Civilization

Civilization:
1511 Northwest 2nd Street
1.5 thumbs up

Menu Highlights: The strawberry spinach poppy seed salad is delicious.

Price Range: Dinner and a drink is going to cost you about 20 bucks each.

How many times do you have to try a place before you give up on it? With Civilization, I've given it 4 shots. I've tried something very different each time, and am still wondering why it's supposed to be good. It is housed in the old Second Street Bakery building, which is a work of art in and of itself. I would want nothing more for this world than a wonderful restaurant to occupy this space.

Their website boasts a team with over 50 years of combined restaurant experience. Well, think about it this way. BP has well over 50 years of oil industry experience. Now I'm not saying that Civilization is the greatest natural disaster this country has ever seen, I'm just saying that experience isn't a substitute for quality, skill, etc.

I know this review is starting off a bit harsh, but let me try to ease up a bit. They have a great beer menu. In fact, I'd say it's one of my favorites. It's very small (less than 10), but it has some real gem's. I like this because it doesn't overload me with choices. Also, they have a delicious strawberry and spinach salad with poppy seed dressing. I've also heard that their lunches are great. Beyond that, I really haven't had anything worth noting.

Here's what I have had:
Pumpkin Lasagna: This was my introduction to Civilization. Sounds delicious, right? Wrong. It was literally flavorless. Since a good friend who already thinks I'm way too picky brought us here and recommended this particular dish, I was really on my best behavior and didn't complain at all. About half way through, he actually asked me if I thought it tasted like dirt. I was so happy! Sometimes I think I'm so critical that I might just be insane. When people vindicate my judgment, it makes me feel so much better.

Portabello Stroganoff: OK, let's get one thing straight. Mushroom Stroganoff shouldn't be on a menu at a nice restaurant. It's something that your midwestern aunt makes for dinner and it is to have no seasoning besides salt. Furthermore, it's a heavy dish, and not one that should appear in the summer time (Civilization also touts a seasonal menu). It featured broad noodles and big pieces of mushrooms. Much like Aunt Flo from Michigan's recipe, it was rather bland, very heavy and hardly gourmet.

Old Florida Sampler: Collard Greens, Black Eyed Peas and rice, a corn fritter, and sweet potato casserole come together on a plate to represent the sunshine state. I'm honestly not sure why these dishes are particularly Floridian (beyond being Southern), but it's just so so. The black eyed peas and rice and collard greens are pretty standard (not much you can do to them) and the corn fritter adds a nice little insult to your arteries. Now the real buzz kill for me was the sweet potato casserole. I don't know about you, but in my family, sweet potato casserole is basically a dessert. It's sweet. Civilization added sauteed onions and other stew-esque elements to this, rendering it inedible for me. (Imagine if someone gave you a slice of pumpkin pie with anchovies on it).


Chicken Cacciatore: This was actually the only item I got here that was good. It still wasn't great, but it was pretty good. They get their chicken from a farm in Georgia that utilizes ethical practices and environmentally sustainable choices. I'm OK with eating chicken from a place like that, so I splurged. I often wonder if my negative reactions are based on my avoidance of meat dishes, so I figured I'd test it out. The chicken melted off the bone, as it should in a Cacciatore, and it came with a roasted zucchini that was mighty nice. Overall, it was a pretty decent meal, but nothing to write home about.

I'd love to love this place, but alas, I don't. If they get it together, I'll be a big supporter, but for now, it's too mediocre and the service is actually quite slow. Most of the dishes seem to be based on a pre-made item (see all 4 above), yet it still takes quite some time to get your meal, even when they're not busy.

Unfortunately, all civilizations must fall, and for our friends at Civilization, I think it's only a matter of time.