Monday, April 30, 2012

Splash Cafe SLO

I've only been to Splash Cafe once, it was fun and busy and we were fortunate to be early and get a table. Obviously this place is well liked. My experience however was that I ordered a Veggie - Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Onion Sun Pizza and a salad. When I arrived to pickup my order the person at the window said they were out of the pizza dough so they made the pizza on bread. Ugh!!! Really, my experience just wasn't good, but the place is busy and must be doing something right so I won't give them too low a rating yet. I am planning a return visit soon and then I'll have some more solid information and update my review. I understand that businesses run out of things when busy but I should have been informed prior to placing my order so that I might make an alternate selection. To prepare the pizza and slide it toward me conveyed an expectation that I was okay with the substitutions, which I was not.

Splash Cafe Pros

Here are some of the things I liked about the restaurant in no particular order.
  • Busy, upbeat, trendy cafe
  • Clean
  • Inviting interior

Splash Cafe Cons

Here is where they blew it for me.
  • Ran out of product and did not inform me
  • Substituted my meal for another with expectation I would like it.

Bottom Line

Bottom line, I will return again. The restaurant is busy and obviously lots of people like the place. I will overlook the error this time and try again.
Splash Cafe
1491 Monterey
San Luis Obispos, CA 93401

(805) 544-7567

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Le Petit Cafe, Arroyo Grande, CA

I recently visited Le Petit Cafe for the first time. A friend had informed me of this place and suggested that her visit was less than acceptable. I just had to visit.

Le Petit Cafe Pros

Here are some of the things I liked about the restaurant in no particular order.
  • Appealing storefront from the street
  • Clean
  • Inviting interior

Le Petit Cafe Cons

Here is where they blew it for me.
  • Shoddy Menu prepared with stock photos
  • Cheap, thin flatware
  • Too much salt in each dish
  • Wet, dense baguette which should be light and crispy on the outside.
  • Rotten chunks of lettuce in my salad
  • Un-attentive Server
  • Plastic plates

Bottom Line

Bottom line, I will return again. The restaurant is small, new and un-proven, but there is potential for making this a wonderful little cafe; in my opinion it will come by setting a fire under the servers, perhaps a smile or two, cutting way back on the salt, and stepping it up in the bread preparation. While it is cute inside, the serving ware ie. plates and flatware are crap and need to be replaced with real dishes soon. This is a restaurant with REAL prices so you need to have real dishes.

Le Petit Cafe
1351 East Grand Avenue
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

(805) 474-1294