Omnivore - Back to the Depot

We revisited The Depot on Memorial Drive Sunday night. I’d heard that the restaurant, which recently won an award for its architectural design, had added a menu of specials.

I gotta say it was a strange experience. The place was deserted except for a few tables. My guess is that its main business Sunday is its brunch. I did find it odd, though, that at 8 p.m. we were given the brunch menu.

Our food was so-so and kind of retro. I ordered the day’s omelet, stuffed with fajitas and topped with guacamole and a salsa. It was fine, but really did remind me of the ’80s, especially because of the harsh “Mexican” seasoning used. Wayne ordered another special — tilapia over risotto. There were also two jumbo scallops wrapped in undercooked bacon on the plate. Tilapia was actually a substitute for the salmon that the specials board described. Again, flavor was okay, but I find $22 for a hunk of tilapia too costly.

Our main problem was the service. It was unbelievably slow. We liked our server, but she was absolutely clueless about anything on the menu and disappeared for lengthy periods, returning only to say, “Your food is almost ready.” It finally arrived after a good 20-minute wait.

The Depot has great ambiance but, if our Sunday night experience was exemplary, it needs some serious improvements.