My, how the mighty have fallen

Last year on Mother's Day, mom and I had one of the best meal's either of us can remember at Indigo Landing. Hoping for a repeat performance, we made plans to go there again this year. What we found when we arrived was... disappointing to say the least.

Before I made the reservation on Open Table, I checked things out to make sure they were all still kosher. The restaurant's website still had the same menu we enjoyed last year posted, and everything still described it as "low country cuisine." No mentions of mother's day brunch or any sort of prix fix, so we were in the clear. I could practically taste the fried okra as I booked a table for 2 for a late afternoon lunch.

When we walked in, the first thing we saw was a buffet, full of very standard and unexciting things like danishes, mellon, salad. I eyed the hostess stand and she grabbed some menus as she sat us, so I thought, "phew. dodged that bullet. we can still order lunch."

No such luck.

We sit down and see that rather than lunch, they're serving brunch today (it's mother's day, afterall). Nothing on the menu was under $25, and all but 2 things included eggs. This is not what we had in mind. And upon closer inspection, we saw that not only was it only breakfasty items, none of it had even the slightest hint of low country cuisine. When our waiter came over (who I should note, was sweet as pie despite having a very fussy couple of patrons), we asked if it was possible to order lunch instead of brunch? No, sorry. "We were really hoping for some fried okra." "Oh, you must be thinking of our old menu. We don't do low country anymore -- we're a chop house now."

What?

Right. So without changing their website, their Open Table listing or anything, they not only completely change their menu, but abandon the entire premise of the restaurant. I suppose I could have avoided this by calling the restaurant ahead of time, but I had no reason to believe anything had changed. Judging by the clientelle and the looks on their faces, we weren't the only ones experiencing an unpleasant surprise.

Not wanting to pay thirty bucks for eggs benedict, we opted to find somewhere else to eat. A couple of false starts later, we ended up noshing on mussels and pizza at Faccia Luna in Clarendon (which was pleasant enough, but certainly not as good as all the praise people I know have heaped on it). At one point of our journey, the sky opened up for what would become the great Sunday Monsoon, and I turned to mom and said, "well, at least it's raining!" Disappointing as it was, we still managed to have a nice time. I am just really bummed that the wonder that was Indigo Landing has lost absolutely all of its lustre (well, except for the setting. it's still got the nicest dock and view of anywhere in the area.).

Moral of the story: ignore what I wrote a year ago, and do not go to Indigo Landing, unless you just want to enjoy a drink on their dock on the river surrounded by sailboats and with great city views. But do not go expecting fine southern cuisine. You will be sorely disappointed.