Bad Restaurants – Continued

I guess it is not my season for restaurants. Bad luck seems to be following me to different restaurants. Recently my kids took me out to dinner for my birthday. We went to a national steak restaurant, 90 miles away from my home. 90 miles may seem like a long way to go to eat at a restaurant and I would not have traveled that far except that this is where my daughter lives and this particular restaurant is nearby to her. With my son driving, off we went to dinner.

We arrived early for our reservation and we only had to wait a little bit before we were seated. It was several minutes after we were seated before our waitress came by and too our order for drinks and appetizers. The appetizers and drinks were delivered and I told the waiter who delivered the drinks and appetizers (not the same person that took the order) that we needed silverware and napkins. The answer I received was, “I will see if I can do something about that.” Obviously he could not. We started on our appetizers which quickly left our fingers greasy. When you try to eat those fried flower shaped onions that are so popular with many restaurants now, your fingers get greasy.

After several minutes and no place to wipe our greasy fingers, I flagged down the hostess after she sat a couple at a nearby table and I asked her for some silverware and napkins. She went off to get them only to return several minutes later with them just when our appetizers were almost gone. Strike one.

Our dinners arrived and I noticed strike two. Now I love a good Prime Rib and this place is has very good Prime Rib. Strange as I am, I like horseradish with it. Not horseradish sauce, regular fresh horseradish. I had ordered horseradish with my meal and I told the waitress. She pointed to the small bowl of white colored sauce and said that was the horseradish sauce. I said I wanted regular horseradish. She went off to get it.

I really wanted some horseradish with my Prime Rib so I waited a few minutes for her to return. Finally, she came back with my horseradish. I started eating my great Prime Rib and nicely steamed broccoli when I noticed my Garlic Mashed Potatoes were missing. A few minutes later our waitress came by and I asked where were my Garlic Mashed Potatoes that was ordered as part of my meal. She said they were making a fresh batch. Well, she should have told me that little piece of information when my meal was delivered. So I continued to eat my meal.

It was not very long before I finished my vegetables and my Prime Rib, yet I still did not have any Garlic Mashed Potatoes. But, I saw other tables getting the ordered delivered and two meals had Garlic Mashed Potatoes on the plate. Strike Three. Suddenly, my Garlic Mashed Potatoes arrived as if the bowl of potatoes was a desert. I do not know about everybody else, but I prefer my entire dinner at one time, not in separate courses.

When the ticket arrived I did ask for the manager. I explained all the little things that I felt that nobody should experience in any restaurant. I also explained we had traveled 90 miles just to have my birthday dinner here. He apologized for the mix ups and he did admit that the Garlic Mashed Potatoes mix up was his fault. He said the potatoes he had were old and they needed to make a fresh batch. It did not appear he was going to do anything except to apologize and he left. He did come back and gave me a coupon for dinner for two at this same restaurant.

I guess the only advice I can give at this point is to warn you not to go to a restaurant with me. My luck lately has been filled with poor service. Now I know I will go to this restaurant again. I have been to this chain many times in the past and this particular restaurant location several times. But this time, when the dinner was special, the lousy service ruined this meal. No matter how good the food may be, when the service is lousy it will taint the entire evening.