(由 Google 翻译)Quarter Acre——一个前景光明的餐厅,却因服务和执行力不足而惨败
评分:2 星(满分 5 星)
达拉斯的 Quarter Acre 餐厅推出了一个引人入胜的理念:以新西兰为灵感的品尝菜单,根植于主厨的新西兰传统,并融入法式烹饪技艺。可惜的是,餐厅的执行力——尤其是在服务和节奏方面——却差强人意。
当晚,服务员匆匆忙忙地介绍我们,重复了好几次,还两次问我们是否来过。虽然他介绍了三次,但注意力很快就转移到了邻桌,显然那张桌子才是重点。这种服务上的不平衡持续了整晚。
我们先吃了一片自制的酸面包,是用主厨陈年九年的开胃菜做成的。这道菜口感浓郁,烤得恰到好处,开胃菜劲道十足。接下来是色泽鲜亮、柑橘味浓郁的牡蛎和炸得恰到好处的炸饭球——两道菜都令人垂涎欲滴。然而,我们点的葡萄酒搭配却被忘了。我提醒服务员,他却反问道:“你知道要额外付55美元吗?” 他的语气仿佛在暗示我们可能付不起,这感觉既冒昧又不合适。他还说,因为我们点的是鸡尾酒,所以他觉得我们点的葡萄酒搭配应该不会是这个,这简直是他服务不周到的蹩脚借口。
接下来的冷豌豆汤新鲜可口,但味道平平。番茄挞搭配红酒,味道不错,但乳清干酪的味道盖过了这道菜,而且咸度和酸度都不足。我们餐桌上一只老是飞的苍蝇,让人难以专心用餐,服务员也没去处理。
意面配芦笋,格外引人注目——烹饪完美,口感均衡,与白葡萄酒搭配得恰到好处。从新西兰南部空运来的三文鱼品质上乘,但缺乏创意,裹着一层甜腻的酱汁,配上萝卜和蔬菜点缀,却毫无亮点。
鸭肉菜肴旨在打造解构版橙汁鸭,配以红薯泥、脆薯条和橙子沙拉。构思很有意思,但最终效果并不理想。
甜点则参差不齐。草莓慕斯泡芙配巧克力酱味道不错,但平平无奇。椰枣太妃糖配豆蔻冰淇淋对我来说不太合适,但我的同伴却很喜欢。
唯一的亮点是侍酒师——他知识渊博、热情友好,显然是个《指环王》的爱好者。我并不总是赞同这些搭配,但他为整个用餐体验带来了真诚的个性和温暖。
最大的问题是服务。上菜间隔时间过长、服务不周到以及明显的偏袒,让这本该是一次高端的用餐体验大打折扣。当我跟服务员说,显然是某个更重要的人得到了所有的关注时,他向我们保证,他会平等地对待所有客人。但事实并非如此。
扣除小费后,这家餐厅的价格高达594美元,体验远低于预期。虽然有一些烹饪上的亮点,但都被我们这位敬业的服务员参差不齐的服务和缺乏专注所掩盖。话虽如此,其他员工的表现确实不错。
话虽如此,我并没有完全放弃这家餐厅。我相信Quarter Acre餐厅很有潜力——尤其是在前厅更积极主动、每道菜之间节奏更紧凑的情况下。如果这些方面都能得到改进,我愿意再试一次。
但就目前的情况而言,我不推荐这家餐厅。
2星(满分5星)。
(原文)
Quarter Acre – A Promising Concept Let Down by Service and Execution
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Quarter Acre in Dallas presents an intriguing concept: a Kiwi-inspired tasting menu rooted in the chef’s New Zealand heritage and delivered with French culinary technique. Unfortunately, the execution—particularly in terms of service and pacing—left a lot to be desired.
The evening began with a rushed introduction from our waiter, who repeated himself multiple times and asked twice if we’d been there before. While he introduced himself three times, his attention quickly shifted to a nearby table that was clearly the priority. That imbalance in service would continue throughout the night.
We started with a slice of house-made sourdough, made from the chef’s nine-year-old starter. Hearty and deeply toasted, it was a strong beginning. This was followed by bright, citrusy oysters and a well-fried arancini ball—both enjoyable. However, our wine pairing was forgotten. When I reminded the waiter, he responded with, “You do know it’s $55 extra?” The tone suggested we might not be able to afford it, which felt presumptuous and inappropriate. He also stated that because we ordered cocktails he wouldn’t think we would have ordered the wine pairing which was a poor excuse for his inattentive service.
The cold green pea soup that followed was fresh but flat. The tomato tart, paired with red wine, had promise, but the ricotta overwhelmed the dish and it lacked salt and acidity. A persistent fly at our table made it difficult to focus on the meal, and staff made no attempt to address it.
The pasta course, with asparagus, was a standout—perfectly cooked, well-balanced, and nicely paired with a white wine. The salmon, flown in from southern New Zealand, was high quality but uninspired, coated in a sweet glaze and served with a garnish of radish and greens that added little.
The duck dish aimed for a deconstructed duck à l’orange, with sweet potato purée, crispy chips, and an orange salad. Interesting concept, but it didn’t quite come together.
Dessert was hit or miss. The strawberry mousse profiterole with chocolate sauce was tasty but unremarkable. The sticky date toffee with cardamom ice cream didn’t work for me, though my dining companion enjoyed it.
One bright spot was the sommelier—knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly a Lord of the Rings enthusiast. I didn’t always agree with the pairings, but he brought genuine personality and warmth to the experience.
The biggest issue was the service. Long gaps between courses, inattentiveness, and overt favoritism soured what should have been a premium evening. When I remarked to our waiter that it was obvious someone more important was receiving all the attention, he assured us he serves all the guests equally. This was clearly not the case.
At $594 after tip, the experience fell well short of expectations. While there were moments of culinary merit, they were overshadowed by the uneven service and lack of attentiveness on behalf of our dedicated waiter. With that said, the rest of the staff did perform well.
That said, I’m not completely closing the door. I believe Quarter Acre has potential—especially with a more engaged front-of-house and tighter pacing between courses. If those improvements are made, I’d be open to giving it another shot..
But as it stands today, I can’t recommend it.
2 out of 5 stars..