Though I wasn’t expecting Spago when I dined at the Wolfgang Puck Bistro at Macy’s in South Coast Plaza, I certainly thought I’d get something a cut above Sbarro.

Yet, both in food and service, my wife and I received worse than the latter when we visited on a recent Saturday night.

Things got off to a bad start when no host was available to seat us, something we saw repeated with other patrons throughout the evening. And while a worker quickly lit the outdoor heater to keep us warm on the patio, it took a good 10 minutes before a passing server took pity on us and, realizing our original waiter went MIA, took our order.

Twenty minutes dragged by and we still hadn’t received either our first course or even a bread basket, though others around us had gotten one (or two or three). When our tuna tartare appetizer ($7.95) did arrive, it came at the same time as my main entree of crab cakes ($15.95).

We were quite hungry by this time and dug in, almost completing the dishes when we realized the staff had forgotten to bring my wife’s side caesar salad ($4.95) and pizza ($12.95) to the table. With some prodding of the staff, the items finally did (and were comped in the end, with a manager’s apology for the flub).

That was the service side of the evening. Unfortunately, food-wise our experience was even worse.

Oh, Wolfgang, how far you’ve fallen.

When I helped open a Wolfgang Puck Grand Cafe as a server about 10 years ago, the mantra of quality, fine dining was drilled into our heads daily. The food this evening, though, was below par in just about every category.

First off, it was as if the kitchen had lost the salt shaker, as almost every item was under-seasoned. My crab cakes were off texture and tasted as if the crab had been scooped from a can and slapped on a griddle to give it the semblance of a crust, but was not nearly crisp enough.

Likewise, both the medley of vegetables on the side and the green beans were soggy, tasting as if they, too, were made with a can opener as the culinary tool of choice.

We hoped that the pizza, an item that Puck is famous for, would redeem the dinner. Alas, things only got worse.

On this meatball pizza, the “meatballs” seemed an afterthought. I used the quotes there because, as a manager later confirmed, the square (!) chunks of meat were not meatballs at all, but rather pieces of meatloaf. Based upon the scorching heat of the cheese and sauce below, the lukewarm pieces of meat seemed as if they were just plopped on top as the plate went out the door to our table.

It would have been nice to know going in about this whole meatloaf situation – and certainly others would appreciate knowing the meat chunks are wrapped in bacon, for better or worse (guess which was the case with ours).

By the end of the meal, the slow service, poor food and blaring music on the patio had worn us thin. We were asked if we wanted dessert but declined.

Instead, we walked 20 steps to Godiva to get the bad taste out of our mouths.

Nordstrom Cafe has to be one of the best-kept non-secrets at South Coast Plaza.

If you’ve never been there, I’m sure you’re wondering what the big deal is. If you have stood in line to eat there, well then, you know.

Fortunately, the line moves fairly quickly. You grab a tray, then order at the proper counter for your pasta, sandwich, pizza, soup or fresh-tossed salad.

A beverage station is self-serve. As my lunch companion, blogger Eva Kilgore, noted, there are orange and lemon slices to freshen your water. It’s those little touches that makes Nordstrom Cafe stand out.

Plus, the service is superb. Unlike most places with counter service, the folks who bring the food to your table will come back and check on you. Did you want extra parmesan cheese or a drink refill? They’ll take care of it.

And there’s an outside seating area in case you want some fresh air or maybe feel a little weird about dining inside a department store.

But let’s talk about the food.

My go-to sandwich is the California Panini ($8.95), which is roasted turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato, swiss cheese and garlic aioli on crisp country bread. It’s served with potato chips.

The panini is just the right size with the right balance of ingredients. It doesn’t get too messy nor scrape the roof of your mouth.

Eva went with the Chicken Tomato Alfredo ($9.50). The penne is topped with roasted chicken, spinach, parmesan cheese and roasted tomato alfredo sauce.

“It’s very light and creamy with a nice addition of spinach,” Eva said.

It might have needed a side of garlic bread, but you have to order that separately.

At the end of the meal, the servers bring you Ovation chocolate mints. Like I said, the little touches.

Since the service is unusually attentive, I like to leave a couple dollars as a tip.

Nordstrom Cafe costs a little more than other casual lunch spots, but you definitely get what you pay for and it’s arguably the best bang for your buck.

It’s open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. Its entire menu, including breakfast, is served all day.

I’ve been hearing about Z’Tejas from its very thorough public relations team for years, but I had yet to try it.

The day finally came to give the Southwestern grill its due.

My friend and photographer Jess Block took a seat on the large patio for a late lunch.

Cornbread, which is baked every 30 minutes in a cast-iron skillet, was served with honey butter. It was sweet, fluffy and just the right start.

Jess selected the Green Chile Pulled Pork Nachos ($9.29), an appetizer that provided plenty for an entree. The six flat chips were laden with pork, peppers, Jack cheese and black beans. A very generous dollop of “hand-hacked” guacamole accompanied the dish.

My dish, the Baked Seafood Enchiladas ($12.59), featured possibly the best item I’ve eaten so far at South Coast Plaza, the grilled cilantro pesto shrimp.

Alas, there were only two on top of my enchilada. For more of the expertly seasoned shrimp, one may order the Grilled Shrimp and Guacamole Tostada Bites appetizer or add shrimp to the Southwestern Orzo Pasta.

The enchilada itself was filled with tuna, salmon, baby spinach and mushrooms. It was topped with Jack and cotija cheeses and served with a creamy, bisque-like roasted red pepper sauce.

Our server was very helpful and honest when answering our questions. However, we did have a slight issue getting seated as we were wholly forgotten after our intended table was cleared up and our silverware was forgotten, too.

But overall, my expectations were exceeded and now I know what distinguishes Southwestern from Mexican cuisine (sort of).

Z’Tejas serves lunch and dinner and has an extensive cocktail and wine list.