chez
–preposition French .
at or in the home of; with.
gaud·y
Pronounced as: [gaw-dee]
–adjective, gaud·i·er, gaud·i·est.
cheaply showy in a tasteless way; flashy, garish
“Hidden on the Hill” is the motto of Chez Gaudy and so, in making my way there, I was expecting that there would be a subtle homage to irony buried in the name. The idea that they would be a ridiculous manifestation of the name was not immediately apparent. The place was pretty horrible.
Long ago, my Grandfather had a comment about restaurants that I really liked that has stuck with me – “If you go to a place that sells everything, they probably don’t do any of it well.” Although the reference was to Kosher Deli and explaining to me why they didn’t carry a particular dish; I have felt that was an important thing to remember. Such is one problem with Chez Gaudy. Although advertized as an Italian restaurant (albeit with a French name), their menu contains items from Greece, Spain, French and Israel. Each is sub-par.
Another good indication that this restaurant is a non-starter is the fact that they (seriously) have a half-priced wine night. Too bad the price of the food is so inflated so as to be almost laughable. The food is ridiculously overpriced for the value. If you have an inclination towards any of their food, I would challenge you to go find a gourmet frozen food dish at the local market and compare. You'd be surprised to find that the Michelina's Budget Gourmet for $1.50 was better than your $15 main course. My lasagna that they challenged was “better than momma makes” was indeed not as good as Stouffer’s.
The servers were helpful and nice, but not very knowledgeable about food (clearly the kitchen staff had to be similarly inclined). To me, having a serving staff be conversant in the cuisine is a must. If I wanted someone to give me idle chitchat with cat-saucer depth before saying “everything here is good (giggle)” and serving something I could make better myself I would go to TGI Fridays.
This is indeed the hipster version of TGIF’s. The cocktails are far more expensive than anything else on the West side of Capitol Hill. The decor was intriguing—truly gaudy—from which they take their name. There were no table settings, reclaimed furniture, pop-gothic accents and a super-emo soundtrack. I'd recommend a pass, unless you’re in for a spectacle. In which case I say you go for half-priced wine night and order nothing else.
| < Anterior | Siguiente > |
|---|
