Our Dining Experience at Tirzo's Bistro
With the almost daily buildup to the opening of what was formerly known as Trumpets, now called Tirzo’s Bistro, Olga and I were anticipating a crowded dining experience this past Thursday evening. After all, there was all that pent up demand we were told to expect, it was day three after the grand opening on Monday and Buckman’s was dark for dinner service. We were somewhat disappointed as we likely missed the early evening diners that seniors typically enjoy so much. Admittedly, Olga and I were a little late in dining out on this occasion. By the time we departed Tirzo’s at 8:00 p.m., and in contrast to when we arrived, there were no more than 20 patrons in the restaurant and no one was at the bar.
Tirzo’s clearly has competition to contend with, both nearby and the casinos, especially Green Valley Ranch Casino with their daily two-for-one buffet coupon in the Las Vegas Review Journal. Olga and I each ordered and very much enjoyed our eggplant parmigiana, but only after we encountered two false starts. The meal came with a petite dinner salad (or soup), spaghetti smothered in rich tomato sauce under two patties of eggplant, a smidgen of vegetables, and all the tasty mini rolls you can eat.
On our arrival, Olga and I were initially focused on selecting from their extensive sandwich menu since we were not that hungry and not looking for a full meal. We were disappointed to learn from our lovely waitress that we could not order dinner from the sandwich menu even though there was a sandwich menu page devoted to numerous and apparently tasty sandwiches. OK then, no light meal or sandwiches to choose from for dinner. If we were going to find something to eat, we’d have to move on to different page in the menu. Olga then selected an old favorite, beef stroganoff from their European cuisine menu page, only to be told that she had the “wrong” menu. As the waitress attempted to clarify our ordering dilemma, she said that Tirzo’s had downsized (already?) their menu selections and was no longer offering any of the dinner entrées from their European menu. It seemed that I had been given the correct menu with that page adroitly omitted while Olga had been given what apparently was their “old” menu with all of those European delights prominently listed. Again, we moved on in an effort to find something appetizing and available.
Surely the portions were tasty and bountiful, right? We both agreed that the meal was quite tasty, delicious, pleasantly displayed and was nicely presented. While the portions were adequate, they compared unfavorably to the same meal we and other Sun City homeowners have eaten at the Boulevard Bar & Grill. I do not think I’m exaggerating too much to suggest that the Tirzo's meal would likely equal or weigh about 60% of the same meal at the Boulevard restaurant. But, remember, that bountiful fare is a known feature of the Boulevard dining experience we missed out on last year. Admittedly, there was no comparison in terms of the overall dining atmosphere between the two and the fabulous city lights and mountain view as we witnessed the final stages of the setting sun.
And what about the service? With so few patrons and so many attendants on the floor, attentiveness to our thirst needs proved to be a challenge. We had to find and flag down a waiter on two different occasions to refill our water glasses, a minor but avoidable irritant while Chef Tirzo and his hostess wife (I presume) were visiting with customers and making the rounds.
In terms of overall value and a price of around $30 for two, Tirzo's Bistro offered nothing particularly special beyond the convenience of location, the spectacular view and a pleasant meal. What else could one ask for? And do not forget to show your members card if you would like a 10% discount.
If under utilization should prove to be a continuing issue, Tirzo's Bistro may wish to consider offering some type of real incentive program to encourage greater attendance and homeowner participation, even if such efforts represent a short-term loss of income. Otherwise, a lackluster start that's allowed to continue will not bode well for the restaurant's future prospects.
Ron Johnson, 18 September 2009