Prelude is like airport dining. You should only do it if you haven't eaten beforehand, given the high price and small portions. The dining room is minimally decorated, save for a few Christmas trees during the Nutcracker season. We were seated in a dreary corner near the window. Our server was young. Perfunctory but not warm. This is the first place that I've been to in a long time where when you ask for hot tea, they bring you exactly one cup of tea. No little tea pot with your tea bag. Just a small shallow cup of tea. Ordered the chicory and frisee salad with duck confit, persimmons, and pomegranate dressing. The frisee looked discolored, either due to oxidation and/or the dressing. Thankfully it tasted better than it looked. The pasta looked dry, despite the description of mushroom cream sauce. My daughter liked the duck and the pasta, despite having her own order of sliders (ordered without cheese and looked overcooked). The short ribs were pretty fatty, but artfully presented with a carrot cream sauce. We skipped dessert but they were standard offerings under $10. Many people were just ordering fruit plates and fried chicken (only two pieces for over $20!). Next time I would probably eat elsewhere before the show, allowing myself extra time. So many options abound if you have the time- Ten Sushi, Collections, Skillet in the Armory, etc. Had to try Prelude because it always looks busy, but the yelp reviews seem to be more in line with what I experienced.