The Grille

I had an interesting and enjoyable dinner here on a Tuesday night when the piano bar was going and guests would go up and sing.  Our waiter was friendly but seemed like he'd have been more at home at Applebee's...he was not able to offer any useful cocktail, wine or dining suggestions, as he didn't seem to know much about any of those things, and he got irritated when we asked about how certain dishes were prepared.  The food was good but unremarkable, the bar made good martinis and we met several nice guests amidst the fun musical atmosphere.  I would go back, especially on the piano bar evening, but keep one's service and food expectations reasonable.

The Morrison House and the Grille hold a special place in our hearts and continues to do so.

I wanted to love this restaurant, I really did. There are a lot of things that I do love about it. The setting and decor are beautiful. You feel like you are in an old Federalist-style gentleman's club, as in the kind where you lounge around with a cigar and port while talking about business and politics. I've eaten here two years ago during Thanksgiving and truly enjoyed it, so I was happy to return.

The service was generally really nice. I really liked the doorman who greeted me upon entry. The waiter also tried very hard though sometimes it felt like there was a little too much service. I still thought he did a good job in general. I also really liked a lot of little flourishes that the place offered. Things like sorbet and cordial to mark the different courses.

I liked the drink that I had called an Accidental Negroni - aperol, carpano antica sweet vermouth, prosecco float, orange brulee. I think that this place has a great bar and you can go just for that. I'd say that is first-rate. I also did like my starter which was a French onion soup. It was better than the one I had at Gadsby's recently.

I ordered some sort of lamb "cottage" pie (an incorrect name, it should be called a shepherd's pie, cottage pies are meant to have beef) for my main which was a bit disappointing because the lamb was tough and gamey. It had clearly been overcooked and along with the veggies, it was sitting in a dark pool of blackened juice. The veggies were good and the cut of meat wasn't bad, it had just been over-cooked. I've eaten my fair share of lamb and it doesn't need to taste like that.

The dessert was the worst course of all. It was frankly one of the worst dishes I've ever consumed anywhere and it made me feel the need to Yelp about this. I wasn't even thinking of dessert but the waiter kind of pushed the recommendation of this pannacotta. I hadn't listened to any of his prior suggestions but I do like a good pannacotta. I know what to expect. I asked him what kind of fruit was in it and he said, "berries", so I agreed to order it. What came was an absolutely hideous dish, to be totally frank. It was the kind of dish that would cause Gordon Ramsay to flip his lid in the back.

Yes, there were berries, that was the one redeeming factor. There were berries, tomatoes (yes, TOMATOES in a dessert which were not mentioned when the dish was suggested), some kind of weird soft cheese and an herb that went with the tomatoes but totally clashed with the rest of the dish. It was like half dessert, half salad. In short, very, very bad. I'm trying to look it up on the menu but I don't actually see that dish on the menu and I am not surprised. It was not a good idea. I woke up the next day and still had that bad taste in my mouth.

I really want to love this place. Like I said, there are a lot of things that I do like about it and it has a great ambiance. Frankly, it needs a better chef.  The problem with the lamb was one of execution, the problem of the dessert was one of conceptual design - obviously no one was tasting these dishes before sending them out.  Someone should blindfold the chef and make him try that dessert.

As I said, I still managed to enjoy the beautiful setting and the drinks. I did not have a bad time. I could have enjoyed even the main course better if the dessert had been better. I wouldn't rule out trying them again, but I agree with the person who called this place "hit or miss". When you are paying that kind of money, you have certain expectations.

I do think that this place could easily improve though. Wish I could give it 5 stars, but right now I can't. First course and drinks were 4-5 stars, main was 3, dessert was 1 or 2.