Santana Row

I love this place, but can't afford it. A custom designed, make that, designer designed main street for high-end retail and restaurants. Everyone and everything is beautiful. The restaurants are packed, retailers are busy and the 50 something’s are cruising in their Ferrari's. Not a single cigarette butt can be found and life is good under the trees with a $18 Margarita in hand. I asked a restaurateur last week where all the $6 drinks have gone. He politely asked me if I had been out lately!

Okay, here’s my first review.

The Village California Bistro and Wine Bar. This French-wannabe has a great location and a lot of promise. But, management needs more awareness. Details are everything…

• Seated at a table with no salt and pepper shakers
• Caesar salad with no Caesar dressing or Parmesan cheese
• Cold and hard Au Gratin potatoes…this really sucked and I had to return them
• Empty water glasses...frequently
• No lime wedge with my Tanqueray…that’s just wrong!
• A Tanqueray and tonic in a Tom Collins glass...what's up with that?
  
• Forgetful foodserver
  

Dessert was a terrible, pasty attempt at a Keylime something…and $185 for three of us without wine, it's pricey. But, that's Santana Row - pricey.

Okay, I think I was nice while casually reminding her that she forgot…on numerous occasions, basic table service and had zero eye for quality assurance. Then she said "you guys must eat out a lot, huh."

On the plus side, the food was above par (other than the potatoes…my favorite kind and the sole reason I chose this restaurant) and the floor manager was attentive.

I have three words…focus, training and execution.

**
(out of five)