Globe Easters

Wasting no time to make good on my promise to revisit mediocre places others adore (see previous post), I made my way to Pacific & Battery for lunch at the Globe. I first went about two years ago for lunch with my parents. Context: I couldn’t recall any distinct details about my first visit other than I was totally underwhelmed; my parents walked in today and literally could not recall having ever been there before (they’re old, but not THAT old). On the flip side, my boss liked the place so much, he chose to have his wedding reception there; I’ve had friends say they take out-of-towners there to impress them. Have I teed up the contrasting dynamics effectively enough yet?

Well, one thing did stand out today and, unfortunately, it was not the food. The noise-level was so unbearable I could barely hear my parents talking next to me. The tables are crammed and the brick walls do nothing to soften the chatter. When I walked out after, the ringing in my ears left me feeling like I had just attended an Avril Lavigne concert (sorry, first performer that came to mind – not sure why).

It’s a shame because the food is actually pretty good. I’ve been on a soup kick lately and opted to try their daily soup (some sort of vegan tomato and eggplant puree) with their smoked salmon appetizer. The soup was light and flavorful and paired well with the smoked salmon. I felt pleasantly full but not sick to my stomach as I often do at Friday lunch. My parents each had the rigatoni with pork. They both reported being pleased (if not a little put off by the $17 price tag) and the bite I had tasted good to me.

I passed on the dessert menu because I needed to escape the noise, which was becoming increasingly loud as the place filled up. I realize noise is one of my “things” that I care more about than a lot of people do. So don't let it be a deterrent to Globe if you're oblivious. But if you’re looking for a quiet date or a productive lunch meeting – skip the Globe.