Central Park

Well it looks as if I'm going to have to add to the long list of negative reviews of this place.

I'll admit, I hadn't read many of the review before coming. I was mainly motivated to go here because they participate in the Priority Club Dine rewards program and I needed a 2nd dine before July 15 to get 750 bonus points. So I figured, how bad could it be? Well, it's bad.

We went for Sunday brunch. It started out fine enough. The décor is a bit dark for my taste, with the dark wallpaper all over, but you get used to it. I thought the brunch was a bit limited, with few selections. The only starch on the buffer was home fries, which I considered more of a breakfast starch. There was nothing else to go with the chicken marsala or fish or sausage and peppers. No rice or pasta or anything. That being said, what I had wasn't the worst food I had ever eaten. Cooked to order eggs was a major plus. After the meal is where it really gets bad. Now keep in mind this is a table for TWO. Not a table for EIGHT, where one would expect an automatic gratuity to be added to the bill. Also keep in mind that this is a brunch BUFFET. You know, where you get up and serve yourself the majority of your food. I was blown away when I received the bill which included an automatic gratuity of 20% on THE ENTIRE BILL. I have NEVER received an auto gratuity on a party of 2 and NEVER, EVER on a bill where I did most of the work myself. Really Central Park? Are you serious? All our server did was bring us a couple of drinks and you charge me an $8 tip for THAT? Then the final straw that broke the camel's back was when I ordered a glass of orange juice. It came out in a nice tall glass, which was a good sign, and not in the typical shot glass size glass dining establishments usually serve OJ in. I noticed a melted ice cube in the glass and I was a bit put off because I don't like ice in my OJ, but whatever. The first sip made me gag! It was as if the OJ had been heated up on the stove and they tried to put some ice in it to cool it down. However, the OJ was so warm that the ice must have melted instantly. I gave the glass to my husband and told him to take a sip. The look on his face was as if he had just swallowed the nastiest thing ever. I couldn't drink it. It was undrinkable.

So the bottom line is, I will never return to this place. I do not appreciate an auto gratuity on a party of 2, and never for a buffet. Too bad, because I eat out frequently, but this place will not be on the list in the future.

I hate to do this cause I don't want to sound like a f'in snob, but tonight one of my regular haunts just gets a 2.

Plans had fallen through for a night down in Red Bank, so we decided to hit up one of our favorite local spots for some delicious burgers and a few drinks. I ordered the Memphis Burger, which is basically a pulled pork sandwich with the coleslaw thrown on a burger with bacon and cheese. I've been dying to try it and was so pumped when it came to my table. It COULD HAVE BEEN soooo good but the medium burger I requested was dead. Well done as hell! Just not juicy enough to make it amazing. My wide for our normal standby Smokehouse burger with frizzled onion strings, cheddar, and bacon cooked mid rare. Decided to go with the sweet potato fries on this one because they're usually delicious and served with a warm maple dipping sauce and MAN! The fries were inedibly underdone, almost like they were baked half-way. WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM! Too be they sucked! My wife's burger was much more on point but still overcooked.

The waiter was cool and offered to take the food back no problem, but after 2 consecutive trips where their inconsistency was on display, and after tip paying nearly $50 for 2 burgers, a glass if wine, and a beer, I'm not really rushing to go back.

Really good food
Good prices
slow servers. . . . .  .

i eat here almost every sunday and the service has not gotten any better which is a shame cause this place could be 5 stars.