Republic Pan-Asian, at 58 East Ontario appears to go to extraordinary lengths to make sure food presentations have a composed Asian serenity. Yet, I’m astounded  that  inattentive management allows poor customer care  to take the “fine” out of fine dining.
          
We chose outdoor seating, rather than the handsome second floor dining room. A server approached with no greeting, no request for drink orders. After our first course was finished, we had to prompt for clean plates and table ware. And, when I asked later for a wine list, one never appeared.
          
Later in the course of the evening, I discovered a restaurant’s and diner’s nightmare,  a foreign object in two separate presentations.  I called for a manager and pointed out the problem. To be fair in my description, it should be noted that it was impossible to tell whether the restaurant was the source. In any event, one of the dishes was comped, but not the other.
          
That’s not the issue. Bad things can happen. But, our server ignored it all, not even offering a verbal apology, and the manager seemed somewhat distracted, if not uninterested. I wonder if the issue was ever discussed in the kitchen.
           
Not that it matters at this point, but, an appetizer of seared sea scallops was fine. A maki platter could hardly have been better tasting.

The menu also lists an entree as Lemongrass, with options for meat, shrimp or tofu. There was no  lemongrass flavor in a sauce which reminded me of nothing more than basic sweet and sour.

Republic’s outside dining can be appealing, except for the occasional waft of stench from a nearby street sewer, not to mention the passing horse carriages. But, that’s not really Republic Pan-Asian’s fault.

What is their fault is the indifferent service and lack of apparent management concern. Unbelievable but true, an employee on a break was smoking outside the main entrance. The fumes were bad enough, but when he spit on the sidewalk, I could hardly believe what I saw.

Nearly as bad is the confusion of validated parking at a nearby garage. I won’t even go into that, because Republic Pan-Asian, at 58 East Ontario is not worth any more of your time, or mine. Republic has a K/RATING of 6/20.

AMBIANCE 3/4    HOSPITALITY 0/5    FOOD  3/11   

Read more Sherman Kaplan Restaurant Reviews at wbbm780.com and  in

North Shore Magazine