Elimar Bar and Grill, on Columbia Ave in Lancaster, Pa.

 

Well, we gave them a try. *We* enjoyed ourselves, but it was despite the restaurants best efforts. They seem to have an overall problem with caring about the customer's experience.

We arrived (party of 3 to celebrate a birthday) to be given a table that wobbled. No, not 'wobbled'.... WOBBLED. I'd hazard to guess at least 4" up and down at the edge of the table. A restaurant manager who left that table on the floor might seek a different career. It was ludicrous, and the other folks in the room joined us in laughter under the harsh cold blue of the LED lighting.

We arbitrarily chose a booth as our new table. Plastic table 'cloth', which should be easy to clean. Maybe not, because they hadn't cleaned it. Oh, I'm sure someone took a damp towel to the plastic oasis, but they failed to scrape up the dried and sticky patches. Seriously sticky. As in gluing the paper napkin to the table.

I used one of the extra setups to scrape the table of the worst offenders.

'Rolls' were delivered to the table. I think they were rolls. They might have been what they used to stabilize the wobbly table. Crusty is cool, crunchy is not. Tough, as in being a significant challenge to tear in two. I bounced a couple off the table just for fun. Thwack!

Appetizer, fried calamari. Tasty. Fresh guac was excellent as well.

Two out of three of us ordered salads with dinner. We were saved from critiquing the greens by the simple expedient of their failing to bring them to the table. No salads for us!

I ordered a steak, done medium rare. The steak was attractively grilled, tasted really nice, and was done to an easy medium. Overcooked, but hey... that's about a 60-second difference in cooking. I can let that slide for an inexperienced cook.

I also ordered a sweet potato, seeing attractive images of baked sweet potatoes on the menu. HA! What came on my plate was a deeply overbaked thing about the size of a flattened tennis ball. The crusted dark skin hid a few tablespoons of sweet potato inside.

Our waitress..... bless her heart.

Overall, well, we gave them a try. My opinion is they better rethink their trajectory, as right now it ends in yet another failed restaurant.

*3 alcoholic drinks, 2 appies, 3 entrees, 2 desserts. With tip, just shy of $200.

At that price range I expect nearly flawless atmosphere, presentation, and decent food. Maybe not inspired, but acceptable even if unremarkable. I don't expect perfection, if only because I'm so picky.