Bashir's

I went to Bashir's and enjoyed a fantastic meal. Every dish on the table was nicely prepared. The flavors were wonderful. The plates were overflowing. The server was attentive. The atmosphere was lovely. I liked it so much that I came back with friends. The second time was a direct contrast to my first experience.



The waitress took forever to even acknowledge our table. The restaurant wasn't busy, so I am not sure why this happened. She was not knowledgable about the menu or the wine list. Once she took our order, she was really haphazard about bringing stuff to the table. She brought bread to the table, but not enough for everyone. Then she brought the olive oil way after that. She served entrees before the salad. She didn't pre-bus the table. She interrupted conversations rather than waiting for a natural break or for us to acknowledge her. She didn't bring enough silverware for the table. She kept forgetting to bring stuff to the table and had to be reminded repeatedly. She was definitely the worst part of the experience, but the food was also forgettable. There was no visual delight. The portions were small and I think we all left hungry. The flavors were just okay and did not justify the price. The menu offerings also weren't thrilling me and I settled for something rather than looking forward to my meal. (The menu changes daily apparently.)



It's hard for me to recommend Bashir's. When they are good, they are great. When they are bad, they are really bad. Since I ate there twice in the space of 7 days, I can't tell you what the reason for the contrast was.