It'd been a long time since I've had to wait for a table. We usually hit up places that take reservations since forcing people to wait when you could take a reservation seems pretty archaic and unnecessary cruelty. However, we had a late showing and were free to give them a try. At the least, they provide a pager and the bookstore is nearby. So, we waited.
I also had the suckers - er, my friends - wait while I ran an errand over at Nordstrom, so it was a win-win situation for me. Heh. Even so, by the time I returned, I still waited a good 40 of the 50 minutes for which we stood around. But, it was alright. So on to the food.
Two of our crew had eaten here before and said that the food was pretty good. I looked online at the menu prior to coming so I was pleased by the offerings in that it was basic fare but it sounded like they'd put on the gourmet without being too complicated. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.
I was looking forward to having a burger or a French dip. I went for the lamb French dip, which I was a bit hesitant about since lamb can tend to be overly gamy, but the Tavern did a nice job. The lamb was moist and the caramelized onions paired well with the meat; the bread roll was fluffy and soft; biggest complaint is there wasn't enough horseradish and the amount of onions made the sandwich a bit too sweet but this is fairly minor problems. The side of fries were great - thin fries well crisped and none too burnt.
One got a rare steak prepared well, and I'll guess he liked it enough since he cleaned his plate. One got the salmon, and as he's practically a salmon connoisseur, I'll take his word for it that it was good. My aa got the braised short rib, and while I can say the presentation was a bit ludicrous and unnecessary, the food itself looked good - meat falling off the bone and topped over some mashy goodness.
In short, we enjoyed the Westside Tavern for its fare and for its convenience in location, minus the no reservations policy. It's worth trying if you've got the time to spare before a flick. Or, I guess if you just want to try the food, go by during an off-peak eating hour. It's worth a visit.
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