Forepaugh's
St Paul, MN 55102-2444
Phone: (651) 224-5606
12/29/2007 Posted by priorlakelisa
My husband and I took his and my parents to dinner here a couple of nights ago. We thought it would be a charming and appropriate place to dine after our tour of the James J. Hill house. Charming is not a word I would use to describe our evening. Instead, words such as freezing, ignored, musty and inedible come to mind. Our reservations were for 5:30 p.m., the first seating. When we entered the chilly room on the first floor, we asked if the heat could be turned up. "Oh, sorry," we were told. "The heat only has two settings: on and off. It's been off all day, and we just turned it on. The room will warm up in a while." Gee, thanks. We were seated by windows, and several of us left our coats on for most of the meal. Our waitress was pleasant, but we saw her only occasionally, with lengthy waits in between. I believe an hour went by between the time we finished our salads until the entrees were served. She came by once to say she didn't know what the hold up was and she was sorry for the wait. Forepaugh's decor reminded me of Norma Desmond, the aging star of the movie Sunset Boulevard: though it surely has seen better days, it has an inflated view of its appeal. The house could use some new wallpaper and a good cleaning. I realize it is a Victorian home, but its owners aren't keeping it up. I think they assume that guests will find it quaint, no matter how infrequently repairs, replacements and cleaning are done. Sorry, but this guest wasn't fooled; the grand old dame is definitely not ready for a close up. Finally, I come to the food -- as much an afterthought in my review as it seems to be for Forepaugh's owners. My pork entree was so tough, I could barey cut, let alone chew, it. The salads were swimming in dressing. My husband's Beef Wellington had some tasteless filler between the poor cut of meat and the pastry. I felt like asking for a discount when the bill came. The next time I want charming, I'll go to W.A. Frost instead.
Pros: At least they have valet parking
Cons: Very slow service, bad food, worn out decor, freezing temps
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