Lunch report from McCormick & Schmick's: There were four of us, so we each ordered something different (appetizer, entree, and dessert). Appetizers: mixed green salad with walnuts and blue cheese; Kumamato and Malpeque oysters; popcorn shrimp with Cajun remoulade; and steamed black mussels with white wine, tomatoes and herbs. Entrees: roasted Alaskan salmon with berry sauce; grilled trout with prosciutto, sage and roasted shallots; fettuccini with bay scallops, rock shrimp and garlic cream; Oregon Petrale sole with a Parmesan crust and lemon caper butter. Desserts: truffle cake with raspberry sauce; upside down walnut apple pie with cinnamon ice cream; mixed berry creme brulee. The food was judged to be universally excellent, with some minor gripes: one person found a little bit of shell in the popcorn shrimp. the mashed were cold; the shrimp in the fettuccini was a little tough; the prosciutto overpowered the shallots. The appetizers and desserts were all superb. The decor is very attractive - they spent over $4 million remodeling (it used to be a company cafeteria). The service was very slow - however, this week is pre-opening, so we kind of expected that. Still, an hour and 45 minutes is a bit excessive unless you can afford to take that much time for lunch. However, they need to train their staff to support each other better. There is no reason for a plate to sit on your table for more than a few minutes after you've finished eating - not when a waitperson or bus boy walks by every other minute. They don't have their liquor license yet; don't know if they'll have it by Saturday (their official opening date). Would I go there again? You bet. Will it replace Shaw's? Only if they improve their service. Karen (Opera Buffa) What I know about opera is laughable. Send e-mail to bikrbabe at aol (dot) com
Chicago, IL