The Hill checked out the new restaurant 1171 on Saturday night not to be disappointed. Luckily I made a reservation because it was crowded at 8:30 despite the nasty weather. The place was larger than I had envisioned with a bar area on one side of the room and seating for dinner on the other. If I had to compare 1171 to another restaurant I would say it closely resembles Bistro AIX in ambiance, prices, and quality of food. The menu is all a la carte and you can request half orders of the entrees for reduced prices. I had a Caesar salad and the filet for my main course. I always start with the basics at a new restaurant because if you can’t get those right there is no need to take it any further. There was a full liquor bar and a decent wine lists where you could purchase by the bottle or the glass.
Again the food was very good and although it is a fairly new establishment the service was respectable. I hope these qualities are consistent. The Reservation Chophouse started out with the same vigor but the service started out shaky and never improved causing their ultimate demise. I’m excited to have a new dining option on The First Block and hope the neighborhood will support 1171.
