Veritable Quandary

09/12/09

Food is good, service is ok, watch the bill!

by UltimateFoodLover at Citysearch

So I think the veggie burger is one of the best I have ever had, but why on earth doesn't it come with tomatoes? That is very bizarre to me. I had made a few modifications to the order, so when it came out without tomatoes, I thought maybe they were missing in some confusion. I mean, it is a burger, right? Lettuce and tomato (and maybe onion) is pretty much a universal standard. So I asked to have a side of tomatoes. Ok, I got 2, maybe 3 slices. With the tomatoes, it tasted much better. The side salad though, for a 2 or 3 dollar charge extra, was just greens and dressing. Nothing special and not particularly tasty. The pizza my friend got had figs, prosciutto, onions, brie, and was really good. Overall we were fairly pleased, although we waited a while for a server when we first sat down. But then we got the bill and not only did I pay for the extra salad, which I agreed to, but I was charged 2$ for the tomatoes. No one told me that there was an extra charge. Personally I think it is ridiculous to nickel-and-dime people, especially in this economy, and not even tell them about it. Not to mention that usually if a guest is upset about something, they are willing to maybe forgive the charge "just this once", but I guess its worth it to them to lose a customer over 2$. It's more of the principal of the matter. Don't nickel-and-dime your customers, and don't be deceitful. They could have made this right but they chose to ignore it. Where is the manager at times like these?

• Pros: Amazing Veggie Burger
• Cons: It doesn't come with tomatoes, only a hidden cost!

09/09/09

Great breakfast place

by Elle813 at Citysearch

Excellent food. I always get the Eggs Benedict or the brioche french toast. The french toast is the best I have ever had. I loved the marscarpone, candied nuts, and bananas. The maple syrup was really good, not too sweet. In the summer, sitting outside on the patio with flowers all around you is wonderful. I have been here numerous times on the weekend, and have yet to experience a wait. Guess the parking discourages people venturing downtown on the weekend. Let me tell you, it is worth it.

• Pros: Great food/coffee, outside patio, service, no long waits
• Cons: Downtown parking

06/27/09

Make Mine Mediocre

by commeca at Citysearch

I'm not going to generalize too much because this was the first meal I've had at VQ for three years (because the last one pretty much sucked).

Let me just say that the poached eggs on our Benedicts (three of us) and those of the tables near us were close to hard boiled. We might have ignored that if there had been enough Hollandaise to make the muffins moist. 'There wasn't.

When the waiter came by to ask "how everything was" we told him politely that all the poached eggs were over-cooked. His response was to smile like a doofus and say "I'll pass that along." Fifteen minutes later the table next to us got their Benedficts and echoed our complaint. They got the same goofy smile and the promise that he'd pass along the complaint.

This is Portland, Oregon. Paying $14-16 for brunch should get you something interesting. At Veritable Quandry it gets you the kind of food you'd expect at a casino brunch on the Vegas strip... at a higher price.

• Pros: Great location if you're sitting outside
• Cons: Mediocre food