In a word: underwhelming. I'm saddened and frustrated, really. BLD is a cool place with a fantastic pedigree that I want so badly to like, but it just won't let me.\n\nToday's breakfast was my second visit. The first was for lunch shortly after opening. It was an unmitigated disaster. I gave them the benefit of the doubt at that time, but can't avoid Yelping at this point.\n\nHad the short ribs Benedict. Although the eggs were poached nearly perfectly, they were covered in a bland red wine Hollandaise that looked like melted Silly Putty and lacked the citrusy brightness that a good Holalndaise should have. The short ribs were pot-roasty, rather than the velvety melt-in-your mouth delight that you'd expect. Overall, the dish was under-seasoned and wan, but you couldn't complain that the short ribs were too rich.\n\nThe side of potatoes and onions was good with the exception of the fact that the onions were inconsistently cooked; some were crunchy while others were soft and beginning to brown. I'd prefer better browning and a nice crust, but seasoning was spot-on here at least.\n\nMy wife had the Spaniard scramble, which arrived looking more like an omelette gone bad than a scramble. The linguica provided the only seasoning; sadly it was underrepresented and the rest of the dish needed salt.\n\nMy latte was great, and at a $0.50 premium over brewed coffee, can't be beat.\n\nOn both visits, the staff has been a disappointment. Today's server was clearly trained NOT to ask how things were. Either that, or she was oblivious. She didn't return to check in once during our meal and delivered our check silently. The hostess was cute but clueless. I forgot my morning paper in the car, and when I went outside to get it, she welcomed me for a second time when I returned. She did an admirable job of pretending she remembered I'd already been seated in the half-empty restaurant when I told her I had a table, at any rate.\n\nAs a big fan of Cork, BLD has been a tremendous disappointment on two visits. While I'd like to be a regular at one of the spacious booths every weekend, I guess I'll have to settle for a trip to Cork every few months instead.
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