Grace At The Carnegie - State College

Never disappointed always 5 star a gem at psu a must have every visit to psu

I started with the fruits de mer appetizer which included a chilled small lobster tail, cut in half for sharing, plus six jumbo shrimp, a bowl of crab meat, a half dozen oysters, and caviar (at extra cost). It was delicious, but it cost $100 and at that price I would have enjoyed toast points for the caviar, and none were provided. The kitchen provided cocktail sauce and a vinaigrette, but in insufficient quantities so that I had to budget use. My spouse had the Grace Salad, which was fantastic. The salmon entrée was described as “very good,” but not really a standout. I had the cod, which I thought really WAS a standout! The chocolate mousse dessert option was perfect. They’ve stopped their wonderful tradition of serving cocktails in front of a roaring fire in the paneled library, where you could place your dinner order, enjoy an amuse bouche, and then be escorted to your table as the first course is served. Too bad. Our server was friendly — too friendly, in fact. She repeated interrupted our conversation in order to ask us how we were enjoying our food. And she made us feel rushed by repeatedly clearing the plate of one of us, while the other was still eating, and while saying “Let me get this out of your way.” At prices of close to $400 for two people, without drinks, one should be able to reasonably expect flawless service. The service was certainly attentive, but I think that the restaurant needs to train the wait-staff in the art of circulating past the tables frequently in case a guest wants to make a request — not interrupting conversations by raising their voices to talk over the guests conversations to ask how we are enjoying our food. Also, not waiting until all diners have finished a course before clearing is expected in diners and chain restaurants, but not restaurants that aspire to — and charge for — fine dining. Grace is closing for renovations. It seems that they removed just two years ago. The dining space is pleasant, but uninspired.

Some of the selections were average and some were excellent. Pass on the prawn and cod. Go for the veal and any salad. In the past, ravioli and salmon were also vg. We liked the staging of the courses: unhurried and presented well. Service was vg. Check out the specialty drinks. A place to go for a special occasion.

Food was delicious and wonderfully presented. Unfortunately, it became evident throughout the evening that our primary server did not want to be there. We felt rushed and the food descriptions we received were subpar. We witnessed how other servers were interacting with their tables and were a tad jealous at the level of attention and knowledge they were receiving.

Delicious Dover Sole. Good service. Had to wait 40 minutes for our table. Reservation was for 6:45, seated at 7:25. I know it was a busy evening, but surprised by wait.