by Dmitry K. on First and foremost, this review is specifically adressing the "Bossa Nova Sunday Brunch" aspect of SOB's, not the late night dancing and partying aspect. With that out of the way, let us begin... I've been to SOBs before to see live music and was satisfied - they have a solid sound setup, draw a fun crowd, and employ good staff. So, it clearly made sense to check out their 3 course prix-fixe Bossa Nova brunch which promised live music and bottomless sangria (red or white). Our party of 3 got reservations for pre-Labor Day Sunday for their first seating (noon). We arrived and were promptly seated next to the stage by a very friendly hostess. The water and sangria came quickly as did the menus. We did not, however, see our server until at least 15 minutes later. The menus was fairly straight forward - you get to choose a starter, entree, and dessert. We decided to order all 3 at once since we realized that seeing our waitress would be a rare opportunity. Thirty minutes after ordering and still sitting around without food, our waitress stopped by and appologized for a "mix-up" in the kitchen. She assured us the food would be coming shortly. Sure enough, the plates started arrived immediately afterwards - 40 minutes after the order! The starters got off to a rocky start - my friend's "assorted empanada platter" consisted of 2 microscopic empanadas that looked as appetizing as if they had come out of a 7-11 microwave. My wife's yogurt parfait was OK with fresh fruit and crunchy granola making up for the cement-like texture of the yogurt. My pumpkin/roasted squash soup was definitely the highlight of the bunch. The entrees arrived about 30 minutes after the starters and made us really regret coming to the place. The eggs benedict were rediculously bad - served in a hollowed out half loaf of bread, sitting atop the saltiest ham imaginable, with a bunch of dubious greens in the middle. The steak and eggs dish was a disgrace with the "medium-well" steak coming out bloody rare and fried plantain side completely inedible more resembling skipping rocks in color and texture. The BBQ salmon was the standout in that it was actually consumable... The fish appeared gray but we tried hard to assume that it was due to the smoky preparation rather than the freshness. The desserts that followed - flan, banana/chocolate empanadas, and passion fruit mousse did nothing to change our opinion of SOBs chefs (yes, the pun is intentional), the funniest part being the completely frozen mousse (I double checked and yes, it was supposed to be mousse and not sorbet). As you can see, the food and service left a lot to be desired. So what about the live music that we came for? The guitar player arrived late so the band didn't start until 1pm or so. When they did though, it was pretty good. I don't claim to be a bossa nova expert but their rendition of "Girl from Ipanema" sounded OK. Not enough to save an otherwise miserable experience. Did I mention the A/C was cranking and it felt like a meatlocker? Good thing for a sweaty crowded club, less so for a casual brunch. P.S. As icing on the cake, they automatically included a 15% "service charge" on the bill. Not cool!
by Antwan Pigford on Im a huge fan of the Roosevelt! It's a great place to star gaze, and I mean the ones in the sky, although you are more likely than not to have the other type of star siting. Pool side drinks, in the sun, or after the sun has set are always good. The last time I was there I was meeting a friend, we had wine and appetizers pool side, palm trees swayed in the wind, pretty patrons littering the patio, it's always perfect. The Suites are spacious, the sheets are soft and the location is perfect. Hollywood may or may not be for lovers, but The Roosevelt is for loving, that's for sure!
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