Ed M.'s Profile

I've been with David Schara since 1984.   I'm sometimes tempted by the TV ads for reducing your insurance, but the top-notch customer service keeps me with David and State Farm.

Just had a claim with a family member having a small accident in my car.  Her State Farm agent in Florida was completely unhelpful (not to mention rude) and even advised me to file on my collision (big deductible), not the driver's liability (no deductible).   I called Maryellen at Dave's office and she said she would handle the claim from here, file with Florida, and email me a list of State Farm "Select Service Shops" to work with to get my car fixed.

Polite, helpful, on top of details...highly recommended.

We ate here once last year when it was NG and had been looking forward to returning.  This evening, we were in the area and thought perhaps only the name had changed.  Sadly, no.

We ordered the Salt and Pepper Squid (came out quickly and was tasty, but mostly fried batter and little calamari), the Sesame Tofu (came next and was stone cold on delivery), and Moo Goo Gai Pan (Annie's go to comfort food).  It was nice and hot, but not garlicky enough and came 10 mins after the tofu.

Once the food was delivered the service became non-existent.  The rest of the dining room cleared out and we sat.  And sat.  And watched two people answer phone call after phone call for to go orders.

I considered grabbing a menu and calling in to request the check.  Finally I went to the counter only to overhear the server bartering a 20% discount because the kitchen had 30 orders backed up.   One of the other workers came over with considerable attitude and asked if I wanted the check.   She must have been an intuitive genius considering I'd been sitting alone across the room (my family had departed in another car) for at least ten minutes.

Sorry Rice, no dice.

I've been here a half-dozen times, usually on the way home by bicycle or car.  I want to like it more, but the incidental service is getting me down.

I stopped by today (Friday) late in the lunch hour.  There were a couple of tables finishing up lunch and a handful of couples snacking and drinking.  I sat at the bar to have a beer and waited.  And attempted to make eye contact with the bartender and waited.  And watched her fiddle with paper and this and that and waited.  Finally, she came over, greeted me luke-warmly and took my beer order.  It was delivered swiftly with a minimum of give-a-shit and she went back to whatever she was doing.

Since this incidental service standard has typified my visits, I'm knocking two stars off of what would be a 4 star review based on beer selection and a very pleasant patio in an otherwise over-stripmalled neighborhood.  I haven't tried the food (and likely won't) but don't really care about that in what COULD BE an awesome, almost local, beer place for me.

Red's Porch is doing it SO much better.  If they were closer to home, I'd never return to Doc's.  I mean c'mon, the server could at least say "Hi, I'll be right with you" and then return to hiding in the barback area until she felt like serving me.

We intended to celebrate a friend's birthday at Lamberts tonight.  Oops, a reservation would have been in order, it's Sat night in Austin.

The friend made the call for TL&C and off we went.  Frankly, last time I ate here I was less than whelmed.  Tonight though:

- Seated within 10 mins.
- Prompt service.
- Quick resolution to beer order misunderstanding
- Quick resolution to side order error.
- Dang tasty spicy sirloin.
- Deferential effecient service and they replied that it was against company policy to sing Happy Birthday when a member of our party suggested it (++ points for this)

Overall, an upgrade from previous visits, we'll return when we need some local meat.

We live nearby and I'm not sure how we didn't notice Yanagi.  There was formerly a Vietnamese restaurant in this corner of the shopping center that we didn't care for.

Anyway, we've been wanting some Udon for a couple of weeks now and haven't gotten motivated to drive north.  Tonight's cold/rainy weather was the perfect night for it.  I recalled seeing a Japanese restaurant over in Oak Hill (Tokyo Teppan) and checked Yelp for reviews (we passed).  But in the process found Yanagi.

And so we did have Udon at Yanagi tonight, along with a calamari salad.  The udon was good, not super awesome, but very enjoyable.  The calamari salad was a surprise; the portion was very large.  We were expecting a small dish like Ika no sansai.  But tasty it was and between splitting that, the complimentary miso soup, and the udons, we were quite full.

So, I'm going out on a limb here with 4 stars for now.  We plan to return soon and try some sushi.  Very much looking forward to having decent sushi in SW corner of Austin.

I've been meaning to try Digger and Finch out on various trips to the Dublin area of Columbus.  With a tagline of  "Fine Scottish Grille & Pub", I've been looking forward to revisiting my visits to Glasgow, and the Highlands.

- Food: OK to good, could be more authentic and a bit odd here and there, but it's fine (prime rib was a bit chewy and oddly thickly cut?).

- Service: Friendly.

- Ambience: Dark and pubby, although bigger than it looks from outside.  Not much of a crowd, but it's Monday.

- Wifi: None. (That's a half star).

- Beer: Um, WTF?  No Scottish beers at all?  They offered to search the cooler for a leftover Bellhaven.  Closest match is Guiness or Harp (seriously now, full star deduction).

They're off the beaten track a bit and off the beam of  an "Irish Pub" (even confusing an earlier reviewer) without catching the right bit of being a Scottish pub.  So...if you're in the area, or hitting the attached golf range, give 'em a try I suppose.

We ordered on the interweb, a simple pepperoni, mushroom and tomato pie.  The website was a bit more involved than needed but eventually the order went through.  And we waited.

And called the 800 num after a bit and we reassured that our pie would arrive soon.

And we waited.

And it arrived.  Cold, missing the tomatoes.  The driver didn't mention it but the price was a bit reduced, so we reckon they knew they were out of tomatoes (wow, tomatoes, so exotic, how does one run out?).

Taste: Cardboard.  Delivery: 48 mins (wow, for a shitty pizza?).

Score: 1.

There are 68 reviews before this one, so we'll take the overview slant, tempered by tonight's less than perfect visit.

We've been eating/drinking here since they opened.  Love the TX draft beer selection and the patio.  The interior is a bit sterile but fine.  The service USED to be awesome but has trended back to average.

The menu has been reworked lately and for the better in my opinion.

Tonight though, things weren't perfect.  We arrived about 6:50 and hoped to get some 1/2 price appetizers.  The server was slowish and didn't get our drink orders til 6:58.  The good news was that we caught the last night of $2.50 Texas beers (major props, and even a couple of "cask" kegs tapped on the bar).  But she was slow to return and when we asked about the appetizers, it hinged on the "computer".  Since 'puters don't give a crap, naturally our HH request was denied.  The server should have gone to the boss, but didn't.

What we ordered came out in a timely fashion, but was missing the cracked pepper fries.  The eventual fix was lukewarm gravy for the middling cold fries; so a big disappointment there since the cracked pepper fries are a marquis item here.

The server came by a couple of times, always a bit late.  She was friendly enough and even managed to get the jukebox turned down (84 YO mom-in-law was with us) even though that only lasted a few minutes.

So...it's an up-and-down experience.  We miss the amazing service from the first few months of operation but do appreciate the new menu.  Based on tonight, we'll "rest" a few weeks before returning.  I did try to find a link on their website to note my concerns...but did not.

UPDATE:  I received a nice email from the owner apologizing and mentioning his plans to improve their service (bringing one of the startup managers back in), pointing out the feedback link on their website (oops, missed that), and offering to buy us dinner next time out.  True to his word, we received a gift card in the mail.  I'll update my review after our next visit, I'm really hoping for an uptick in the service, because we do like ODPF.

OK, I know everyone loves Curra's.  I've seen the print reviews, the top 10 lists, and the Yelp reviews.  I've visited once, with out of town company.  No one in our 4 person party thought much of it, nor the prices.

I noticed Taco Journalism's (http://tacojournalism....) review and finally felt relieved that we weren't crazy.

So, y'all enjoy and I've got other places to try!

Once again, I find myself reaching for that non-existent half-a-star...I'd go 3.5 here.  I'm in Des Moines for a week and having my second latish supper at the bar.   My first night I had the Sirloin salad on the recommendation of the lady next to me.  It was huge and tasty and pricy ($18 or so).  Beer-wise, I only tried the "Duke" pale ale.  Serviceable, but nothing at all to write home about.

Tonight I'm back, hoping for a smallish dinner.  This isn't the place for that but I managed by ordering the buffalo chicken sandwich, subbing garlic mashers for the fries.  Disposed of most of the bread and enjoyed a reasonably flavorful chicken breast.  The garlic mashed potoatos were decent, but forgettable.

Also ordered another forgettable pale ale and now starting on the Broad Axe Stout (oops, meant to order the Brother Benedicts Bock, not sure I have another in me).  The stout is considerably better (as in more to style, I'm still an hoppy guy) than the pale ale.

This is clearly a popular place, although less crowded on this Thursday than on Monday (big wing special and Monday night football).

No complaints about service at the bar.  I appreciate the free Wifi but am amused by the password protection; it's not a location that would be buried by nearby poachers.

The only real competition I see here in West Des Moines is Rock Bottom, of which I am not a fan.  I did manage to get downtown for a pint at Raccoon River on Tuesday, but I'd already eaten.  Perhaps another time...

To summarize, if I find myself in WDM again, I'd come back but wish for just a step up on the house brews.