We went there by boat last Friday and were totally satisfied with the food and service. It is certainly different than other local restaurants and Top Shelf. Hope they reopen next year.
disastrous in every way. surly and haughty and inattentive wait staff. the "pan-fried haddock" that was substituted for the sole listed on the menu was deep-fried with a pasty batter and, worse, it was still partially frozen and water poured out when the fish was cut. when we complained our waitress simply said "she would get the story" and took our plates. soon she returned and plopped our plates back in front of us and said the water was not water but a lemon butter sauce for the corn that accompanied the dish and that the haddock had been fried in about an inch of oil so it wasn't deep fried. we insisted the dish was inedible and we said we would share the $35 ribeye instead. the waitress never apologized nor did she show any interest in making sure the second experience was better, never bothering to ask how we would like the steak cooked. in the end, there was nothing special about the piece of fatty beef to warrant the rich price tag. we had to constantly flag our waitress down to ask if we could have more of the wine we brought and at one point had to inquire if we indeed had any left. for that privilege, we were asked to pay a $10 corkage fee. when we said we weren't interested in the root-beer float for dessert the waitress offered she thought it was a lousy choice for dessert and that it had made her feel "root-beery" when she tried it. the tiny place was not full and the menu is limited so it was difficult to understand why the food takes so long to prepare and why so much waitstaff is required, especially when they seem to have no interest in working. we couldn't get an answer when we called earlier in the day for a reservation and the place was deserted in the afternoon when we swung by hoping to make a reservation in person.
this place is all about pretension and chez panisse should be embarrassed to be connected with this outfit. 
Went there tonight. EXCELLENT food, well considered and thought-out. One of the few healthy places around. One of the few places where one can boat in, which we did.
Brand new liquor license, so there's wine & beer. Delicious, locally-grown food . . . really, really good.
Thanx, Lauren, et al.
Posted by: jo at September 24, 2010 08:28 PMAnnisquam lobster market -
nice folks; great location; chip-shop food at ritz prices. Plus a $10.- cork fee.
There's cooking, in the techincal sense (heat is applied to some food items in hopes of improving their digestibility) but there is NO cooking of the creative, thoughtful, interesting combining of food items. With the chefs' alleged 5 years' cooking at chez panisse, we expected (alot) more than cabbage with undercooked lobster and two tiny small red potatoes.
I could go on - but I won't bother and neither should you.
/foodfan
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