Garden Restaurant

My handsome cousin was in town. We decided to have breakfast at the Garden Restaurant in Lewistown which is located in the old Hardee's building. It is about 2 blocks from my mechanic.  I wanted Ken to check out my new ride. It turned out the car got a better review than the eatery.

It started off with the menu and went downhill when the waitress delivered our water with her hands covering the lip of the both glasses.  The first sanitation violation.  

We ordered biscuits & gravy, hash brown potatoes, coffee and hot tea,. The coffee was hot and good. The tea water was barely warm and mediocre at best. The individual hot water carafe was dirty. The second sanitation violation.

When the food was delivered I took the server aside and quietly asked for fresh glasses of water. She stomped off and never said another. To her credit she did refill coffee cup without being asked and promptly removed dishes as we finished. No star quality here. Refilling cups and glasses, and removing dishes and silverware is part and parcel of the food servers job description.

The building and contents were clean. Our table and chairs were also clean. The biscuits and hash brown potatoes were really quite good. The gravy however, was straight out of a box or bag, and too heavily salted for my taste. It was flavorless except for the salt. .

There were eleven other customers, and it is nice ehough, but at 7:20am it should have rocked. It didn't.  .

Overall, when combined with the service, it was too much of a white plate, white biscuit, white gravy, sterile  experience for me. Our total check was $9.76. I left a $10 bill and went to see the mechanic.

The  non-service and hostile attitude did not warrant a 20-30% tip. .  


.

Service is prompt and friendly; food - choices on menu, quality and preparation - are excellent; portions are huge! A diner you'll always return to for both food and to meet locals.