Kat's 9 Lives

I have been to Mr. Stox once because they offer buy one get one free coupons. Since there was another dining deal, Open Table Dining Stimulus, I decided to come back again. I debated for a long time on which restaurant I would go to and since I remembered that this place was not too bad so we came again. At first I was really annoyed that we had to pay for parking when it isn't even in a nice area. I was tempted to find parking elsewhere but my Mom forced me to park. That was already minus 1 point and then when we entered they lost another! The lady was on the phone and completely ignored us. Sure she was helping someone else on the phone, but shouldn't she or someone near by check that people are waiting to be seated? I waited for a while before someone else came and finally were seated. The night did not start off well.
So why would I still like this place? Well we were seated and the server was pretty friendly. I asked for the OTDS menu and found out that they offered a 4-course meal for $35 instead of 3. The service was a bit slow to take the order but once everything was set it went smoothly. My glass never hit empty, which was nice. They brought out a nice assortment of breads. Maybe I was hungry, but I thought the bread was pretty good. We both got the Lobster Bisque to start. It's a warm and silky Lobster Bisque with Glazed Cream. I loved their Croutons on top of the soup. As for the soup itself, it was a little one-dimensional in flavor. There were bits of lobster inside the soup. I wish it had a stronger Sherry kick to make the soup more flavorful.
For the Salad course we both got the Caesar Salad. It's crisp Romaine Lettuce, Homemade Croutons, and a Zesty Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette. I never thought I would live anchovies but it was something extra in the salad. The dressing was delicious and the vegetables were fresh. Their croutons are really good and flavorful. I really enjoyed this salad and it is rare for me to compliment something filled with vegetables! The fresh ground Pepper only enhanced the taste.
I chose Prime Rib for my main course. It's slow roasted aged Angus Prime Rib of Beef au jus with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables. The meat came out beautifully and cooked nicely. I thought some parts of the cut was a little dry but some were super tender and flavorful. The potatoes and vegetables were a little forgettable but the flavor of the meat made up for it. I asked for fresh Horseradish that gave the meat an extra kick.
My Mom chose the Salmon. It's Mesquite Grilled Salmon in a Basil Sauce served with Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, and Baby Carrots. Again, the veggies and mashed potatoes were forgettable. The salmon was decent but it needed a pinker center. Regardless of everything else, I LOVED IT! There must be some drug in the basil sauce because it was delicious! I didn't think the salmon was cooked well but I wanted more! The sauce had a slight sweet taste and just popped in my mouth. Once I get my coupon, I will definitely come back for more of that sauce!
The last time I was here, I had their Crème Brûlée and it was pretty good. So for my dessert I had to get it once again. Their specialty is that there are Seasonal Berries embedded inside and some on top of the Candied Lid. The presentation was cute inside an angled bowl. I thought the Crème Brûlée was pretty good and flavorful. I think the flavor was only enhanced by the delectable burnt sugar.
I chose the Chocolate Gâteau as the other dessert to try something new. It's a Rich Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with a Chocolate Glaze. The cake had a nice texture and was super rich. It was sweet and velvety.
All in all the food was good and a great value. I thought the service was pretty friendly inside the dining room. The salad was good and the basil sauce was fantastic! It was a pleasant dinner for just the right price. Maybe I had low expectations, but the place turned out to be a lot better than I expected. Whenever I get my coupons again, I will be back again to try something other dishes along some old favorites. I love Crème Brûlées and the one served here actually ranks in my top 10, so I definitely will be back! ^_^

Mr. Stox