"A night with Elton and Friends"

About two weeks ago a text message from my friend Nat came in asking if Alan and i would like to go see a local Elton John impersonator. it sounded like a great time to me, so after speaking with my hubby, we decided we'd go.

The thing about impersonators is this... they are either REALLY good, or they're REALLY bad... OR they're REALLY bad but THINK that they are really good. Now, the latter can be fun and funny, but with all impersonations in general it's a crap shoot.

Hubby and I

My husband Alan has been horribly ill this last week with a serious chest cold. Coughing and just generally not well. He doesn't get sick often, but when he does...he is typically out for the count. He put on a brace face Saturday evening, took a bunch of cold meds (including cough syrup which he LOATHES) and off we went.

Nat and Shawn

After a brief stop at our friend's house for drinks we went to the restaurant just up the road from their place. The town/village they live in is small, but it's a happening hot spot in the summer as it's right by the beach. But at this time of year it's sleepy and quiet with only the residents being there (for the most part).
The restaurant itself is, or could be quaint and has a huge amount of potential. It's right on the canal, and in the summer could boast a great view...but...The glass external wall, for a sizeable portion, faces out toward the parking lot for some reason instead of toward the canal - and I'm certain the glass has not been replaced since the late 70s early 80s. It's single pane glass, no insulation, and as a result more than half of the 30 some patrons sat freezing our asses off. Most of the people sitting around had their coats on for more than half the night. (For the record we were there from 6:30pm until almost 10pm).

Let me start off by saying this...I know I get cold easily. I like to be warm and toasty when I go out (or when I'm in for that matter). I like to be comfortable. Usually my "comfortable" is Alan's sweltering but his internal thermostat is wonky anyway, so he doesn't count. Myself and my friend Nat were freezing, the lady at the next table had her fur coat on and so did about 85% of the rest of the place. There were a LOT of woman (and the men) sitting around last night that probably could have cut glass if you catch my meaning.

The whole dinner and show was 45$ or just 20$ for the show which was resonable. In retrospect I wish we had had our dinner prior elsewhere and just gone for the show. 25$ for what we ate was NOT worth it. The show was COMPLETELY worth 20$ however.

Options for dinner were limited and I do mean limited. There was either breaded perch or if you "absolutely could not have the perch" they were 'allowed to' offer "some sort of orange chicken" but they were 'told not to push that over the fish' (The waitress's words) for the other option. I am curious to know what other option we would have had if we couldn't have had either.

When she asked us what we wanted to drink "they can make everything" I was told. I told her I'd like a pina colada. She stared at me and said "That they didn't make those in the off season". So you CAN'T make "EVERYTHING". They could have gotten me wine (which i don't care for), beer (which I didn't want), soda pop, coffee/tea...or...they manage in the end to make me something that marginally resembled a Long island iced tea. It wasn't the worst I've ever had, but certainly was by no means the best either.

First we were served a soup, which we werent told at ny point what kind of soup it was - and to be honest, it was in my opinion - the best part of the meal. it was some sort of smokey ham/bacon soup with chick peas (which I don't care for -- I ate around them). But it was flavourful and good.

And then the dinner came - it was...mediocre. You could have fries, rice pilaf or "some sort of garlic mashed with onions, green peppers with cheese on top - that I'm not even going to bother to try to pronounce" said our waitress. I had the fries, which weren't bad. The fish was not the best, you were given four large pieces of fish, fries and then these shaved coined carrots with shaved almonds and raisins...which immediately made me think of my friend Rachel who loathes things with raisins in them. It gave me a giggle I have to say.

For dessert was pecan pie or chocolate pecan pie. When I heard her say chocolate pecan pie I thought it was some sort of chocolate mouse with the odd pecan either in it or perhaps on top. It wasn't my favourite...in fact i don't like pecan pie at all so I ordered the chocolate pecan pie and figured I'd leave the pecans behind and eat around it. No. It was pecan pie with minimal chocolate syrup glazed on top.

My friend emailed the restaurant today with expression of concern for a couple of improvements (I guess they're cutlery had not been clean - a BIG stickler for me) as well as the other problems we had had. The response was excuses (lame ones at that - I've read the response) "Anyone who opens the front door and the heat escapes" What? Get better heating or insulation then! And when she inquired if the food had been 'pre-plated' the response was that there was no need to do that as it only took 'three minutes to prepare". Mmmm fresh frozen fish! And the reason why we only saw our waitress 4 times the whole night? "Because the entertainment doesn't like the interruption." WOW. Way to accept NO responsibility folks.

Nat and me with "Sir Elton".

The performance was great, it really was. He went for two solid hours, without a break, sang all "his" greatest hits in character and then afterward expressed to my husband that the show had been a "shortened" one because he was fighting off a cold and still had to do a Sunday show. 

Honestly, had it not been for the company and the entertainment, the night would have been a total wash. The guy who impersonated Elton did a fantastic job!! Not only did he sound like him, but even bore a decent enough resemblance to him with minimal effort - right down to the space between his teeth. He was great! I'd totally go back and see him again....but I'd eat elsewhere first.

One Last Glimpse,

~K