Cunningham s looks good in paper, the menu looks i...

Cunningham s looks good in paper, the menu looks interesting, and I really wanted to like this place. But it has twice disappointed.

I first visited about a year ago. The food was not memorable, and the cocktails - while looking very promising on the menu - were flavorless and boring. Thinking I may have just visited on a bad evening (maybe the cook and bartender were off?), I tried again tonight.

Having been disappointed in the cocktails during my earlier visit, I ordered a glass of Zinfandel. It was served at refrigerator temperature. I could understand this had I visited at 5pm and the wine had been stored cold overnight, but it was 7:30pm. Luckily my second glass, a red blend, was served at the right temperature.

The beet salad looked very elegant, but the flavor rated a B-, and the beets were ice-cold. What is it with temperatures at this place?

Finally, I had the chicken parmigiana for my main course. Again, it looked rather exquisite, but the flavor wasn t there, and the edges were burnt and hard to cut with a knife.

If you re primarily concerned about appearances, this place will do. If you re looking for a place to bring a date that doesn t care much about food, it will work in an area that is cursed with a dearth of good restaurants. But if you re used to good food and drinks, and care about flavor, Cunningham s will almost certainly disappoint. On the bright side, the service was attentive and friendly, but that only gets you so far.