CLEOPATRA'S RESTAURANT
Style: Mediterranian
Location: Westover Terrace. Greensboro, NC.
Website\Menu: http: //www.cleopatrasrestaurant.com/#/Home/
Every time a new ethnic place opens in town, I like to try it out, mostly because Greensboro does not have enough foreign food establishments that serve great food. Out of all the ethnic food choices, Mediterranean, to include Greek, Middle Eastern, and Baltic, is my favorite. I like the blends of herbs and spices that are utilized to create food from this area, and the use of alternative meats, like lamb and goat. Due to my never ending desire to be WOWed by an exotic dish, and the appealing nature of their menu, I decided to dine there with a co-worker of mine. The waiter was extremely welcoming and skillfully sociable, with no hesitation in his speech, as he introduced us to the menu and restaurant. Both my buddy and I decided to go with a sampler, which had some grilled chicken and beef as the main components. On the side were two different kinds of rice, one yellow with raisins and spices, probably colored by Saffron, and the other a white rice cooked with herbs. The meats had a good flavor, though they seemed a little cold; they may not have been freshly prepared. Also the chicken was a little dry, one because it was white meat, two it may have been overcooked, and three it may have lost its moisture, due to premature preparation. The side, rice and grilled veggies were really good with no complaints; they were perfectly seasoned and cooked. Over all my first experience at Cleopatra's Restaurant was pretty good; though, I think having freshly prepared kabob meats would have took it up a level. Needless to say, after having an initial good impression of the place, I decided to go back a second time. What I discovered was nothing like my first experience, in that the service was horrible and the Buffett\Sampler Platter ($8.50) was mediocre. Again, the chicken was dry, but one of the beef and vegetable accompaniments was pretty tasty, with good seasoning and it actually tasted fresh. Another disappointing factor of this plate were the 2 rices, and a center piece spinach bowl, that seemed as if someone poured it in there from a can, without even seasoning it. Between the service and mediocre quality of the food, I will not go back. Not only was my second experience bad, but so were the experiences of others that I know. This feedback makes me feel as if it were not a fluke, which curbs my desire to give them a second chance. Anyone who feels that one waiter is enough, either A.) Does not feel like they are going to be busy, which probably tells you what they think of their own food, or B.) Is too cheap and does not care about providing there customers with a great dinning experience.
Summary:
-Dining room is kind of small, but it is not exactly a whole in the wall.
-Food offers something different than other Mediterranean restaurants, but for the most part lacks the WOW factor.
-The due not employ enough wait staff, during the busy lunch period.
-Regular dinner plates are expensive, and with experiencing the quality of their other plates, I have not desire to pay more, only to be disappointed.
- I give them 2 stars, due to service, and food quality\freshness. If they improved their service, and I heard more positive feedback, I would give them another try, and boost their rating.
