Claire
Master Chef
recommend to take friends or visitors to a restaurant that is an old favorite and have it be such a bust that you're embarassed? I have oft-complained that the restaurants in my small, tourist-oriented town can be inconsistent. But last night took the cake.
Our regular Friday group went to a local restaurant. I knew a buddy of mine would probably pay for my dinner (over the years I've had many bachelor friends, and they, gentlemen all, tend to want to buy me dinner for the many home-cooked meals I make for them). But I said I'd buy the starter, a fondue. I've been to this restaurant many times, and it was always a winner, made with local cheese and local beer.
Well, we got a bowl of watery, not very flavorful stuff, no fondue pot, just in a bowl. No presentation, no nothing.
I don't know how anyone else's meal went, but I ordered a favorite of mine, a steak salad. Instead of a meal, it was more an appetizer size, maybe 3 slices of steak on a bed of greens instead of the great serving of steak on a bed of greens and roasted vegetables that it used to be.
Many years ago my mom told me to keep my favorite restaurants to myself, because her fussy relatives would ruin them for her. But how about when your favorite restauranteurs ruin it for themselves?
I did hunt down an employee (and a casual friend) and told her how upset I was that the fondue wasn't ever remotely fondue. She said she'd remove it from our bill. I hope she did. Since an out-of-town friend picked up the tab, I don't know if he got stuck with it. I hadn't gotten my dinner at that point.
I swear, I'll follow my mom's advice and never recommend a restaurant again.
Our regular Friday group went to a local restaurant. I knew a buddy of mine would probably pay for my dinner (over the years I've had many bachelor friends, and they, gentlemen all, tend to want to buy me dinner for the many home-cooked meals I make for them). But I said I'd buy the starter, a fondue. I've been to this restaurant many times, and it was always a winner, made with local cheese and local beer.
Well, we got a bowl of watery, not very flavorful stuff, no fondue pot, just in a bowl. No presentation, no nothing.
I don't know how anyone else's meal went, but I ordered a favorite of mine, a steak salad. Instead of a meal, it was more an appetizer size, maybe 3 slices of steak on a bed of greens instead of the great serving of steak on a bed of greens and roasted vegetables that it used to be.
Many years ago my mom told me to keep my favorite restaurants to myself, because her fussy relatives would ruin them for her. But how about when your favorite restauranteurs ruin it for themselves?
I did hunt down an employee (and a casual friend) and told her how upset I was that the fondue wasn't ever remotely fondue. She said she'd remove it from our bill. I hope she did. Since an out-of-town friend picked up the tab, I don't know if he got stuck with it. I hadn't gotten my dinner at that point.
I swear, I'll follow my mom's advice and never recommend a restaurant again.