I had been looking forward to eating at La Croix for some time, but could only talk friends into going for Restaurant Week, so be it. We were seated immediately, but then unattended for more than 10 minutes in a near empty restaurant. After putting an order in, we got our wine, but took almost 15 minutes more and three requests to get water to the table. Our server recited the specials so fast we could not hear them, and when asked to clarify something just paused and then asked if we were ready to order without answering the question.
The appetizers were beautiful, but unseasoned, flavorless & tiny. I expected small portions, but my entire first course could have been eaten in one mouthful! My friend's soup arrived covered in peanut butter foam (not listed on the menu) which is especially odd, as peanuts have a very high allergen rate and most places always warn of them in dishes. Bread arrived with the first course, but was stale on the outside and soft on the inside, clearly having been cut & left to sit many hours earlier.
Our entrees arrived and were again beautiful and perfectly cooked. Unfortunately they were also unseasoned and terribly bland. The ravioli were also completely mis-made and incorrectly cooked. Again, many of the items on the plate were not listed on the menu, which is very poor form and has a diner receiving food they may not have ordered if given an honest description. Dessert was forgettable and again tiny.
I was really stunned by the whole meal, and very sad having had huge expectations. The lack of seasoning is one of the most basic errors in a kitchen and really silly at the level of cuisine they supposedly provide. Having servers that do not understand the food they are serving is also a simple training issue and really unforgivable at this level of dining.
I am aware that we were eating from the Restaurant Week menu at a discounted price. RW is designed to give you a sample of a restaurant's food so you will come back again at full price. I have no problem spending fairly tremendous amounts of money on food, but not after a sample like this. I have worked in restaurants in Philly that chose to participate in RW and some that would not. La Croix needs to look at what they do and make a more honest appraisal. Putting out food like this will lose them both customers and reputation in the long run.
Pros: beautifully plated food
Cons: terrible service, dreadful food absurd portions
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