Annette's American Bistro — Restaurant in Town of Webster

I want to like a new local restaurant and encourage it, but there is definitely room for improvement.

The good: The service was prompt and very polite. Our server was cheerful, apps and entres came promptly, and my drink was refilled without asking. My only small gripe is that whenever serving an app, small plates should be provided without the customer needing to request them.

The okay: The atmosphere was decent. Overall a nice, classier renovation over the previous occupant. The space isn't very big and it may have made more sense to have smaller standard height tables that could have the versitility to accommodate 2-6 party seating if they were joined. The only eyesore is the overhead low voltage cabling, which is strung about on the open ceiling eeck. $500 worth of EMT conduit would have made a world of difference.

The bad: The biggest problem was the underwhelming menu. There was nothing with a "wow" factor.

To start, we tried the stuffed peppadews for an app. Five small sized ones came out on a skewer, stuffed with what I can only describe as a blue cheese spread (it was a consistency between a blue cheese dressing and crumbly blue). Is was sat atop a sparse bed of mixed greens with a squiggle of balsamic UNDER the greens. Peppadews are typically packaged in oil, so trying to mop up any of the balsamic was an exercise in futility. Why would that not be drizzled on top? Overall, the blue (or maybe it was gorganzola) filling was very bland and lacked in flavor and presentation.

On to the entrees. I had the bruschetta chicken and my significant other had the mushroom alfredo.

The chicken consisted of two filets on a bed of rice, covered with mozzarella and bruschetta, accompanied by a side of broccolini. The chicken was tasty and tender. The mozzarella could have been melted more, but other that it had a mild flavor profile with the bruschetta and was properly seasoned. The broccolini on the other hand was WAY over salted to the point it was practically brined. We each tried one bite and couldn't eat it. The rice had the slightest hint of seasoning, elevating it to slightly more than standard Uncle Ben's.

The mushroom alfredo had good flavor and used several different types of fresh mushrooms. There were some small, fresh greens oddly placed atop, which wilted from the heat of the dish. A small gripe, but the amount of sauce was about 25% in excess of what it needed to be.

To offer some constructive criticism, I think that the business lacks identity. I don't feel that the menu takes any risks or shows the maturity required to attract refined pallets or foodies. Give me something I can't make at home! Show me something that people will seek from outside of Webster to make the restaurant a destination. I think that the chef and the management (unsure if they are synonymous) need to do some soul searching. When average dinner for two is over $100, there is no room for mediocrity.

Side notes: You're missing a trick without modern non-alcoholic beverage options. There were no mocktails on the drink list or NA beer options on the beer menu (people who want them don't want to have to ask). There are plenty of people in the younger generation who don't drink, but are willing to spend 75% of the cost on an NA equivalent. Athletic Brewing is the number 1 NA beer brand in the country per the WSJ, surpassing Heineken. Many other popular bars and restaurants on the East side carry one or more of their line.

I'm hoping that the management or owners see this (not sure if they are one in the same) and work to develop this business. I'd be happy to dine again and re-review if improvements are made, but for now the value...

If I could give 0 stars I would. We stopped by for a quick happy hour and apps. Upon arrival we were greeted by two friendly waitresses. My wife ordered the happy hour $7/glass. In addition, I got two beers and we got two apps. Well happy hour was not so happy. When we got the bill we were charged $28 for 2 glasses of apothic red. After letting the bartender know she brought out the owner. Realizing they were new we kindly brought it to their attention and said we are happy to fix it however it is easiest for you- gift card vs. refund,etc. Well the owner kept saying to my wife you ordered a very nice glass of Apothic Red (which she did not). That said, she responded by saying I ordered the house red and would have ordered differently. He said happy hour has different levels and that is premium which is not stated anywhere. He was rude, lacked customer service and made us feel as though it was our fault that his menu was not clear. After my wife was kind back, he said ill give you a free glass when you come back. Well, we will not be back, ever. We were excited to try a new spot but after that experience we will go to support a place that has real customer service and cares about it's patrons. We have worked in the restaurant industry and that is not how you run a successful restaurant. Good...

My fiancé and I recently stopped in for our weekly date night. We usually rotate around local restaurants and were very excited to try somewhere new. The atmosphere was wonderful, loved the decor and overall feel.

We ordered the Tuscan greens & beans for an appetizer which was very flavorful! We each had a main: Bruschetta Chicken, and the Pan Seared Salmon. The chicken had a light and fresh flavor, my fiancé really enjoyed it. The Salmon was good, I was hoping for a little bit more butter with the 'lemon caper butter' - but the salmon was cooked perfect, I just prefer a bit more 'sauce' or butter with my fish. Otherwise the food was amazing! We also loved the Wednesday Wine Special.

It was a bit slow when we walked in around 5:45pm, it then quickly filled up. Our server, Kevin, who referred to himself as the "Crazy Canadian" - was the only server on the floor and tending the bar. He did an amazing job! Personally, as someone who was a server/bartender for over 10 years, holding down 8 tables + bar is tough. However, Kevin was still very attentive, the pacing of the meals was perfect, everything was great. He killed it!

Overall a really wonderful first time experience, we will definitely coming back for a future date night. Thanks...