Martini and Tomato Cheddar Soup and Dirty Menu & Place Mats at Finn & Porter downtown restaurant

Well, the food and service were pretty good and friendly but the dirty menu (splats of lettuce and some dried up sauce) and the place mats were stained with dried up old food somewhat detracted from what could have been a super lunch experience downtown. Well, it was Sunday and maybe they hadn't got to these chores?  Plus I had a very well mixed martini so I didn't complain too much other than to point out the menu problem to the nice and friendly waitress who took it away immediately saying "sorry." The tomato cheddar soup was hot and not too spicy, and the crispy pita bread and hummus was fresh enough so it's not the food that's the problem at the place, but the cleanliness. Oh, did I forget to say too that some of the knives in the place settings looked a bit grimy?. Fortunately, I didn't have to cut up anything but it certainly made me check the spoon before dipping it. I'm glad to give thanks for the means to eat out but really I do expect more hygienic practices.

Beer Til 2 A.M. at San Antonio Grill

View of the bar

For dinner we went out to the local Tex-Mex restaurant called San Antonio Grill as it was one of the boy's birthdays. Although the food was pretty good, and their small margarita does the trick, the service was really slow. It took over 35 minutes to get the special of the night -  a BLT! -- and nachos with black beans. We went through two bowls of hot tomato salsa and chips while waiting! However, the wait was likely because one of our party ordered lobster and steak so we all had to wait for that!  I did complain to the waitress a little but she said it was because they only had one cook that night.  Also, by the time we were finishing up dinner, about 9:30 pm, it looked like the restaurant was closing up. Waiters were scurrying around removing tables and chairs and stacking them in an adjoining room. A little annoyed as it seemed like they were shutting up the shop, I asked the waitress what was going on. She said it was Monday Night College Night and the place would soon become standing room only for the $3 margaritas and $2 beers they serve until 2 a.m. So that's why the chairs and tables were being removed. We also asked where all the pictures we usually see on the walls had gone. She said they take them down as the students get kind of crazy and will take anything that isn't nailed down!  We left soon after this and the manager apologized as we left, presumably for the late food and the furniture disturbance.  We just couldn't figure out why anyone would go out drinking on a Monday night and surmised it was recovery for the students from the first day of the week. Unbelievable! And how badly behaved, taking pictures off the walls!