Review #71 - Patrons Golf & Lounge

Patrons Golf & Lounge
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 27 Dellridge Lane
Date Visited: Thursday, July 21, 2016
Orders: Nachos, Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad, Pad Thai

Taste: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Service: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Bonus: 1
Minus: -
Final Grade: 87% (Excellent)

(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)

Notes: We've visited a number of the restaurants in our neighbourhood (Bedford South) and most of them have left much to be desired. So, it was really nice to visit one and be pleasantly surprised by the experienced, to the extent that we'll most likely visit it again in the near future.

In a way, Patrons isn't really a restaurant; it's a facility with golf simulators that doubles as a restaurant and lounge. Walking in, the place looks kind of like a show room, in that everything is sleek and new. At the same time, we didn't feel out of place, despite really not giving a crap about golf. It's kinda posh, without being pretentious. It had fairly minimal decor - some nice photographs on the wall and not much else, but their light fixtures were really impressive - a series of beautiful orbs along with an impressive chandelier. Off to the east side of the room was the golf simulators, curtained off but with enough of the screen peeking through to inspire intrigue from these non-golfers. Maybe next time...

Although they have a new patio, it was a really nice afternoon and all of the tables with umbrellas were taken, so we opted to sit just inside the front doors. Good call: It was nice and air conditioned inside, but we still got the benefit of the cool breeze. The ambiance
 
Our server, Jeff, greeted us with a warm smile and was very friendly. We felt as though we were being treated not only as customers but also as friends. We noticed his interactions with the other customers and he offered a everyone perfect blend of chit chat and getting down to business. He had T's beer over to the table in seconds, which she described as "the coldest, most delicious beer I've ever had. No joke." It was "Patrons Ale," which was just a fancy way of saying Keith's Red. Still, apparently it was that good, with "perfect carbonation," and it was reasonably priced, so we were off to a good start!

The menu was a little curious in that it seemed kind of all over the place. Some typical pub fare (nachos, chicken fingers), salads, sandwiches, pizza, some Asian-inspired dishes, plus salmon and steak. T contextualized the variety: although golf may seem like a hoity-toity sport to some, Patrons is likely looking to appeal to those who are interested in the sport but come from all walks of life - some to give it a shot without having to spend a full day on the links, and other looking to refine their skills...plus their spouses and children. When you look at it that way, it makes a heck of a lot of sense. Looking around the room and patio, that's exactly who we saw. So, clearly this place knows its audience!

We ordered nachos to start, and when they arrived, it looked like a big pile of chips covered in sizzling cheese. Translation: we were a little put off by the lack of vegetation. However, after we burst through the first layer of chips, we located ample tomatoes and red/banana peppers (we held off on the onions). Some green peppers would have been nice, but we enjoyed them nonetheless, and the portion size was just right.

Thanks to some intuitive serving (hence the bonus point), our mains arrived just as we finished our nachos - we decided to split the Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad and the Pad Thai. The salad was excellent, offering a perfect ratio of greens, cheese, beets, nuts and dressing. The Pad Thai was very tasty - red pepper was an unusual but very nice touch - but it was on the small side. Had we not ordered the nachos, we might have left hungry.

All in all, the service was very good, as was the food, we just think a couple of tweaks to the portion size and prices would help move this place from very good to great.

Final Verdict: Even if you don't like golf, this place is worth a shot!