Things aren't always what they seem. Surface trappings so seldom break way to true substance. Such is the case with Province, the new restaurant at the Westin Downtown.
Nicole Whittington on Province:
I was served during several visits to the restaurant. To be sure, there were hits among the misses, but the misses were not even close. For as detail-oriented as executive chef and restaurateur Randy Zweiban clearly is, it's a wonder what his cooks will do when the boss isn't looking.
I stopped in for a Saturday morning brunch with my boyfriend and his parents. The parents, a sweet couple from the Midwest, were content picking around softly scrambled eggs drenched in butter to fork up a medley of fingerling potatoes and cherry tomatoes. I, on the other hand, will not be ordering salmon for breakfast again. Maybe ever. Definitely not at Province. The salmon Benedict had a lot of strong flavors that didn't come together: salty, smoky, bitter, buttery. It was unfortunate that my eggs were so under-poached that they more closely resembled a science experiment than breakfast. The whites were still translucent, as was the stingy dribble of ancho Hollandaise sauce. I did enjoy the side of housemade chorizo links, which were bursting with all the right spices: paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin, and fennel seeds...full story