09-14-2009, 12:50 PM
well, it sounds from my story like I am overly patient, but actually I have low tolerance for goofs. The thing is, my husband starts to tense up when he can see I am going into major annoyance mode, and it was more important on this occasion to suck it up and not ruin his evening than to give Jay's an earful.
You are right that the wine selection was new; they had just gotten their license. The server knew ZERO about wine and got the bartender who was the one ordering all the wine, and she offered me at least two samples of what they had, which were going to be the house wine. Both were awful to my taste, and the new house red did taste more like port or sherry than any red that I drink. Whether or not there are good Spanish wines, these were the ones they had decided to feature.
The reason I didn't complain about the surf and turf was that they didn't have it on the menu that night (I had read about it), and they fixed it by request. Then it sucked, and I didn't have the heart to say quite how much as they did me a favor. I did say something though, because they comped us a dessert. However, the S&T was at least $45, so having a dessert did not make it all better.
I've worked at a few places that serve lobster tails, and we always served the lobster in the tail shell but cut out of it. At one place the protocol was that I, as server, would deftly remove the meat from the shell at the table and take the shell away. But this tail - I had to go to work with a special knife and it turned into a full-on sawing project getting the thing to come loose.
If I had been with someone who can handle complaining when justified, I would have, but my husband gets so unhappy when I do it that I let it go.
Also, I cut them slack for being slammed and that their liquor license was new. But we didn't go back. I had read Jay is a super good chef. Now to say something good, I had the scallops appetizer and it was wonderful, and the soup was tasty too.
You are right that the wine selection was new; they had just gotten their license. The server knew ZERO about wine and got the bartender who was the one ordering all the wine, and she offered me at least two samples of what they had, which were going to be the house wine. Both were awful to my taste, and the new house red did taste more like port or sherry than any red that I drink. Whether or not there are good Spanish wines, these were the ones they had decided to feature.
The reason I didn't complain about the surf and turf was that they didn't have it on the menu that night (I had read about it), and they fixed it by request. Then it sucked, and I didn't have the heart to say quite how much as they did me a favor. I did say something though, because they comped us a dessert. However, the S&T was at least $45, so having a dessert did not make it all better.
I've worked at a few places that serve lobster tails, and we always served the lobster in the tail shell but cut out of it. At one place the protocol was that I, as server, would deftly remove the meat from the shell at the table and take the shell away. But this tail - I had to go to work with a special knife and it turned into a full-on sawing project getting the thing to come loose.
If I had been with someone who can handle complaining when justified, I would have, but my husband gets so unhappy when I do it that I let it go.
Also, I cut them slack for being slammed and that their liquor license was new. But we didn't go back. I had read Jay is a super good chef. Now to say something good, I had the scallops appetizer and it was wonderful, and the soup was tasty too.