The "Not So" Savory Chef

Today I ventured from my stable Brookside delicatessens to have lunch with a friend at The Savory Chef on 82nd and Memorial. Having heard a few rumblings from other foodies and a few chef acquaintances of mine I was certainly intrigued. Upon entering the establishment, which also features retail cooking items and offers cooking classes, the restaurant area was visible to the rear so onward we went. Finding a table at 11:30 on a Wednesday near the open kitchen style preparation area was quite easy, however the hostess, whom wasn't present when we entered, quickly corralled us to a small 2 seat table in the corner away from anything interesting. Our server was punctual and friendly, although the popped collar on his two size to small polo shirt was an added comical bonus. My friend ordered the Herbed Chicken Panini sandwich with a side salad as I asked for the Braided Reuben Stuffer with sweet potato fries. We dove into conversation about such subjects that would only interest two friends of 27 years while we waited out the seemingly lengthy preparation time. Not that we were in any hurry but after approximately 25 minutes our server stopped by to let us know our meal was almost ready. A short time later the table next to us received our food, which they graciously declined, so we spoke up and claimed our bounty. The Panini was rather small and constructed in a manor resembling a sandwich once made for me by a friends 12 year old son during a football game that I couldn't leave the couch long enough to make for myself. The side salad was served as strictly greens tossed in the requested dressing, I prefer mine with a little feta and a couple tomato's at a minimum although that's just me. The Reuben Stuffer resembled a puff pastry, slightly larger than a deck of playing cards, with a beautiful golden brown flaky crust. I should have been a surgeon the way I dissected my first bite, making sure to get the right balance of all the ingredients. Approximately three chews into my first bite my palate quickly identified that the pastrami was under cooked with a slightly spoiled taste that overpowered the flavor of the sauerkraut, however the pastry was quite good. Unfortunately my sweet potato fries were cold, soft and limp "hold your comments till the end please" which was also disappointing given the extended amount of time we waited for our meal.

The general consensus between the two of us ended with the statement "You know I like to try new places as much as you but you're going to run into some like this from time to time."As we exited the restaurant, walking through the retail store, my friend and I tried to determine where we could quickly grab something more appetizing and substantially filling before returning to work for the day.
I'm sorry Savory Chef, I'm sure the elderly and parents with small children love your small portion size and bland flavors however I require a little more excitement for my hard earned dollars. I don't think there will be a next time.