It was an anniversary dinner for us and my sister and her husband treated us to a good meal at Petar's, having heard nice things and seen positive reviews. Setting: Strip mall near the end unit with seven inside tables and a few outside, those...just a few feet from passing cars in the mall parking lot. We sat inside near the front door. A bit of late afternoon sunlight was mildly annoying but barely worth mentioning. The chef's station is completely in view so there is a bit of a show to be had while seated. Service: From our waiter Jack, the service was well above par. He was knowledgeable, friendly, personable and efficient. Appetizer: I had the Caprese Salad, one of the best ever. I think they make their own mozzarella. Perfectly dressed and a generous portion. My wife and sister had the watermelon salad, also very well done and my brother-in-law had the very tasty lobster bisque. So far, so good. Main course: I had the Wagyu beef lasagna off the main menu, served in an individual baking dish. It was one of the best lasagna's I've had. My brother-in-law had the New Zealand lamb chops special with a veal demi glace and smashed potatoes. He didn't leave a morsel and it looked great. My wife and sister both had the lobster linguine special. Theirs came out barely warm. The lobster claw portion was fine but the tail on both plates was tough - inedible in fact. The pasta was al dente. When the hostess stopped by to do the usual inquiry, we told her the lobster tail was tough and it could not be cut. Her response was, "Would you like a steak knife?" Incredible. No apology, no attempt to make up for the problem. Entrees did not come with a side vegetable. Dessert: We were all full but Jack brought us a Key Lime Creme Brule either as a happy anniversary item or as a small apology for the rubbery lobster tails. He did not indicate which. It was a superb dessert by the way. Summary: Given the lack of response to the tough lobster tail (it represented at least half the lobster on the plate) and the inexplicable response to offer a sharper knife (!) I have to rate 4 stars but would give 3.5 if given the choice. Would we go back? Just a maybe. Had they properly addressed the chewy lobster tails instead of essentially ignoring the problem, I would be more enthusiastic. My advice - don't have the lobster. All else was good to very good but as far as value, I'd be hesitant to say it was a terrific value. Adequate at best. I did not see all the prices but the Caprese Salad was $11, the lasagna $25. Prices for specials were not announced. I'm guessing they were in the $30-$35 range based on other menu items. They are trying very hard and putting out mostly good and skillfully presented meals but have a little work to do on customer relations according to our experience.More

We had dinner outside with friends. The service was very attentive, the food was tasty. I had the best crab cake here. Filled with real crab and not fillers. Others had fish and the plates were empty. We had no complaints and would recommend this...place to others.More

After reading all the 5 star reviews, I have to admit I expected more. Food was good, but not spectacular. Salads were tasty and fresh. Lasagna seemed a bit bland needing more herbs and spices. Key Lime creme brûlée had a very slight hint of...lime flavor. I personally would have liked a stronger key lime taste. And unrelated to the food: It’s quite surprising to read how angry the chef’s responses are toward the on line negative reviewers...... I can’t decide if it’s frightening or just comical. I really hope he’s trying to be funny?More