The Backyard Cafe

8 Reviews on “The Backyard Cafe”

• Frank Nichols

  I decided to give this restaurant a second chance after a bad experience there several months past. My first visit left a very bad impression in that I was only offered very limited choice that mostly included sandwiches. After my limited meals arrived, I noticed other receiving complete meals. Upon asking, I was told that I had the lunch menu. The men switched to a dinner menu at 4PM. I had arrived at 3:58PM and was not informed that a better selection would be available if I waited two minutes.I made a second visit for a special occasion, my son’s birthday. He had read a few reviews and indicated that Backyard had high ratings. A special was written on a large board at the entrance that included meat loaf over rice, corn and green beans, all my favorites. My wife and myself ordered this meal, thinking how can you go wrong with a basic Southern meal that included hot juicy meat loaf.After at least a thirty minute wait our meal was served, although the restaurant was not crowded. The wait staff did inform us after twenty minutes that they were backed up preparing take out wings due to a ball game although I was a bit confused that it should have taken minimal effort to carve a thick slice off that sumptuous loaf.Our meals arrived after about 30 minutes. The meatloaf was a fried hamburger patty covered with a tomato sauce, no joke, it was a hand pressed patty, crispy from the grill sitting on top of rice, no carving required. It contained no onions, celery, bread crumbs, seasonings associated with meat loaf and certainly was not carved from anything. Remove all the red stuff that I tried to imagine was not catsup but it really tasted like catsup or was at least 95% catsup and it would have fit perfectly on a hamburger bun.I incorrectly assumed that a home cooking restaurant would at least have fresh string beans and corn considering it was harvest season and the establishment is within five miles of the State farmer’s market. Wrong again, both clearly were from a recently opened can and simply re-heated without the addition of seasoning.Once again, my visit to Backyard was a great disappointment. The positive reviews remain a mystery with my only rationalization being they must be influenced by alcohol, out door dining and the occasions when they have entertainment. My experience was far from a family restaurant with the taste of home cooking. This $60 meal for four was on par with what I might expect at a diner offering a $5 meat and two vegetables lunch special.

  December 4, 2015, 6:43 pm

  Log in to Reply