A wet, kraut-drenched, cold Grilled Rueben sandwich?
All you foodies out there. I am sure this next blog will make you want to put the fork down and head to the next eatery.
This local pub has plenty of visitors during the day and early evening and it is situated a stones through from the city courthouse and a small town theatre that is a good solid venue for old has beens or holiday showings of A Christmas Carol. It's busy and loud, which is ok, most anything is acceptable when the service provided is solid and consistent.
I have cocktailed and dined at this local spot probably a dozen times. We would typically revisit after a lengthy interval, after we forget how mediocre the establishment is and have hopes of a better experience. (sigh)
This pub is Olivers Pourhouse, http://oliverspourhouse.com/ located directly behind Westmoreland County Courthouse.
December 21, 2018. We arrived approx 7:15pm. We ordered a few cocktails while conversing with other early night outers. I most always strike up conversation (if able and approachable) about the menu, what they had eaten, or have tried. I form visions of what my meal may be just by watching and listening to the others opinions. I listen carefully with hopes to find another foodie and not just your average "everything is delicious" kind of diner.
We decided to give it a go about an hour into our libation quest. We discuss options with our server, inquire about their own favorite item on the menu also. We finally landed on a starter, a cup pierogie soup (a burg thing). The flavor, was missing depth. If I were to guess, it basically consisted of a cream base with potato pearls for thickening, dumpling noodles, cheddar cheese sprinkled on the top. It needed a bit more salt, a pinch of nutmeg and I think a dollop of sour cream and diced carmelized onions. The little things that layer flavor and leave an impression. It was ok and I would say 4.5 out of 10.
We then ordered an appetizer, spinach artichoke dip with wanna be toast points, was not toast points, it was bread and again as a reminder, the little spots of flavor and texture is what builds the creation. Then he ordered a steak quesadilla and I landed on the Grilled Rueben, since it was a go to menu item as per our server, I opted on a tossed salad and creamy blue cheese dressing instead of potatoes. I do have to mention at this point, I was so hungry, it was a long day and hadn't really eating since the early morning. She brings out my tossed salad. Which was not tossed. It was a bed of iceburg, one tomato wedege, one bermuda onion circle and a hard boiled egg wedge. The last time I had eaten a salad at Olivers, it was made with more love. I almost asked for a few croutons and cheese but at this point in the evening, the server bartenders are MIA therefore I also waited 15 min to get a refreshed beverage. So anyways, I am 3 bites into my simple salad and here she comes out with the spinach dip. I did think, hmm, I wanted to finish my salad first. But on my 4th bite of salad here she comes with my Grilled Rueben. All of this food was set in front of our overwhelmed pieholes. In almost an instant my appetite had shut down, my second thought was that the Rueben will be wet and cold by the time I can get to it, and I felt an immediate irritation. We didn't want to hurry our meals, we enjoy taking our time, creating an occasion when we dine. Enjoying courses, beverages and conversation. I could have exited at that very moment to go elsewhere to conclude our Friday night dinner.
So anyways, I summoned over one servers and handed her the plate, and said, this should not have come out while I am still eating my first course, she took the plate with a confused look of not understanding a common fact in food serving. Makes me want to cry. Educate your staff people, it pays off! Then one of the managers is near I call him over, he has been there for a long time, can't recall his name, Chris, Scott, bald, It doesn't matter. He is a slightly above average for conflict resolution only on the surface, all talk sorta. He assure I would be served the best rueben and he apologized, ya da ya da ya da. I finished my salad, took one bite of the spinach dip and she asks do you want your sandwich now? I said whatever. I was pretty terse.
The Rueben, which I had thought, ok, the manager said he was going to make the sandwich to perfection, I believed he would. But sadly, it was as wet and soggy as one would expect from a reuben that has been sitting, the kraut not rinsed, the cornbeef was a "deli" corn beef. Those of you that really love your Ruebens. Slow roast a raw corned beef brisket, chill, shave it thin and pile it high. It has such an amazing flavor of freshness and it won't turn rubbery. Which happens when eateries don't take their time and roast off a corn beef brisket. I prepare that at my work and it is loved by all and more cost effective.
I was entirely disappointed in the situation and service. We left 3/4 of the spinach dip uneaten and 3/4 of my wet rueben uneaten. I didn't and wouldn't request a bill adjustment, that would be up to the managers at the Olivers last evening and I think he was in a hurry to leave. So we paid our bill and even tipped accordingly, but thumbs down my friends. I can only hope that in 2019 restaurant owners set the standards a littler higher and monitor monitor monitor.
In closing my foodie friends, take a moment to mention to any server you encounter, remind them of how you would like your courses to be served. We can not count on them knowing the rule of thumb, sadly enough. In my informal opinion, the only acceptable venue to have all of your food served at once is a Tapas bar, and there is a great one right down the road called Head Keepers, fantasic tapas menu and so many beer choices.
This establishment has a sister facility about 2 miles away it is a Hibachi place, kitchen is dirty and I truly won't eat there again. The "dumplings" frozen, the Miso is only beef broth, The cost of food is rising and the quality is decreasing immensely, Robokyo. I took my grandaughters there a few weeks ago, $90 for 3 small children that split a meal and me, no alcoholic beverage.
Till our next bite, peace out and Happy Holidays
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