Big Disappointment
Recently went to Golden Rose in Okemos/Mason, Michigan for dinner (2006). Very dark inside, lit mainly by candlelight. We were shown to a lone cramped table between the kitchen door and a synthesizer used to provide live music for diners. The musician was trying, but his playing was nauseatingly kitschy and his singing was nasal and occasionally off key. The fellow's stamina was impressive for an apparently elderly gentleman, and he careened non-stop from one song to another to the point that we were starting to laugh. When we asked the waiter about a wine on the menu, he didn't have a clue, and made no move to help. When he brought the wine, the waiter made a mess removing the foil. Appetizers/salad were unremarkable. Took 30 minutes from finishing our appetizers to getting our entrees. The waiter made a smart comment about letting our appetizers "settle down" before bringing the entrees. Entrees were a disappointment: overcooked beef and tough chicken, mediocre side dishes. All through dinner we were watching other waiters preparing flaming desserts, which the restaurant is known for. One of the main reasons we went to the Golden Rose was for the Bananas Foster (they spell it Bananas Fostier on the menu), which we saw another waiter preparing. When our waiter asked if we wanted dessert, we asked for Bananas Foster. About 5 minutes later, he came back and said they weren't preparing the dessert because they were so busy. We asked for the check. When the waiter came back, we questioned him about seeing other people getting the dessert made. This time, he said they were out of bananas. When he came back the last time, we challenged him, and he said if he had prepared the dessert, he would run behind in his work. Needless to say, we were not happy campers. When we left, we noticed a sign that listed specials that our waiter had neglected to mention. The restaurant was fairly busy, but from our perspective, we couldn't figure out why. All in all, it was one of the most dismal dining experiences we've had in the last few years. We won't go back.    [13 Feb 2006 00:02:36]

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Recommended Dishes: Good rolls, nothing else good.

     ­Mac   

A very different experience
I was at the Golden Rose a couple of weeks ago. The same singer was performing; he's definitely past his prime, but he still has a remarkably strong voice and the music was in no way overpowering. For the most part his repertoire does not exceed his skill. The restaurant was lit primarily by candle, but was not too dark; many would consider it romantic. The waitress had no problem uncorking the wine.

The restaurant was a bit quiet, which often works in the favor of a diner. The house salad is simple, prepared at tableside and served in an edible bowl made of cheese. We also ordered a stuffed Portobello mushroom cap - well prepared, and served over an interesting (and tasty) plate of cooked red cabbage. I had a seafood pasta dish, which was well-prepared with large chunks of quality seafood. My wife had prime rib, which was cooked to her specifications. It was actually a much larger cut than advertised on the menu. The sides were properly prepared; the vegetables were well-seasoned and colorful.

They do emphasize their "flaming" dishes. My wife's prime rib came "flaming", which was certainly the first time I had seen prime rib served in that fashion. We had their "baked Alaska", also served flambé, which was more of a sundae than a traditional baked Alaska, and was large enough to serve probably four people.

The Maitre d' was seemingly omnipresent, making sure that the guests were receiving proper attention. I would be hard pressed to imagine how a diner who was not having a good dining experience would not have multiple opportunities to bring that to his attention and seek correction.    [06 Mar 2006 13:55:07]

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     ­unk   

Surviving on Overrated Reputation?...
(I reside in the Lansing area, and until yesterday, had never dined at the Golden Rose. I have heard mixed reviews from friends and relatives. I also worked as a sous-chef at some four star restaurants in my younger days, and my friends consider me an excellent cook. Consequently, when I go out to eat, I expect food at least as good or better that I can prepare at home. Sadly, the Golden Rose failed to even meet my expectations. And lest you think I'm an uncultured "Joe six-pack," I can tell you I'm a well-educated man with both a B.A. and an M.A. This critique is rather long, but necessarily so, to reflect the details and fairness required. I offer it in the hope that it may prove beneficial to the uninitiated consumer.)
I have long thought of the Golden Rose as a special occasion, celebration restaurant. If you want to impress a significant other, or host an engagement dinner, it could be a good choice. Recently, my wife and I found ourselves there when my mother treated us to dinner for my 50th birthday. While their prices may pale in comparison to restaurants in Detroit and other cities, in Lansing it is perceived as expensive, perhaps in part due to its entirely ala carte menu.
The decor is absolutely beautiful, bordering on what I would consider tastefully lavish. I had to sort of hunt down the hostess, since we were apparently the first and only customers there on this weekday afternoon. When our waitress arrived, she mentioned neither the specials nor her name, and I thought this odd, since she wasn't wearing a name tag.
We all ordered their "signature" salad, which is prepared table side and served in a "cheese bowl." (It's similar to a taco shell bowl, but consists of shredded cheese that has been melted in a non-stick pan, and then pressed into shape.) These cheese bowls (so I'd been told) are typically crisp and crunchy, but in this instance were soft, pliable, and even somewhat cold. When I pointed this out to our waitress, she apologized and said that they make several of them up in advance, and it's possible these were leftovers from the previous day. However, she did not offer to bring us fresh salads.
When she arrived to order our entree, I inquired about the specials that I saw posted just inside the entrance, and she had to excuse herself momentarily to check. Upon her return, she quoted the two specials for the day, neither of which sounded familiar to me. When I said that I thought I saw some kind of steak listed there, she replied that those were yesterday's specials, but she could check with the kitchen to see if they've got one left from yesterday. Not wanting a repeat of the salad bowls, I declined.
I ordered the prime rib, my wife the crab legs, and my mother the "stuffed crown of baby back ribs." The ribs were served bent in a semi-circle, with stuffing on the side. The crab legs consisted of two (not two crab leg clusters, I do mean just two!) individual crab legs with lemon and drawn butter. The prime rib, to my surprise, was "finished" table side by our waitress as she "flambed" it with Bacardi 151. (No need to heat that stuff to get it to light, it ignites readily.)
My mother immediately complained to me about her ribs, that they tasted "like old meat," and that they weren't "stuffed" like our waitress had stated. Used to her complaints, my wife and I rolled our eyes, and then we each sampled her ribs. My wife pronounced them somewhat "gamey," while I thought they tasted strangely reminiscent of a rather "mature" leg of lamb. We mentioned this to our waitress, and she said that they pre-smoke/cook the baby back ribs, and then finish them accordingly. (I suspect that they buy them frozen, pre-smoked and par-cooked, and then use them in various recipes.) But here again, our waitress did not offer to replace my mother's order with a different entree.
I was disappointed by the paltry serving of two crab legs on my wife's plate. Particularly since they appeared to be far shy of the advertised one pound. But since she's always counting calories, it was fine with her. (All I kept thinking about was a current TV commercial for a local restaurant that offered one pound of crab legs for $7.99!)
My prime rib was a generous cut, and prepared exactly as requested, medium rare. I did have to remind our waitress about the horseradish and extra roll I had asked for.
I had heard about their bananas Foster, and ordered it for my mother's dessert. It was impressively prepared table side by our waitress in a large sautee pan over a portable gas burner. First, she caramelized fresh bananas with brown sugar and honey, then ignited a mixture of Bacardi 151 and Creme de Banana, which she expertly poured from one gravy boat to another, while suspending them several feet apart! This gave off a blue, then eventually orange, flame as she continued to pour this stream of "liquid fire" from one vessel to the other. This culminated as she poured the now reduced flaming liquid into the pan, and immeditely sprinkled it with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, whose fine particles rose as little sparks from the remaining fire, creating a truly impressive visual effect. (We actually applauded! I was more amazed by the fact that she did all this over a carpeted floor!) This mixture was quickly spooned over a large serving of ice cream, which was certainly adequate for two people. (My mother ate the whole thing, which made her happy...finally!)
In retrospect, I suppose I could have been more forceful and insisted on new salads and a different entree for my mother, but I didn't want to be viewed as difficult. Personally, I feel an attentive server should have whisked away the offending food and replaced it immediately without a second's hesitation.
The rolls were unimpressive, (no oven-fresh bread and spreads one might expect) and the coffee somewhat weak and pale, although that may be attributable to the time of our arrival. (As the first customers of the afternoon, perhaps that initial batch of coffee just didn't have enough time to finish brewing.)
I'd have to say that I left the Golden Rose with the feeling that the food was almost secondary to the so-called "dining experience." In other words, they're big on presentation, but fall short on substance and delivery. Our waitress reminded me of a doctor who is capable of performing expert heart surgery, but lacks bedside manners. She seemed more focused on the critical aspects of her table side "performances," than our needs.
In leaving the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice that the exterior of the the building was in disrepair, particularly the roof, whose shingles were curled and crumbling. And I couldn't help but wonder if the Golden Rose isn't like some aging Hollywood actress, merely surviving on her reputation, yet desperately in need of a facelift!?
For my money, I'd much rather go to Lansing restaurants such as Villega's or the Knight Cap, where I have never been disappointed by the service, and customers, as well as top quality food, are always given a front row seat.    [17 Mar 2006 14:12:38]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Prime rib, bananas Foster

     ­TheOldTavern, Baraga   ander721 at msu dot edu

Food & Service Need Work
I have eaten in fine (and not so fine) restaurants across the world. To be fair, when I'm dining in Lansing, I don't expect the kind of food and service available in London, Paris or even Chicago. So I didn't expect perfect service or food at the Golden Rose (and I didn't get them).

I ate dinner for the first time at the Golden Rose on a Saturday in winter 2006. Over the years I have been to the restaurant for lunch a few times and have experienced their catering service. The catering service food and service was OK. The lunches were a mixed bag, some good, some not so good. Same with servers, some good, some bad. I agree with the chef above that the Golden Rose's building is looking a bit dilapidated. Always thought the decor inside was a little strange: a mix of country and modern, a little junky to my taste compared to the image they seem to be trying for (nearby Dusty's and Villega's are more sophisticated).

At dinner, our waiter (or the kitchen) was slow. I had the same impression as the chef above that our waiter needed some training in making diners feel welcome and well-served - our waiter was pushy and lacked the manners you'd expect in a restaurant that advertises fine dining - "unprofessional" is the best description I can think of.

The restaurant was lit by candlelight and was really dark compared to other "candlelit" restaurants I've been to (e.g., in Williamsburg, VA). All we had was one candle on our table. I had to read my wine bottle by holding up the candle on our table, and poured hot wax on my hand (OK, that was my fault).

I had the portobello mushroom mentioned above by "A very different experience." In my opinion it was so-so - was cold and the bed of red cabbage (I guess) it sat on was apparently tossed in oil - didn't taste very good. The salad in the cheese bowl was mostly chopped lettuce - OK, but not very interesting. The cheese bowl was crisp, but it tasted burned - only ate a couple of bites. Service was slow. We had chicken in puff pastry. It was OK, but part of the pastry was over-baked and tasted burned. The vegetables with the meal were overcooked (for me).

The flaming dessert was OK. I think these desserts are the "special" thing about the Golden Rose - I don't know anywhere else in Lansing you can get them.

Per a previous reviewer, we didn't see anyone who looked the part of a maitre d' - there was one older man who seemed not to be a waiter, but he wasn't "omnipresent" as one reviewer noted above. He did, however, discipline a waitress within earshot of our table (take it into the kitchen, folks).

As with two of the previous reviewers, there were specials listed on a board in the front of the restaurant, but our server never mentioned them.

All in all, for my experience, I think the Golden Rose is way high priced for the level of service and food. If the owners want to continue to promote their food and service as "fine cuisine," and ask those prices, they need to hire some "secret shoppers" to eat at their establishment at peak times and get some feedback. Their "dining experience" doesn't seem to hold up in reality, particularly on a busy weekend night. If you're eating in Lansing, I'd try Dusty's, Villega's, All Seasons Bistro or even PF Chang's or Bravo in the Eastwood Mall before Golden Rose, unless you're dying for a flamed dessert.    [06 May 2006 15:56:41]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Flamed Desserts

     ­Anonymous