we decided on, being the salad was the Hearts of Romaine. It arrived promptly and at first glance quite plain. Laying in the middle of the plate were 5 to 6 leafs of romaine lettuce, with a light coating of dressing and paper thin crouton pieces. After the first sampling of the salad I found it to be quite refreshing and flavorful. The dressing, although light on the amount, was tangy and it had a bit of a “kick” to the taste. The wafer thin croutons were unusual but added a bit of flair. Overall the salad was nice, however I didn’t find that it stood out as anything really unique in regards to Caesar salads.
7/10
The main course I selected was steak frites. Two words… “nailed it”. The steak was done to perfection (med. Rare for me, med. Well for Jaime), and the seasoned frites (fries) were fabulous. It looked a little on the small side at first, but was really quite filling. The meat was very tender and tasty. One of the best steaks I’ve had dining out!
9/10
Dessert was a Crème Brule. I was again impressed. I’d say it was the best Crème Brule I’ve had. Perfect size, perfect flavor, temperature and consistency. Well Done!
10/10
The service we received in our dining experience can only be described as mediocre, unfortunately. Our server was in professional attire and nicely dressed, however her attention and service skills seemed to be lacking. After being seated and our drink orders taken, I realized that our server was the same lady that swiftly walked between us at the front of the restaurant. With out so much as an “excuse me”, she made her way directly between us, forcing us to move aside for her. It has been described before that the most important part of a professionals dress or uniform is the smile. I only recall a smile shown to us 2 times, and most other times there was a flat, bored look on her face. We had to request a second cup of coffee after we had fully completed our first cup, and it required us to be patient as we tried to get her attention at times. To complete the dinner, the check was placed on our table with some mumble of “here’s the bill”, no eye contact and no smile once again. Perhaps it was a challenging evening for our server, however in an establishment such as this, I would have expected more quality service.
5/10
All in all Café Brio was a memorable dining experience. We’d definitely go again. Jaime and I give Café Brio a 37/50.
posted by Rob and Jaime | 10:20 PM
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3 comments
