The Leptologists Eat at De-NOVO

Candice: Where are we going today?
Paul: It's a short walk down High Street: De-NOVO.
Candice: Even on this hottest day of the year, it's not a bad walk from the Arena District, but we should have brought water.
Paul: There it is. They've left an old sign that reads "Restaurant" above their new logo.
Candice: There's a cute patio out front. But it's too hot for that today.
Paul: Inside, it smells... odd. Old and musty.
Candice: It is an old building. Oh, I love the decor.
Paul: Branches everywhere.
Candice: I think the art deco/baroque/lodge look is appropriate for the building. This is a well-designed space.
Paul: There's a bar, a raised area at the front window, and more tables across from the bar.
Candice: And a beautiful dining room in the back. It's lovely.
Paul: Look. They serve breakfast too.
Candice: Interesting. They name the chefs on the menu. I like that they do that. It shows pride in ownership.
Paul: You said you were in the mood for a porkchop. They have one.
Candice: But it takes 40 minutes to cook. Not today.
Paul: For appetizers, we select the Cheese Plate and the Crap Cakes.
Candice: I order the Medi-Italiano Sandwich.
Paul: I order the Chicken Vesuvio.
Candice: The appetizers are slow to arrive, but this gives you a chance to check out the dining room.
Paul: You're right. It's very elegant. It would be great for a private event.
Candice: Here are the appetizers.

Crabcakes and Cheese Plate

Paul: I like this crab cake, though there's an odd sweet taste to it.
Candice: For me, it's too salty. Less salt would have complemented the sauce better. The cheese is nicely presented.
Paul: Five cheeses and dried apricots to cleanse the palate.
Candice: I can't identify them all, but I believe we have a brie and a muenster and some sort of marbled blueberry cheese.
Paul: I know nothing about cheese either, but this creamy one is delicious as is the blueberry cheese. I don't care for this sharp cheese.
Candice: The dried apricot is very mild.

Chicken Vesuvio

Paul: Here are the entrees. Mine looks pretty. But, yuck, overripe snow peas. They're bitter. Um...
Candice: What's the problem?
Paul: This doesn't taste good. Oh, this cheese atop the pasta is hideous.
Candice: Let me try. No, this is not to your liking. The noodles are fresh, at least.
Paul: Yes, and the chicken is moist. But I can't eat this. I have chosen poorly.
Candice: Let's see if I fare better.

Medi-Italiano Sandwich

Paul: That's a big sandwich.
Candice: Yes, a good mix of meats. Here, have half of mine if you aren't going to eat your pasta.
Paul: Thanks. I like this sandwich. I can barely fit it in my mouth.
Candice: The fries could use a bit more salt and I don't like this house-made ketchup.
Paul: I like these fries too, and I happen to like the ketchup. It's got a bit of a kick.
Candice: Anyone could pile these meats on a bun and make this sandwich.
Paul: True. So other than the cheese plate, nothing stood out?
Candice: Foodwise, you are correct. But the decor makes me want to come back and sit at the bar.
Paul: Or try the breakfast.
Candice: Possibly. So what do you think?
Paul: My entree was a disaster. I liked the crab cakes and the cheese plate. Your sandwich and fries were pretty good.
Candice: Yes, but would we come back just for a decent sandwich and a cheese plate? The appetizers alone were $27.
Paul: It's hard to justify coming back for that price.
Candice: It was crowded by noon, but we had no problem getting a table. So worth the wait, at least.
Paul: But for what we paid, it's just not worth the price.
Candice: Is it worth coming back to? Maybe to try breakfast or sit at the bar?
Paul: I'm not a bar person, so I'm split with you on that one and say it's not worth coming back.
Candice: Well, that's too bad. It looked like a very well-thought-out space.
Paul: Back into the heat we go.

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?