Eclectic Grill: A Hidden Surprise in the Hyatt

I had a good workout on Tuesday. Granted, it took me a week to motivate myself back into , but once I was there, the workout before spinning, and then the spin class, made me feel like I was king of the world.

So, of course, I had to enjoy a healthy meal afterward.

Here, I am going to call out for closing earlier than their sign says. It was 7:30 p.m. Their sign said 8 p.m. and they were still inside, but the door was locked. The man I believe is the manager seemed to make a hand motion as if to say they ran out of food. That's fine. But, if you're going to close earlier than your sign says, at least write a note saying you closed early that day. If this is a regular practice, just change your hours.

Anyway, having thus missed my opportunity to have a Turkey Burger XL, or something like that, I was still hungry and still trying sort of to not eat a horrible meal after a good work out. . And then, I remembered .

It can be easy to miss this restaurant if you're passing by , since it's operated inside the hotel. But, after sitting down to a quiet dinner there earlier this week, I have to say that not checking them out would be a mistake.

The lovely Keri (apologies if I misspelled your name) welcomed me to the open-air dining area, past the lobby and the bar area known as . Being mid-week, the restaurant was quiet, with only a few other diners enjoying their meals, while drinkers laughed and talked nearby.

I sat in a far corner of the room and took in the scene. This place is big and open and there was something very relaxing about that. Even if the place had been packed, I think I would have felt very comfortable here (full disclosure: I really like hotels).

The menu was not large but had enough variety to be notable, with items such as "lacquered" salmon steaks with cilantro lime rice, seared pork medallions and create-your-own burgers.

I avoided the bigger dishes, as well as the burgers (of course, now that I think about it, maybe I should have had a burger, ). Instead, I went with the English-Style Club ($12)–shaved turkey, bacon, a fried egg, lettuce and tomato on white toast. Still desperately holding onto this whole trying to be healthy thing, I opted for cucumber salad over fries (that they offer you side options from the get-go is a definite plus).

But, first, I had the Roasted Chicken Tortilla Soup. At $8, I thought it seemed way too expensive for soup. But, the amount of what came out helped me understand the cost.

What you get is a very, very generous bowl. The soup was flavorful, the chef not shy about seasoning (but, ). Even the avocado, which seemed weird to be in hot soup, worked very well. All I can say is, it would be nice if they offered a smaller soup option, perhaps at a $5 price point?

Then arrived my sandwich, which was comforting, if a little dry. I asked for some mustard, and the lovely Keri brought out the cutest little bottle of Dijon Mustard, which I got to take home. The cucumber salad was a very worthy substitute for fries, with just the right amount of vinegar and onions. If only they gave a bigger portion (I am sure they would have brought more out had I asked, I just didn't ask).

I would be exaggerating if I said I was blown away by the food I ate at the Eclectic Grill. I didn't go for any of their big ticket items (or, their specials of the day, which always sound exciting when I read about them on the hotel's Facebook page). What I got was basic, but satisfying (the soup a little more satisfying than the sandwich).

However, I will definitely be back, because everything put together–the ambience, the service and the food–equalled a very enjoyable meal. Sometimes, it's not what you went in expecting, but what you end up receiving that makes it worth it.

So, thanks, Muscle Maker Grill, for closing early!