(CGIU posts are designed for those establishments that failed to satisfy me during my visit, thus,
I think the title serves correct ;o)
In stark contrast to my last post, this establishment got the game allll twisted up. It sucks my first post home is a CGIU but these guys dropped. the. ball. I'm not sure they ever had it to begin with. It was most disappointing since I had been there before for a showcase presented by some colleagues of mine, but remember seeing the establishment in a very different light. Last time, I had high hopes for the Black owned eatery located just outside of Detroit's historic Sherwood Forest neighborhood. This time, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
To add to the list of conflicting signals, when I entered the steamy vestibule of the crowded interior, it was thumping! The dining room was packed with "mid-level bouge" Detroiters dining and vibing to the jazz band playing live in the front corner of the room. They were so overwhelmed with management had placed additional seating in what was (probably) before, open walkway space for passers by. I'm looking around to see some notable city officials and socialites alike, the band is going in and I'm getting excited! It's about to be BANGING. Right?? Why else would all these people be will to wait so long in this hotbox of a vestibule for a seat?
| Chef/Owner Don Studvent (left) and his colleague |
My second visit to 1917 was sponsored by my new job as a Christmas party. This came my second or third week working at my new job back home. After a wait of at LEAST an hour, including having had a reservation for our group set since the week before, we finally were seated in the brightly and messy attic space in what seemed to be their overflow seating area. There was a comfy living room space in the corner but there was no lighting there, making it just a dark corner in a cold, liquorless houseparty-- exactly, where's the fun in that?! To avoid getting in a pissy mood all over again, they took extra long to take our orders, many of the items listed on the menu were not in stock, when our food did arrive it came in pieces, sparsely (I ordered blackened tilapia with garlic mashed and sauteed spinach that was pretty much served as a three course meal). My coworker (older, suave dude with his chest hairs out and a gold chain shining THAT night, lol) who is happily fond of steaks and cigars was outraged at the fact that the medium T-bone he had been craving was boldly delivered a full on well done...I'm sooo not making this up. I wanted to love it...I did! I fought with my bratty little sister to come out to an awkward Christmas party with co-workers I had only just met to get some quality time with the spot and I had only got a sample of before. I had high hopes. But just like that asshole ex-boyfriend, 1917 American Bistro just couldn't cut it *shrug*
