Paul Martin's American Grill

Green salad

We were hesitant to go to Paul Martin's American Grill because of negative comments about the service and reported wait-times for a table even with a reservation (per Yelp and Open Table reviews). We are happy to report that you can't believe everything posted in social media---perhaps this restaurant reads and responds very quickly to negative feedback or maybe the problems go away when it's not too crowded.

When we arrived at 5:20 p.m. for our 5:30 reservation, we were seated immediately.

Prime rib with mashed potatoes

The only drink we ordered was Pellegrino sparkling water; when our waitress Maria asked if we wanted lemons or limes as an accompaniment and saw that we were uncertain, she brought both. That was just an example of her thoughtful service---it's a delicate balance between obtrusiveness and inattention, and she navigated it well without interrupting our conversations.

We both ordered the 3-course Sunday Prime Rib prix fixe special ($25), an excellent value. The green salad (arugula, spinach, lettuce, beet leaves) was very fresh. The 12-oz prime rib was tender and medium-rare (it wasn't aged--c'mon, whaddaya expect for $25 bucks?), accompanied by a generous scoop of mashed potatoes. Dessert consisted of three scoops of ice cream.

The decor in the bar and dining sections is fancy enough for business clientele. However, because the restaurant is located in a corner of Hillsdale Shopping Center, very casual dress (jeans, t-shirts, slippers, etc.) would not be out of place.

For our first and only experience at this 1½-year-old restaurant, service and food were great, and prices were reasonable. We'll be back. © 2014 Stephen Yuen