11/01/08

Fell short on wedding reception

by abubaseet

We chose a buffet style dinner for our reception. However, a couple of crucial food items we'd requested, namely bread and rice, were absent. One of the appetizers we'd requested be switched out several weeks before was ignored. We actually discovered some of these discrepencies a day or 2 before the wedding, but we were told by the assistant in charge that it was too late to do anything about it. Then when we saw the wedding cake, we were disappointed at how pathetic it looked. It tasted good, but it was nothing like the picture the catering manager showed us it would look like, neither in shape nor in color. The worst part, though, was that numerous guests complained they didn't get enough to eat. A couple of people apparently socialized a little too long and missed out on dinner completely. We heard complaints that the servers were often not at their stations and they ran out of food too quickly and had no replenishments. Many of the wedding party and family got no appetizers, and guests complained that they felt they had to hurry up to get anything to eat. Most people weren't even able to get seconds. I don't believe they had enough food to adequately feed all the guests that were invited. To top it all off, after we brought this to the catering manager's attention a couple of weeks later, he forwarded our complaint on to the owners. Nearly 2 months have passed, and despite several attempts by us to get a response, we've heard nothing from them. We realize now that we probably never will. To be fair, the food was pretty good, and the decor and bar were done very well. But after spending upwards of $10,000 on the catering, one would expect it ALL to be done very well. We expected a lot better service and professionalism. After our experience, I wouldn't recommend the Brass Elephant to anyone for their wedding. It definitely wasn't worth that kind of money to us.

• Pros: Bar, decor
• Cons: bad service, unresponsiveness of management

07/31/08

Not bad, but overrated!

by BaltiMoreFun

A friend and I went here for restaurant week and although the food was pretty good, it's not worth their normal prices. On the plus side our waiter, Lance, was fantastic. Some of the other staff members came off as a little snooty. Our salads came out a bit mushy - as though they had been tossed with the dressing hours before. They were unable to serve the soup without the seafood garnish (shellfish allergy) since the bowls of soup were also made in advance. Our entrees and desserts were nice though.

**I assume the food is prepared fresh to order when there isn't a special event like restaurant week going on, so take this review with a grain of salt.**

• Pros: Ambience, valet parking
• Cons: Value

02/11/08

Courteous service, elegant surroundings, top notch food.

by tattooeddiner

We ate here on a Saturday night, on a weekend when Valentines day fell midweek. In town for a tattoo convention, I choose the BE based on a review listed here. We had know problem obtaining reservations, and were seated promptly apon arrival (note, no one mentioned a dress code, and it is against their policy to seat anyone in jeans. They were VERY cordial, and simply reminded us of the policy for future reference). The decor is impeccable, classic and reserved without being stuffy or pretentious. Service was top notch, and timed perfectly (our server was from Lithuania, and even brought us a book to browse on her homeland). The food was wonderful, from 1st course (salmon "dome" over potato salad for me, proscuto and figs for him) through the 2nd, which was a perfect Ceasar salad with white anchovies, and roasted butternut squash with a jicima and apple salad. Our 3rd course included roast duck over mushroom risotto and pan juice, and a duet of lamb (lamb croquet, which was the only unremarkable dish, and braised lamb chop served over white beans). Everything was beautifully presented, with portions that were neither minute or overwhelming. We finished our evening with drinks from the bar (top shelf of course) and a newly invented dessert of rissoto cooked in dark chocolate and sereved with raspberries and a chocolate "ciggarette" filled with strawberry paste.

All in all an excellent evening at a reasonable price (under $150) Would definatly visit again.

• Pros: Ambience, Service, Food
• Cons: Valet parking only, dress code is more dressy than casual