I say no to Yolos

While I was glad to see a new restaurant open in The Mall at Green Hills shopping center, I have been skeptical of Yolos, as the only good things I had heard were compliments on its decor. Now, after having lunched there myself, I can say I agree. Judging a book by its cover, or in this case judging an eatery by its gravity-defying light fixtures and holographic video screens in the bathrooms, is never a good idea. More often than not, you'll be disappointed. And that is exactly how I felt after leaving Yolos.

Now, in defense of the place, perhaps lunch hour on a Sunday that just happened to be Valentine's Day was not the best time to visit. The parking lot was so busy the valet couldn't even keep up with the demands. However, we were politely told to expect only a 20 minute wait. Not terrible for a Sunday. The minutes ticked by. I ventured to the bathroom and saw not only the holographic video screen displaying the name of the artist whose music video I was watching, but I also spied several empty tables. Why, then, were we still waiting after 25...30...35 minutes?

We were finally seated in the far back corner of the restaurant, near what I presume will be open-air dining in the warmer months. My back was cold. My blood sugar levels were still reeling from the Donut Casserole we'd had in Sunday School and I needed to eat something substantial. I asked for bread or crackers when I ordered but the artisan loaves didn't arrive until 2 seconds before our meals came out. (I will say, though, that bread was darn good!)

Overall, I was disappointed with my choice. I ordered a chicken salad salad, expecting chicken salad on lettuce. No lettuce, just a lot of out-of-season fruit and a Morning Glory muffin. The muffin was yummy and warm...could have eaten the whole batch! And the orange-infused vat of butter that came on the side added a nice flavor too. But I really wanted the honey-orange marmalade dressing that was supposed to come on the side but apparently got left off my plate.

Leaving things off the plate seemed to be the day's theme, as several others ordered the Strawberry Chicken salad, which specifically mentioned mixed greens tossed with strawberries, cheese, almonds, and other fruits. Not a single person found a single strawberry in their salads, only strawberry-flavored dressing. Poor Stephanie left the chicken off her order, which then left her "Strawberry" salad with something to be desired.

I will say, the decor really is special. Mellow and contemporary, with a flourish. And some other menu items did look tempting. Maybe the crowds of people there that morning know something I don't. Maybe I need to give it another chance. Maybe. I mean, they do offer valet parking...!

The End Notes:

• Decent service, perky and attentive waitress (if not a little bit of a buttinsky).
• Swanky atmosphere
• Downside: have to fight with Green Hills traffic, but upside: valet parking!
• Overall impression: NOT impressed.