I.d. — Restaurant in Delafield

The missus and I were long overdue for a visit to I.d. We made a reservation for a wet and windy Tuesday, assuming it would be quiet and we'd be able to take our time. While we certainly weren't disappointed, we weren't "Wow-ed!" either. They posit a full sensory dining experience, so I'll review accordingly:

Sight: The restaurant is elegantly appointed, modern touches mix with classic elements to create a place that is, at once, fresh but familiar. The lighting, and fixtures, are nice - if a bit 'white.' I prefer a more mellow yellow tone. The walls are a rich merlot color, with gilded drapes flanking the windows. Overall impression is totally commensurate with their aim - elegant, modern, approachable.

Sound: The music, which they also laud as an element of the experience, was more Euro discoteque than suburban bistro. It wasn't offensive but it was almost distracting. When you're wondering, for quite some time, how someone managed to take Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" and make it into an EDM jam, things have gotten weird.

Smells: If you pop in the adjacent hotel's main entrance, off of which the restaurant sits, you'll get washed in a bouquet of gardenia, hydrangea, and fairy powder. Not at all unpleasant, but very present. The restaurant proper has a more subdued aroma, a whisper of burning wood wafts in every so often.

Touch: The tables, linens, and silverware are nice. The chairs (regular dining chairs, not high tops) are almost TOO plush, you sink in a lot farther than you expect to. Their standard water 'glasses' are actually stainless steel goblets, more befitting a joust than a fine dining experience, but they do keep drinks quite cold.

Service: Being a sleepy Tuesday, service was spectacular. Our server was relatively well-informed on the standard fare - if a bit 'canned' in her pitch. We made a couple of modification requests due to allergy concerns and these were accommodated without issue.

Finally, Taste: If you are unfamiliar, they specialize in kind of American tapas, small plate offerings. Good to share. We had the Warm Feta and Herbs which was served with warm, soft pita and a roasted tomato puree, almost like a chutney, to start. The acidity and smokiness of the tomatoes were a perfect complement to the rich, creaminess of the feta. It wasn't as pungent or sharp as feta can be, and it was surprisingly smooth given feta's notorious crumbly texture. An excellent start.

We then moved on to the Beef Short Rib and Whitefish. Both were thoughtfully assembled and presented. There was a distinctive attempt to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients. My wife was content with the short rib, however I found it intolerably smoky. And I enjoy a peaty islay scotch. But this was akin to licking the log it had been smoked with. It was also served with a breaded, fried oyster on it. The oyster seemed to have been past its prime, it was fishy and dank. They did accommodate my mushroom allergy by swapping out roasted turnips for the umami greens (no mushrooms indicated on the menu - glad I asked) and those were fantastic. Highlight of the dish. To their credit, given my distaste for the short rib, they kindly comped it and weren't at all persnickety about it.

The Whitefish, however, was fantastic. It was a modest sized filet, served on a bed of pumpkin seeds and rye berries - which I had heretofore been unacquainted with. They were sensational, adding a nice little earthy pop and almost an orzo-like texture. The fish was cooked perfectly, crispy on top, fleshy and flaky beneath, still juicy, and the curried carrot puree was excellent as well, not too overpowering, a good extra to the main cast.

All in all, given the relatively significant hype, I expected just a little bit more out of the experience. The wine list was a wee paltry and no where was it easy to ascertain what other beverages a thirsty patron might avail themselves of. A carefully curated selection of specialty cocktails or even a beer list would have been great. We stuck with water.

We'll be back someday, surely, but...

Please understand before I begin the only reason these are not full stars will be explained but do not take it as a derogatory for the quality offered.

Let's start with atmosphere and ambiance. It is a very attractive space that while simple holds a nuance of quality. The main bar seats roughly 16, there are secondary standing tables that are decent for lingering but are in the center so you could feel like you are in the way. A good variety of tables for the average crowd they have. The clientele are varied as well due to the establishment being part of one of the higher value hotels that hosts numerous events year round. Great for off hours business meetings with a few more private side rooms.

Service...this is a touchy subject for some. The staff treat you well and are very kind to new and repeat customers. With that in mind please don't always feel you need to be center. In my multiple visits sometimes they are handling some staff issues, other times they are on point with every aspect. I will say, if you do not know fundamentals in etiquette of getting a bartender or servers attention politely..please learn. They are all knowledgeable by my experience and if they don't know then they will try to get you an answer.

Ah the food. Pricey, BUT the quality is undoubtedly present and there has yet to be a dish disappointing my taste buds. The chef experiments with curious concoctions that work surprisingly well. Always be sure to ask for any recent interesting recipes or new things. While they would dominate in a quality burger...this would not be your local dive food place you customize the order.

Equal in quality but stark contrast to the kitchen the bar holds it's own in my view. Drinks have high quality ingredients, liquors, and a reasonable range of beers. Be advised to ask about the flavor profile before dipping your toe in. They will absolutely work with you. At least two new concepts are on hand for some event or celebration, keep your eye out for them.

All this said, high quality and a great experience. The two downsides I've seen and heard. Occasionally some people have felt they were not seen/served fast enough or felt the staff were attentive more to regulars or internal discussions. The atmosphere...when it is crowded, it can get loud, so be...

I was very disappointed in our visit to I.D. with our wedding party on Friday night, 7-9-21. I reserved the wine room in advance and I was repeatedly assured there was no minimum and I made it clear we would just be getting after dinner snacks and drinks because our reservation wasn’t until 8:15. I was told this was perfectly okay and they would be more than accommodating of this. We were not seated until 8:40 and our server, Richard, seemed rushed and irritated with our group. He made it extremely uncomfortable when we were trying to just order 1-2 plates per person, telling us that it wasn’t enough and that we were not ordering fast enough when only 20 minutes had passed since we were seated with menus for only half the table. We even told him we already ate but he seemingly disregarded this information. He was condescending and made us feel like a burden, so much so my guests were all commenting throughout the night.

It made the night before my wedding so awkward and my guests all told me they were uncomfortable. I was actually crying because I was so stressed and disappointed. I have been coming to the I.D. for years as a local and it left such a bad taste in my mouth to have been treated poorly when it was supposed to be a joyous night. When I made the reservation I told them it was so our wedding party could rehearse and go over the plan for the next day. We were not even asked what the occasion was when we were actually there.

We spent over 800 dollars that night, much of it pressured and I felt shamed into doing so even though we all had dinner before we came. It may have just come down to the server having a bad night and poor communication. I will say the service we got from everyone else was excellent but clearly things got lost in translation from the server to our group.

Full disclosure, the manager contacted me and was very sympathetic. I was sent a $100 gift card as an apology. That is nothing in comparison to the $800 that was extorted from me. I cannot support an establishment that treats people that way. Not only that, but many local family and friends are extremely disappointed. We will not...