Epicurean Restaurant

I've driven by this restaurant for 25 years, today was the day to try it. Party of two, ordering things off the menu which are highly recognizable and fairly standard. There were probably a dozen or so seated customers. The restaurant has a dated, classic feel. There are lots of reviews from extremely loyal customers who love the food, service and have nostalgic love for this place. I like to support local businesses, especially restaurants which have survived so much just to stay afloat and keep serving the public. It does come down to what's on the plate, and frankly both our meals were genuinely frightful. And that's a shame. The "Chicken and Dressing" was comically questionable. The chicken was rubbery and dreadfully tasteless, dressing was oddly sweet (?) and the neon gravy seemingly right out of a foodservice can. The side items of pinto beans and yams did not taste as though they received any more seasoning or attention than how they came off the truck. This was on par with entry level hospital food, and even hospital chicken and dressing would scowl at the comparison. I was really surprised. Sweet dressing? Is this somehow Greek? But the spaghetti. Wow, was this a plate of hot trouble. The entree was a vast noodle mountain with a dollop of meaty mystery plopped atop the pile. Out of curiosity we tasted each other's dishes, mostly to find out why both of us were so visibly perplexed. The spaghetti meat sauce tasted like a quasi yet less appealing Manwich type mixture with not a hint of Italian seasoning and very little "sauce". There wasn't much of it, so the dish was plate of large, dry noodles. Just noodles absent the sparse meaty enimga of a sauce would have been an improvement. I do not like typing this, this meal was foul. The garlic bread had no garlic, it was grilled toast. It was fine, but it was not garlic bread. Tell me it's a buttered roll, not garlic bread. I wanted to leave a review from a new customer not infused with nostalgia or attachment from years of patronage. Epicuran is an institution many love. I respect that, as they have earned it. We were served barely edible meals today, ones we would have never remotely considered serving in our own homes to anyone. And that... is a problem I hope Epicurean takes to heart. Reading the reviews it is easy to see we are not alone. Spaghetti and Chicken & Dressing are not complicated meals to serve in a broadly satisfactory manner. If a restaurant fails to serve the most straightforward dishes in a manner new customers recognize and consume absent alarm, that's 100% a house problem. On the positive side, I assume Epicuran can live nicely off its decades-long fan base family and our thoughts are inconsequential. What they may wish to consider is the number of one-and-done customers they attract and never see again. Whatever number that is, it's worthy of consideration when recipes are determined.

Food is always good and fresh.

Great food at reasonable prices

We just ate there had a female waitress. She ruined our valentines dinner. The food was cold. She was rude. Food was brought out at separate times. Our deserts were served in small to go like bowls. We've always had a great experience here. But here lately it's awful. You have lost 3 good customers and our families. Good luck. But clean it up.

Great home style cooking.