restaurant reviews

Review: Bonefish Grill

Nibbles

In celebration of Todd’s new job we went out to eat a couple of weeks ago and ended up at our local Bonefish Grill (a national chain with locations in 28 states). I say ended up because we were initially going to go to a restaurant that, in the interim, had either closed or relocated since I last thought of them. Bonefish was handy, I’d heard good things, so we went.

Of course, being 7pm on a Saturday night, there was a considerable wait. An hour, expected, but here’s where they earned a few points in my book: In addition to plentiful and comfortable seating and being able to place bar orders while we waited, every 20 minutes a waiter would circulate with a tray of appetizers, toothpicks and napkins. During our hour-and-a-bit wait three different apps came by: their Bang-Bang Shrimp, the Saucy Shrimp and some Bang-Bang Chicken (not on the menu but, according to the manager who was serving it, you could ask for it). We loved the Bang-Bang Shrimp and even ordered one to share when we got to our table. (Imagine my glee when the copycat sauce recipe was listed in the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine!)

The interior of the restaurant was amazing. We couldn’t see the bar for the crush of people still waiting inside but I’ve been told it’s a pretty impressive feature in and of itself. Instead, from our seats in the dining room I saw a fantastic back-lit cut-out mural. It complemented the dimly-lit room and sure-footed wait staff. That’s where one of my larger complaints lie: the waitstaff wear chef’s jackets. I fully admit that I’m sensitive on the use of the title Chef for every other home cook and it’s for the same reason that, having spent two years in Culinary School, I do NOT like waitstaff dressing the part of chef. I’m sure someone just thought it “looked cool” but it irritates me.

Anyway, back to dinner. We’d ordered drinks on the patio–a Mangotini that had a bit too much citrus in it for either of our tastes (but at least was made with fresh mango and not Snapple) and a rum drink whose name escapes me at the moment that was just too much booze, not enough mix. In fact, the entire cocktail menu seemed a little heavy on high-octane drinks. But that’s just one girl’s opinion based on the menu descriptions and the 2 we tried.

The menu itself focuses on a variety of fresh fish grilled and topped with your choice of sauces. For a seafood place, Bonefish Grill offers a variety of other entree options that all sound very good. It was tough to make a choice, honestly, and then we both settled on the Imperial Longfin (tilapia stuffed with seafood and topped with a buttery lemon caper sauce).

First to come out was warm bread served with olive oil and pesto; our waiter listed the ingredients for us and the surprise feature was the use of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) instead of pine nuts. I’m going to have to try that at home, next time, not to mention using pesto for the dipping sauce instead of just herbed olive oil. Next, we both opted for a cup of the corn chowder with lump crab meat. Velvety smooth. A slight crab flavor permeates it but I would guess it’s from stock or a stock base, as the crab meat itself was in the bottom of the cup as a garnish.

Entrees come with your choice of one side and the vegetable of the day. That day the vegetable was a succotash redolent with wood-smoked bacon. It was fresh, tasty and very different from the mushy amalgamation I’ve had under that name in the past. I chose the herbed Jasmine rice as my side, Todd the potatoes au gratin. Both came on the plate obviously from a portion scoop like this was some sort of cafeteria lunch. My rice was a little over minted but otherwise fine, Todd’s first bite of potatoes was raw though that did appear to be an aberration. It was also apparent that the au gratin was portioned then topped with the breadcrumbs and cheese before a moment under a broiler or some such. An… interesting way to do things.

The fish itself was very tasty–unless you tasted a bit that was without sauce or filling. The unadorned tilapia was just that: unseasoned and uninspiring. But the sauce was absolutely lovely, not too heavy on the capers, and paired nicely with the seafood stuffing. Another major point in Bonefish’s favor were the realistic portion sizes. Usually a stuffed fish dish is gargantuan, way too much food, not to mention grouper is the stuffed fish of choice for most restaurants I’ve been in. So I guess that’s two points.

Overall we enjoyed our experience. The bill came to $61 including tip (but not including the bar tab). I’ve got my eye on the Fontina Chop for a future visit and, of course, more of those Bang-Bang Shrimp.

Chef’s Sampler 2010

Nibbles

As I write this I am literally and figuratively digesting a few dozen restaurants that we just sampled at the Children’s Home Society’s 25th Annual Chef Sampler. We’ve attended these a few times in the past (my company used to do the printing so I was able to go to one or two many years ago and then Todd and I went last year for the first time together) and it’s always been a foodie highlight. This year…

First a few disappointments. After searching for a parking space at the AMC end of Tallahassee Mall we finally get in and up to the counter to find that you cannot purchase tickets at this entrance. No, you have to drive to the opposite end of the Mall and enter near Guitar Center. Ugh! The door is being held open by a politician stumping for votes in the upcoming City Commissioners race. Finally, there are lines out the wazoo, going every which way, it seems,  and no real order to be found.

On the up side, it’s the most crowded I’ve *ever* seen one of these events which is great for the Society but there was also a much more casual air among the attendees and there were several children running around. At the risk of sounding elitist–it just wasn’t what we’ve come to expect from this sort of event.

But enough of that, let’s get on to the food!

University Center Club
A variety of desserts including a delectable mini pecan pie and some peanut butter brownies/bars that Todd (who does not like peanut butter) unknowingly picked up. They also had some crab cakes served over an apple(green and red)-cabbage slaw; the slaw was tasty, the crab cake tasted like it’d been frozen and reheated.

Anthony’s Wood Fire Grill
(Opening this March in the Veranda’s at Market Square) Dick Anthony, previously of Anthony’s Italian Restaurant, is making another go at thingswith his Wood Fire Grill. We were able to sample their Seafood Gumbo (very dark brown, light on favor, rather boring) and Shrimp and Grits (lots of spice but also a great flavor, the grits were very creamy and even Todd liked them! Unfortunately, the shrimp had it’s tail still on–forkable shrimp should not have tails).

the Melting Pot
Ah, fondue! You really can’t go wrong with chocolate fondue served with angel food cake, marshmallows and other tasty tidbits.

On the Border
The popular Mexican chain had a line an absolute mile long. The reason? Apparently they were serving a very full buffet. Having eaten there before and not primarily interested in a chain restaurant, we skipped it.

Harry’s Seafood
With one of the larger displays, this is a regional chain specializing in Louisiana cuisine and a favorite of ours. They were serving Chicken Baton Rouge (light on the tomatoes with chunks of cream cheese and chicken, good balance of spices), Jambalaya (could have been spicier but tasty), Corn and Crab Chowder (thick, rich,with good flavor) and Shrimp and Grits (these grits were cheesy, studded with corn and peppers and quite tasty and the shrimp were appropriately tailless).

Andrew’s 228/Andrew’s Bar & Grill
Penna a la Vodka and Ham and Cheese on Rye Soup! Cheese soup with chunks of ham and well seasoned with caraway Seeds–simply amazing. The vodka sauce was very thin, watery and, according to Todd, rather bland. How unfortunate!

Cabell’s American Bar and Grill
Crab cakes with cajun tartar sauce (definitely an improvement over UCC’s, very tasty, lots of crab and the sauce was spicy and creamy and a nice pair to the cakes) and Sliced roast beef which was very tasty if a little difficult to eat as your walking along balancing a plate on your program on a cup, using one’s chest to balance the whole bit.

Applebee’s
Queso Blanco & Chips, Fiesta Lime Chicken, Margarita Chicken–we skipped this stand because we’ve eat at Applebee’s enough to not want to eat there when there are so many other options.

Tijuana Flatts
Hot sauces glore! Sweet Chili, Habanero, and Jalapeno. The Sweet Chili would be excellent over cream cheese with crackers, the Habanero (according to Todd) was proclaimed WAY too hot, and the Jalapeno was actually a bit bitter. hey also had some chicken quesadillas and seemed to be making burritos farther down the line but we opted to skip those.

Wakulla Springs State Park
We didn’t make it all the way down to their end of the sampler, it was just too crowded. Last year they had some tasty offerings, though (a braised beef and a chicken dish).

SouthWood Golf Club
Serving a tossed salad seems at once novel and foodhardy at the same time. Needless to say, we passed by their offerings and moved on to the next table.

Lucy & Leo’s Cupcakery
A charming display included photos of the (presumed) namesake pups and served up Red Velvet and Chocolate Espresso cupcakes. The red velvet was, unfortunately, a bit dry and lacked that hint of chocolate that should be present. It’s hard to screw up a chocolate cupcake, of course, but it didn’t have nearly the coffee flavor I was expecting outside of the chocolate-covered espresso bean. Still, a cupcake shop that loves dogs deserves another view–we’ll have to check them out in their home location at some point in the not-t0-distant future.

Catering Capers
Tuscan chicken salad (which was a little too heavy on the dried oregano, but otherwise creamy and tasty), Pesto Lime Shrimp (it had a tail! Ugh! It’s hard enough to juggle everything but trying to clean oily pesto off your fingertips is another downside of thoughtless cooks serving tail-on shrimp in sauces to wandering guests!) and Asian Meatballs (tasted like your basicsweedish meatball and not very “Asian” at all–and it was the last of the pot so you’d think the flavors would have been more concentrated than not!). Altogether uninspiring. Though I’m quite capable of doing all my own catering, there’s is not a service I’d use even if I wasn’t.

Sunny Days Bakery
Here was an idea I would not have come up with on my own: peppermint fondant over a red velvet cake. The cake was moist and did have the chocolate flavor that is customary–I liked it, Todd wasn’t as impressed.

Piggy’s Barbecue
Sweet Potato casserole was very tasty with a pronouced sweetness from molasses? maple syrup? rum? not sure but it was good. Somehow we missed the corn casserole but we each ended up with beef or pork–the sad thing it was tough to tell which was which! That’s probably not such a good sign. After further reflection I think I had thebbq brisket which was fairly tasty and Todd had the pork which was a little on the dry side.

Trail Break Cafe
Turky and Swiss on flatbread, sort of quesadilla-like, but it wouldn’t be a bad light lunch when you’re spending the day out at the Junior Museum (technically the Tallahassee Museum of History andNatural Sciences, but to those of us who’ve lived here long enough, it remains the Jr Museum!).

Peterbrooke Chocolatier
This chain opened up on the North side of town a year or so ago and does a pretty decent job of coating all sorts of things in chocolate (potato chips, anyone?). Tonight they had chocolate-covered strawberries (amazing!), chocolate-covered popcorn (which Todd found too salty) and cocoa-dusted fudge (which, in hind sight, is probably meant to be a truffle but, whoa, was that cocoa more than a dusting–do not inhale!).

Carrie Ann & Co
CA&C know desserts. I remembered their Punch Bowl cake from last year and it is to DIE for! It’s basically a trifle with layers of yellow cake, strawberries, pineapple pieces and fresh, sweet whipped cream. Yum! They also had their wonderful buttercake cookies, Kahlua brownies (a nutty cookie bottom, fudgy brownie layer, creamy Kahlua layer and topped with a layer of ganache), truffles, lemon curd tarlets (the blueberry tartlets, Todd said, tasted canned–a pity!) and other yummies.

Granddaddy’s Barbeque
Baked Beans and Brunswick Stew were tried by Todd. The verdict: the beans had a nice, smoky flavor and the Stew looked a lot like a vegetable soupwith bits of barbecue instead of stew meat but was very well seasoned. The barbecue pork sandwiches were quite tasty. According to the nice young men serving them up it’s smoked in Old Hickory smokers for 12 hours a day, every day. Very tasty. The house sauce, which Todd tried, was apparently unremarkable, but the quality of the meat and sides makes up for it.

Tomato Cafe & Tea Room
(In)Famous for their “rainbow cake” we passed over this table having tried it last year and were unimpressed (it’s basically food-colored cake batter combinedhelter-skelter–might be good for kid’s parties but not much else, I’m afraid). They also had small packets of tea you could take with you, so that was nice.

Roly Poly
Wraps, wraps and more wraps. I did not try them because I have a grudge against them: they have one of the more annoying jingles I’ve *ever* heard and it was playing incessantly on the station I set my clock-radio to. Just goes to show: your jingle may make you memorable, but not always for the right reasons. Still, Todd does not quite hold the grudge that I do and tried the Philly Melt they had out (the only thing left on their table and we were only halfway through theallotted time of the sampler)–I wasn’t missing much. It was heavy on green pepper compared to the beef or cheese.

Bella Bella
Pasta al Forno was all gone, no bubble bread this year, but we did snag some Sangria as we passed. Can’t go wrong there!

Barnacle Bills
Fresh-shucked oysters on the half shell with a variety of toppings. I prefer mine plain and it was just amazing. Can’t get enough fresh oysters for this girl! They also had their smoked seafood dip out for sampling but it was a little on the fishy side, tonight–not the best representation as I’ve had it before and it was better. They were also serving up margaritas in generous portions–bless you! It was so verydelish and was great to wash down the next few tables.

Hobbit American Grill
A local chain specializing in a variety of quick, good foods like sandwiches, salads, subs and wings. They had some subs out but that was way too much bread for this time of night and a couple types of wings available. We tried their Fiesta Ranch wings and were pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Messy as all get out and way too tough to eat in this setting, butdelish none the less. I usually go for their garlic Parmesan wings but these I would order, too!

Masa/AZU Lucy Ho’s Restaurant
We caught this table JUST as it was running out of sushi. Grabbed the last plate to split and had a piece of California Roll and one Fried Shrimp roll. Not bad, but I think I’d want to try them at their shop before I’d give them any sort of real review.

Krispy Kreme
What can you say about those truly amazing doughnuts? And what was I thinking picking up a chocolate-glazed cream one? It may besacrilege, but I had to toss the last bit of it–should have stuck to a doughnut hole for my fix, lol. Serious, if you’ve never had the chance to try a Krispy Kreme doughnut, you really should at your earliest opportunity.

Stinky’s Fish Camp
Horrible name, in my opinion, but they sure served up an amazing bread pudding with caramel sauce! Apparently these guys started in Santa Rosa Beach and have just opened a spot in Cross Creek. Good to know! I’m definitely curious to see how the rest of their menu compares to their dessert!

Cabo’s Island Bar and Grill
Chili and crab cakes! Todd proclaimed the chili rich and meaty, lots of cumin (maybe a touch too much) but could have used a bit more tomato for his liking. The crab cake was almost all crab, which isn’t necessarily bad, but I do enjoy something more than a loose batter binding it together. This is a fun place, though, just don’t go in wearing a tie after 5pm 😉

PoBoy’s Creole Cafe
We just got our oyster poboy fix at their northside location not 2 weeks ago so were happy to see them out at the Sampler serving up bayou gumbo.  The gumbo was a bit too heavy (maybe getting down to the bottom of the dish?) and way too spicy–more heat than flavor, which was disappointing. We washed it downwith the last of the margaritas from Barnacle Bill’s.

Angellete’s Cajun Kitchen
(in SouthWood–no website that I could find) Another place serving up gumbo (chicken and sausage) and shrimp & grits. The gumbo was not too thick or too dark, but had a smoky flavor that I didn’t expect. Still, it was very tasty and, possibly, the best of the night for what it’sworth. The shrimp (no tails! yay!) and grits featured lots of fresh veggies–onions, tri-color peppers–and a light broth compared to the heavier sauces of other places. Unfortunately their grits were white and gluey–the exact type of grits that make a Nebraskan like Todd dislike grits. Such a shame! But that shrimp over, say, Anthony’s or Harry’s grits and I’d be in love!

Romano’s Macaroni Grill
Probably the best single display of the night, they had a variety of marinated olives and tomatoes as well as some chocolatey cake with chocolate sauce and nuts that was very moist.

Japanica Steakhouse
Featuring a grill chef with flames leaping from his hat and mouth(!) we didn’t get to taste any of the food they may have been serving earlier in the evening but we did try some Sake that was much better than the Pearl Sake we’d had another time.

Drink services were provided by Coca-Cola Tallahassee, Cone Distributing (beer), Community Coffee, Premier Wine and Southern Wine & Spirits. Other restaurants that were listed in the program that were either out of food by the time we reached their table or just didn’t see for whatever reason were Another Broken Egg Cafe, Famous Dave’s, Hats Off to Food, Killearn Country Club, Marie Livingston’s Texas Steakhouse, Shane’s Rib Shack and Shula’s 347 Grill.

And there you have it. Todd probably summed it up best when he mentioned, as we were leaving, that it was a bit of a disappointment compared to last year. Whether it was the promoters catering to a different demographic or just the lack of originality in the offerings (seriously–4 gumbos, 3 crab cakes and 3 shirmp & grits in one building?) it makes us think twice about going next year and paying $50 a person to be herded like cattle through a noisy, crowded mall.

The Melting Pot

Nibbles

Though a fairly popular chain of restaurants now, the first Melting Pot opened in 1975 in Maitland, Florida, with the first franchise following in Tallahassee, four years later. Since that time they’ve spread across the Unites States and will be crossing the US-Canada border in 2010 with 2 locations already in the works. If you haven’t tried out your local fondue hot-spot, maybe now would be a good time to give it a whirl?

Reservations are highly recommended, but not required. We’ve done it both ways and the wait’s not usually too long but we’ve also opted to eat in the bar area (aside from cozier booths, it’s really no different than being in the main restaurant. Keep in mind, though, dinner is a several-hour affair so plan accordingly.

The basic order of a full meal at the Melting Pot goes like this: you choose the type of cheese fondue you want from half a dozen choices which is then mixed in front of you. With the cheesy goodness comes assorted cubes of bread, raw veggies and apple slices which you then dip into the cheese and nibble on while enjoying the company of your dinner companion(s) and maybe sampling something from the bar. They’ll bring you more dippers if you run out or have a particular favorite.

The salad course is optional, but it’s also quite tasty and you really don’t have to worry about filling up on it because the length of dinner allows you to graze without over-filling yourself. When Todd and I were there, the waiter actually had an issue with our cheese mix–turns out the water level of the pot had dropped too low and wasn’t producing enough steam to melt everything together–so the salad course helped bide our time until the second chance at the cheese fondue had a chance to melt.

You can order your main course a la carte, with options for single meats or combinations, shared dinners for 2 or a larger “Big Night Out” feast. We like the latter because you tend to get a little bit of everything but there’s usually 3 different options even within that range. Your cooking style options include a number of flavored broths or oil. Our favorite part of dinner on our first visit was the Butternut Squash ravioli but, unfortunately, it’s a seasonal entree only and we’re currently not in season. But nothing is really bad here. The meats come out arranged nicely on a platter, cut in bite-sized chunks to promote quick, even cooking and your meal is totally guided by your own pace. Several sauces are served with the main course and a separate place, with wells for each sauce, are provided for the cooked meats and veggies.

Dessert is where they really shine, though. I mean, who can resist chocolate fondue!? Again, there are several mixes to choose from and some even feature a bit of flambe action. The dessert place is really something to see with cubes (as well as a separate slice) of cheesecake, fresh strawberries and bananas, different types of marshmallows, brownies and rice crispy-treat cubes that are great on their own or liberally slathered in chocolate. Many people I know have stopped in after a night out just for the dessert fondue and nothing else.

Now, I won’t lie, dinner here isn’t exactly cheap: a full meal for 2, with all the courses, is routinely $100 or more, especially if you add in cocktails or after-dinner drinks. But the experience is certainly worth the splurge. And, ladies, check your local Melting Pot for details, but on the last Wednesday of each month, a ladies-only table gets you a 3-course fondue dinner for $28 a person and THAT is a steal.

Ray’s Steel City Saloon

Nibbles

In the building that once housed a Godfather’s Pizza (high school years) and a Mexican restaurant (college years) now exists a bit of Pittsburgh transplanted to the South. Or at least that’s what the inside cover of the menu says.

One Friday night Todd & I decided to give them a try and while we expected a little bit of a wait (it was 7pm on a Friday night, after all) we didn’t expect to stand in the entry for fifteen minutes with hostess and waitstaff passing us by, refusing to even make eye contact and acknowledge our, or anyone else’s, presence. Not the best introduction.

Eventually we were seated and presented with the drink menu which comes in the form of a very busy paper place mat. One of the selling points of Ray’s is the extensive beer selection featuring all sorts of micro brews and specialty beers. I’m not a beer aficionado but I do enjoy a good brew so I wanted to try something interesting. Unfortunately, the menu leaves a lot to be desired unless you know your way around IPAs, Ales, Lagers and Stouts. The beers are arranged by price and could benefit, at the very least, with some sort of legend or key for the uninitiated. Better yet, if they were arranged by style, people might have a better chance of picking something new to try but in a category they know they’re familiar with. Something like a “If you like ______, you might like these.” Help your customers broaden their horizons, don’t overwhelm them or make them feel cheap by choosing something from the $4 category.

For the record, I ordered a Honey Weiss something, it was okay, but still not what I was really looking for.

Then we got into the main menu. Which is 16 pages long. Half pages, sure, but even full-size, 8 pages worth of menu is WAY too long. Again, we’re back to too much, poorly organized and potentially overwhelming to the clientele. Also included in the story section of the menu is a bit about their French bread being flown in a baked fresh daily. Really? Flown in? Considering it’s not an integral part of their menu, nor do they serve bread and butter with every entree, what’s the big deal about flown-in bread dough? It’s sounds like a lot of hype and even if it’s true, it just makes me think that they’re paying extra for an unnecessary perk. Plus, while some vegetarians do include eggs and dairy in their diet, it’s probably not the best move to mark the Coral Gables Crab Burger or Asian Tuna & Calamari as vegetarian entrees.

We ordered the Key West “Konk” Fritters as an appetizer and were a little surprised to be served something that more resembled hush puppies. The texture was somewhat dry and mealy with an aftertaste that we couldn’t quite place. Moving on to entrees, my Chesapeake Chicken Pot Pie came topped with a tower of puff pastry that had slumped over and eclipsed the dish it was in (one word: docking). The “grilled chicken” showed no sign, or flavor, of ever seeing a grill and the entire thing needed something akin to a flavor. The next day, warmed up, with salt and pepper it was decent, but not worth $16 and the “made to order” wait entailed. Todd’s Open Faced Jacked-Up Stuffed Meatloaf was more of a mouthful on the menu than on the plate. Certain bites had flavor but it was a rather confusing entree. At least the onion rings were decent.

In the spirit of fairness, we did go back at the request of Mom, who wanted to give it a try and, well, it was Mother’s Day weekend and her choice.  We were seated much faster but not served any quicker (mid-afternoon it was a few 4-or-under-tops and 2 larger parties). In addition, the waitress spilled water on the floor while refilling our glasses (non-carpeted, so very slip-prone) and no one cleaned it up until I snagged another passing waitress to point it out. Oblivion rules, so be forewarned.

At least the food was better, this time, of course we were given the dinner menus and Mom happened to pick the one thing that wasn’t really served until dinner (Pittsburgh Steak Salad), but they ended up letting her order it anyway. It was a good thing, too, since (even with fries on the salad) the New York Strip slices were very tender and probably the highlight of the lunch. My Yenta Yacht Club was passable (it’s tough to screw up a club, though I do prefer mine with a tad more schmear) and Todd’s Grandma Dulin’s Dog looked absolutely atrocious on the plate but was, apparently, tasty.

Overall, I think if they dropped a bit of the hype (ditch the fly-in and understand that we EXPECT things to be homemade without being told every other entree), streamlined their menu and expected more from their servers, it might be worth going back. Until then, I’ll keep missing the Mexican place that once was (they had the _best_ Taco Salad).

Julie’s Place

Nibbles

A Tallahassee institution for almost as long as I’ve been alive, Julie’s Place is well known as a spot for a nice meal in a relaxed setting. I’ve been there several times over the years, going back to a pre-prom dinner in the early 90s followed by banquets, meetings, and several dates. It’s been almost 20 years since that first visit and, unfortunately, the years haven’t been kind to this aging grand dame of the Tallahassee culinary landscape.

An early-evening mid-week dinner about a month ago showed a few flaws in the decor–fading carpets, stained ceiling tiles, a musty smell in the lobby and the like–but the curved banquettes are still a delightful throw-back to an earlier age. The menu is what you would expect from a steakhouse with a fair amount of variety to be had. Being in a comfort food mood we ordered the potato skins appetizer which was actually more potato than skin with just broiled cheese and chopped bacon on top–it really needed some salt at the very least (even the bacon was lackluster in the taste department).

The salads came and I was really impressed with the Citrus Lemon Cream dressing–so much so that I tried to find a reasonable facsimile for a recent party. Todd’s steak and my shrimp came out well-prepared though I must confess my continued peeve of restaurants that serve shrimp, especially those pre-sauced, tail on. It’s one thing as a passed appetizer in place of a toothpick but any place that provides a knife and fork really should forgo the tails. And, once again, almost everything on the plate needed salt. While spice is definitely a matter of personal preference, habitual under-salting is a sign of a careless chef (or that you’re dining in a hospital cafeteria).

My hope for this long-time establishment is that the management will be able to give Julie’s Place a bit of a face lift and, perhaps, a bit more flavor.