Because I like to eat

I was born hungry. 

And I've pretty much stayed that way except for a couple of illnesses. So, as much as anyone else I am entitled to write restaurant reviews. I've also cooked in restaurants (and for a family of five for 20 years). Twenty years ago I was eating regularly in New York City and its environs, that alone makes one a foodie. Lately my dining out has been of a humbler variety. However, that did not lower my standards. 

Square One, Bryan, Texas

So, to begin: on Friday last I dined, with a friend, at Square One in Bryan. Apparently this urban bistro has undergone an ownership or management shift. The restaurant was formerly redolent with the flavors and aromas of Italian dining. This was, in fact, our expectation when we entered.

We were greeted by friendly waitstaff and ushered to a small table. The atmosphere is smart, sophisticated, but unfortunately noisy. Perusing the menu was a disappointment (we were after all expecting Italian). There were actually few options. But a small menu can mean a chef is trying to judge local tastes. The prices, cleverly hidden by using just a number at the end of the description, were a little higher than one might expect in a mid-size Texas town.

Our drinks arrived, as ordered, followed by the dinner salad we had requested. 

Again, disappointment. A small plate contained a handful of less than crunchy greens, a few diced tomatoes, and a tiny accompaniment of dressing. There were, perhaps, some shreds of Parmesan as well. However, for $3 one could expect a larger portion/wider variety of ingredients...possibly even fresher ones. We were dining fairly early by any standards so the salad should not have had the over-refrigerated texture it did.

Next to arrive, in a timely fashion, was the dinner entree. No bread was served in any form. The portions for the entree were generous, a full chicken breast completely covered in walnuts on a mound of garlicky mashed potatoes with sauteed vegetables on the side. Everything was quite tasty. I must say that first because there are criticisms. The walnuts had not been toasted first, nor, apparently, seared onto the chicken because they had absolutely no flavor at all. The chicken was nicely done, moist and flavorful. The vegetables were still crunchy good although heavy on the onions, light on the mushrooms (I found only two tiny slices of canned mushrooms). The potatoes could have made a meal themselves. Thick with garlic, creamy, the potatoes had never seen the inside of a dehydration chamber. This was the real thing. There was a creamy gravy atop the chicken which bewildered me. Why put gravy on a piece of meat lavished with walnuts? My dining partner said perhaps it was a "southern thing". Maybe...but not a thing which should be continued. Gravy on the side would have given us the option, which I would have foregone to savor the potatoes in their own loveliness.

It was much better than THIS abomination.

A further problem arose while we were eating. The waitstaff began to rearrange the furniture, possibly to allow better viewing for live music later. This was distracting to the point of rudeness. I had the feeling that other diners coming later were much more important than the ones trying to converse over their meal at the early hour of 6:30 p.m. All in all, Square One may have a good beginning for a restaurant in Bryan. It remains to be seen if the issues stated are resolved.