Review: Salentos @ Rice Village

The Rundown:
The City: Houston
The Place: Salentos
The  Day: Monday
The Time: 2:30 - 3:30
The Review:

It was Labor Day weekend which meant, of course, that yours truly would not be found in doors all day. Wanting to get out and about a bit and see a little more of Houston, I decided to treat myself to some lunch and coffee. I thought this would make for an easy review of a meal but, as with all things worth consideration, even lunch does not come easy.

Salento's wine and coffee certainly thinks highly of itself. For such a small location nestled amongst a mostly college crowd, it is certainly aiming for the skies. Decorated with a semi European vibe and with jazz music wafting from the rooftop, they certainly had a clutch on the near classy aesthetic. It is a nice place, nicely decorated, with a view of a wine wall at the back end. Slightly outdated, but it has that coffee shop look nailed down. I'm still unsure if it's look matches the clientele.

 However, I went at lunch, and dinner service may bring in a different sort of client. So, how was lunch? I had what was essentially a chicken sandwich on ciabatta bread, at a total cost of ten dollars. Mind you, this is only two dollars short of a large meal at a mid scale restaurant, with far larger portions. The ciabatta bread itself was nicely toasted, not overdone. There was little inside to justify the cost, however. Most of the flavor came from the slab of cream cheese on the interior. Besides that, there were two slices of tomato, some spinach leaves, and some limp grilled chicken.

The chicken was disappointing. Even if being served on a cold sandwich, there should have at least been some flavor or texture to the meat. To illustrate just how limp and texture-less the chicken was, I initially, on visual and touch inspection, had difficulty discerning between the chicken and the cheese. Coupling this to the crime of small portions to high prices, and the chicken sandwich simply turned out underwhelming.

It's a coffee shop too, though, and I had to have something to top off the day. A chocolate mocha was my dessert of choice, hard to mess up, and at four dollars a good price.  Rich, creamy and with enough caffeine to offer a kick, the mocha sent me off smiling.

Still, the entire experience was slightly underwhelming. I wasn't sure what to expect coming in, but given the decor and overall vibe, perhaps I should have expected high prices on the food. However, high prices always demand high quality, and there just wasn't enough of that in the sandwich. Think of it this way. Would you pay ten dollars for ciabatta bread and a small grilled chicken breast at any other locale? Likely not.

Some minor details for the inquiring student. It has wifi, assuring you access to online research (and more likely, Facebook). Though the wifi was not working when I arrived, the staff worked to resolve that. The main attendant didn't look too happy to be there and could barely smile. I understand you're aiming or the somewhat uppity Euro vibe, but a smile never hurt anyone, yeah? At least the attendants waiting the tables were prompt and courteous. Let's remember, restaurants sell an experience, and service is a large part of that. However, even if they weren't always happy, the servers were at least prompt in bringing food out and removing plates to the kitchen.                                                                   
And odd mix of stuffy black shirted servers in a semi Euro aesthetic coupled with obviously uncaring collegiate clientele made for an odd lunch aesthetic. Salentos may be better off modernizing and putting a bit more energy into its appeal, rather than sticking to its current, stodgy outlook. At the very least, make a better sandwich, for Heaven's sake.

The Final Call:
Facilities: 4/5
Staff: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 2/5

Overall: 3/5

Review: P.F. Chang's @ The Quarry

The Rundown:
The City: San Antonio
The Place: P.F. Chang's
The  Day: Friday
The Time: 8:00 - 9:30
The Review:

Following the rather disastrous first journey to P.F. Chang's last week, I was generously extended an invitation to return, this time armed with a gift card. I assure you that the following review is based entirely on the merits of the restaurant, and not on the fact that a portion of the meal was already paid for.

I'll begin by saying that, rather than attend the P.F. Chang's at La Cantera, I this time traveled to the location in the Quarry. This makes me unable to comment on whether the previous location has improved, but does allow me to assess P.F. Chang's other restaurant. To be quite honest, it was a massive improvement.I was greeted quickly by the hostesses upon my arrival, who identified my reservation and handed me one of those small buzzers they use to alert you when your seating is ready. Nervous that this might be quite a wait, I sat around chatting with my date for the evening, one I was hoping to leave a good impression with. Fortunately, our reservations were met quickly, within minutes of my arrival. No long waits, and we were taken to a lovely booth in the corner, away from too much of the crowd. Exactly the sort of treatment those who reserve in advance should receive.

 Our server was excellent, not only friendly but attentive. His tableside manner was top notch, and he served out our sauces, mixed and ready for use on our food orders. A step skipped at the last P.F. Chang's I attended, this small gesture added to the overall ambiance and upscale feel of the place. The combination of tableside manner, overall attentiveness and friendliness went a long way.

I had the crispy honey chicken this time around, along with an agave margarita and a jack and coke. The drinks themselves, not too strong, were at least tasty. For the price, just within the realm of reason. Meanwhile, the chicken, at 13.99, was prepared quite nicely. In contrast to the dry chicken I encountered at the last P.F. Chang's, the chicken at this location was, mostly, moist and fresh. Some of it, which I assumed sat toward the bottom of the pan, was definitely cooked just a tad too long. A little more stirring and a little less sitting would have most likely helped. Still, the taste and tenderness was, overall, quite right. The rice arrived alongside our meal, as it should, and in a manageable bowl as opposed to the large monstrosity I received at the last location. Thankfully, it was not overly dry, an improvement over the last location as well.

A few quibbles. Toward the back end of service it became apparent our server was a tad overwhelmed, and his attentiveness wavered. A shame, given his strong showing for the majority of dinner service. Still, I give him high marks for a fantastic dinner experience overall. Second, the decor. While the overall presentation was nice, warmly lit and nicely colored, there were parts of the wall coming apart. To really strive to be the best, that is unacceptable. Especially considering the large, stone horse that sits outside, the large tv that is anchored over the full bar and the lovely tables and settings, such details do stand out. Yet these are minor comments, and overall presentation and service were quite nice. Best of all, the food was, mostly, quite good.

I use the term 'mostly' a good deal in this review, and P.F. Chang's at the Quarry gets things mostly right. With just a few minor tweaks, they could have the perfect dinner service. As of now, it's still a fantastic restaurant, and one I'd recommend taking any date to before a jaunt off to the theater nearby, or to one of the many bars that lie just down the street on Basse and Broadway.

The Final Call:
Facilities: 4/5
Staff: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Review: P.F. Changs

The Rundown:

The City: San Antonio
The Place: P.F. Chang's
The  Day: Friday
The Time: 9:00-11:30
The Review:

I haven't been back to P.F. Chang's in some time. This location, at the mid upscale, outdoor shopping venue of La Cantera, presents itself as trendy and somewhat upscale as well. I only wish that more had gone right with the evening.

Attending as part of a birthday party, there were, perhaps, fifteen of us at the most. A large party to be sure, but it shouldn't matter whether you're there as an individual or as part of a fifteen top, certain elements need to be gotten right. The first misstep was the confusion over our reservations. Originally made for 9:00 that evening, our reservations were, instead, pushed to 10:00 without prior notification to the birthday girl. A bad first step to be sure, and a problem for anyone that had not eaten, or who had other places to be that evening.

Still, we lingered about in the lounge, taking drinks and chatting. Finally, 10:00 P.M. rolled about, and we were notified that room still was not available. Good restaurants have to be greedy, but not too greedy. Overbooking your dining room and making guests wait is not an appropriate way to conduct a business. We were seated, perhaps, at 10:20. In honesty, it was closer to 10:30, an hour and a half after our intended reservation time.

Following the wait, our orders were placed. Given the large number of people in the party, I won't make much of a deal that it took longer than thirty minutes to prepare our food. I can live with that, considering our numbers. What I can't accept is the condition of the food on arrival. I have an inkling that the cooks in the back left certain items on the stove too long while waiting on other items to be finished. I say this because both the fish that was served to my friend and the chicken I had were both dry.

Talking of my order, I had the Chang's Spicy Chicken, a dish that headlined their menus. Our waitress spoke highly of it, and so I wish it had been prepared with just a slight bit more care. The chicken arrived first, without the white rice that was supposed to accompany it. The dish, properly, should be enjoyed along with the rice simultaneously. Otherwise, you simply have a platter of lightly fried chicken in front of you. That was exactly what I had, and as the minutes rolled by and my chicken grew slightly colder, I waited for rice. It was finally brought out from the back, and I wonder what sort of care they used to rush it out. Not burnt, it might have been heated too quickly, as some of the moisture was no longer there. The chicken itself was slightly too dry, with portions of it actually somewhat rubbery. The sauce was tasty, but no amount of sauce will make up for dry chicken and dry food.

Don't get me wrong, there was quite a bit on my plate to eat, but at 14.00 dollars it's obvious that P.F. Chang's prices were set for quantity, instead of quality. Perhaps most insulting was the included gratuity for our party size. While not an issue under normal circumstances, there could have at least been some consideration paid to the fact that we waited so long. The gall. 

All said, it was rather a disappointment, considering the overall care invested in its look and esthetic.

Like many urban modern Chinese restaurants, Chang's attempts to blend slightly upscale sensibilities with Chinese imagery, or at least as close to China as most Americans can imagine. Overall the look of the restaurant is quite nice, especially for evening dining. Muted colors give it a warm feeling and good impression, and the dark tables present a nice color to pair with the lighting. The bar is friendly, and dual televisions gave patrons a chance to watch one of two NFL games on that night.

Our server herself was quite friendly, and the staff was obviously trying to get us seated as quickly as possible, once the faux pas concerning our reservations came to light.  The only knock I might have against the service was, really, that they needed two people to attend to our table. In the entire time I sat, I never had my drink refilled, and it was obvious that our waitress had entirely forgotten about the rice until reminded. A shame really, given her friendly nature. However, service is the name of the game, first and foremost. I would only hope that, next time, she pay more attention to every customer down the line of her table.

The greatest knock against the restaurant, though, isn't the wait, or the occasional lack of attention, though both need consideration. The greatest knock is that the food just wasn't good enough, not for the price and definitely not following the wait. Customers will wait, to an extent, for good food. So, would I go back? Indeed I am, to conduct a follow up review of the place, in the near future. I can only hope that, next time, it doesn't take two and a half hours to complete a dinner service. Heaven help us.

The Final Call:

Facilities: 4/5
Staff: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Drinks: N/A
Food: 2/5

Overall: 3/5 

Review: Tonic Bar

The Rundown:
The City: San Antonio
The Place: Tonic
The  Day: Thursday
The Time: 9:30-10:30
The Review:

I came to Tonic early on a Thursday night, hoping for a few quick drinks before jumping off to hob nob about town. Unfortunately for me, quick drinks were not in the cards.

 Tonic is a rather spacious bar located at 5500 Babcock Road in San Antonio, Texas. Blessed with a large main room for bands, couches along the rear, an intermediate lounge area, a back game rool taht includes pool tables and darts, and finally an exterior porch with its own bar, one would think that Tonic has all it needs to be a success. What was unfortunate about Tonic was not so much its facilities as much as its service. At the hour I arrived there were, perhaps, 15 people about the bar. One gentleman was washing dishes behind the bar, while three women served the patrons. I use the term 'served' lightly, because it became quickly obvious that if you weren't a regular, you weren't being served.

Despite three bartenders, service moved at perhaps a snails pace. There's a chance it moved even slower, as slow as it took for the band to get set up on the stage. This led to a lack of buzz, and a lack of enjoyment. In my hour at Tonic I struggled just to get two beers served. Not mixed drinks, not liquor or margaritas. Two beers.

 

 The problem arose from a lack of involvement from the bartenders. My main bartender became occupied on the other side of the bar with other customers, fair enough. That's understandable. However, you still can't excuse the lack of attention to a patron when there were so few customers. The frustration would not have been so high if the other bartenders had helped pick up the slack. One disappeared for almost the entirety of the hour. The other, a woman who seemed to be in charge of things behind the bar, busied herself with conversations she conducted with a regular and the dishwasher. She was perhaps five feet away from me but never paid attention to my beer. Bloody hell, she never even said hello.

It's not the first time I've seen this woman, and each time she has consistently had a bad attitude that can be felt around the bar. She rarely seems happy and while I respect her desire to stick to her work, she rides the other bartenders but produces little effect. Paired with her own failure to properly serve the bar, it just comes across as hypocritical.

I can't speak for the food and won't attempt to make a judgment based on it, and I didn't get any liquor so I won't make a call based on their mixing skills. However, the most important aspect of any restaurant or bar is service. When the night grows old and the evening gets hectic, you can understand a lack of attention. You can see the bartenders struggling to keep up and know they're doing their job. However, when you can't get a simple beer, there's a problem in its service.

Overall? Bad service, in what can be a great establishment. There's so much room here and so much potential. They have various events from time to time, such as all day music concerts with live bands. They also have something called "Porneoke", karaoke with porn playing behind the singers. I understand they've also had jello wrestling and such, but I wonder if these events are designed to bring in as many people as possible in lieu of their inability to be able to win customers via great service. It's a shame. They should be able to do so much more with this place.

The Final Call:
Facilities: 4/5
Staff: 2/5
Service: 2/5
Drinks: N/A
Food: N/A

Overall: 2/5