Chez Genèse — Restaurant in Greensboro

This will be a 2 part review & I hope I don’t miss anything.

Today (4/15/21) I decided to go into my “Upscale Places To Eat” list and decided to come to Chez Genèse for breakfast because my normal spot has been closed because of the pandemic. I arrived and the atmosphere seems welcoming, until I walked in. The owners/managers were having their meeting and greeted me and my wife but the welcome didn’t seem genuine. More of a “why are they here” welcome. I am always enthusiastic and high energy where ever I go to eat. So it is always easy for me to notice the unmet energy exchange from the initial walk in. I loved that the air smelled clean, the renovations were noticeable. As well as the plants were nice as well. We were greeted by one of the employees and were informed that they were carry out only, no issue with that. We had reviewed their menu and ordered a Salad of the Day “Salad Du’Jour”, Roasted Chicken on a Rosemary Biscuit, and 2 Raspberry Teas. The wait did not take too long as there weren’t too many customers waiting for food. We received our food and proceeded on our day until we opened our food..

Part 2.. Usually I would discuss my like/dislike about food but in these cases. The question asked is..”Would you eat this if it was served to you?”

Picture 1: Are 8oz Raspberry Teas, the bags that the tea was placed in caused the tea to seep to the outside of my cup rather than seeping the tea inside the hot water. Tasted like the cloth and hot water.

Picture 2: (Wife’s Food) Avocados were rotten and inedible along with the purple pieces of purple lettuce being wilted. Not much chicken for the price, would have thought it would have plenty of chicken since that was supposed to be the star of the dish. There were only three cucumbers. Not much of a $12 if I’m being honest. Not sure if other customers received this kind of inedible meal, but I hope not.

Picture 3&4: The Roasted Chicken On A Rosemary biscuit. The chicken was very.. very dry. One pick of chicken and no exaggeration at all, the chicken got stuck trying to swallow it. I had to drink the tea just to wash it down. And it wasn’t pleasant with the surgery I had in my mouth. The biscuit was also very.....very dry, there is no exaggeration to any of this. There was still flour powder on top of the biscuit that immediately indicated a dry biscuit.

For $28 and to be a place I really wanted to experience and try this was highly disappointing. I’d wish to come back and try it again, but I will not be returning to Chez Genèse. Upon returning the food I asked one of the managers/owners if they would indeed eat the salad and they replied no. Therefore I don’t understand why they would serve it but hey! We did receive an apology (which doesn’t change the fact that I was given rotten food to EAT)...

After a brunch reservation fell through, we walked down the street and came across this delightfully adorable restaurant and decided to check it out.

We walked into a lively well-lit and decorated room with tables and dining to the left and a line from the door to the ordering kiosk in the back. Clearly a very popular spot. Immediately greeted by a friendly waitress, she asked if it was our first time there. When we told her it was, she proceeded to tell us about the restaurant and how we could order. Then gave us a menu to browse as we waited in line. Surprisingly, the line moved quickly and by the time we knew what we wanted, it was our turn to order.

We ordered our food, took a number, and sat down at an available table for 2 and 1/2 (hubby and toddler). Iced lattes came out first! Regular iced latte for Hubby and Lavendar flavoring added to mine. There's a bunch of different flavors you can add for an additional $0.50 and I thought why not? Additionally, there's a station set up at the front of the store where you could grab sugar and creme as well as napkins. Stored in individual packets, I felt especially safe considering safety precautions these days. After grabbing some cream and sugar for my latte, I was refreshed by the smell of lavender that really came through. A vivid memory still.

Our entrees then came out afterward. Our toddler eats like a bird and so we ordered sides for her to enjoy. The fresh fruits were a thoughtfully selected and cut plate of sour apples, grapes, blueberries, oranges, and strawberries that were crispy and, well...fresh! My daughter thoroughly enjoyed everything on it and compared to other restaurants serving fresh fruits, this was my favorite place so far as it felt like an intentional presentation and not an afterthought to serve "just because."

For hubby, a Croque-Monseuir, or hot ham gruyere on multigrain. I took a few bites and it was amazing! Biting into the bread tasted like toasted cheese and grain. It was satisfyingly crispy and combined with generously stuffed ham and cheese inside, it was a happy pick!

Then for me, I went with a Crepe filled with vanilla creme fraiche with fresh blueberries. It was light, not overly sweet, and with the blueberries adding most of the tart and sweetness - it left me feeling just the right amount of full. But then I was also feeling very preggo so I ate what bacon my daughter didn't finish and those were cooked well too!

Would love to come back and try some of the other items on the menu. Especially lunch where the items...

Update: The owner responded to me and offered a much appreciated compensation. How one responds to a criticism matters. …….original post: In a restaurant striving for a Michelin Star, and for the price of the French toast, it should be at least better than average. It says brioche bread. It looked like ordinary, thin sliced loaf bread and was extremely mushy even on the outside and even before the syrup was poured on. This was no better than “anywhere” diner. Order something else. Instead, order an omelette or eggs Benedict. Those were two other items at the table, and my friends said they were excellent. And those two entrées were huge too. They could easily be shared between two people. We shared the French toast, but it was only three thin slices and so obviously, if I go back, I will not order the same thing.

Kudos for crispy bacon, and an amazing side dish of fresh fruit. The coffee was bold/good and the server kept our cups full. Unfortunately, the cute china cups they use do not keep the coffee hot. By the time I stirred cream in it it was already lukewarm. So just keep that in mind if it matters to you. I will add that it took a long time for us to get our food and we were only one of two or three tables in there. It wasn’t a problem for us this time since we were meeting with friends we hadn’t seen in a long time and so chatting with them was a priority anyway. If it matters to you, it’s also noisy in there because of all the hard surfaces. But many restaurants are like that. I don’t like to strain to hear the conversation. I like that the owner embraces the French way. The tip is included in the pricing. There are many opinions on this. I kind of like leaving a tip in order to show my appreciation with a hefty one or an average one depending on the service. I think it’s good feedback that offers incentive and rewards for excellence.

Three stars might seem a little harsh given that there was much about the food and restaurant that was excellent. But the failed entree is named after the country the restaurant represents and as posted, they are striving for a Michelin star. A little more...