J&G Steakhouse - Restaurant Week 2009

We recently had a wonderful meal at J&G, when we were lucky to hit it during the Arizona Restaurant Week promotion.  I had heard a lot of great things about this place, so it was on my short list of places to try. We arrived on time, and our table was ready.  The space is beautiful.  It was hip, and steakhouse-like (dark woods, and big plush booths).  Our hostess seated us at a 4 top (there were 2 of us) in the far corner of the restaurant.  I wasn't thrilled with the table, but the wife was happy to be out of the hustle and bustle (we were both tired from a long day of kid chasing), so we didn't request to be moved.  The restaurant is focused on their view over the hotel grounds, and the valley.  It is a spectacular view, and most tables in the restaurant take advantage of it (our table did in fact have a view, it was just in a bit of an awkward location).  In the future, I would probably request a table "on the window", as this would probably improve the experience.

First thing I should mention is the service.  The afternoon of our reservation day, I received a confirmation call from the restaurant.  I always appreciate this, as it is nice to know they will be prepared for us.  I requested a patio table, and was told that they don't serve food there.  The hostess was professional, and very pleasant.  The rest of the  service was excellent throughout our meal.  Our waiter was attentive, and kept a perfect level of formality (not stiff, but not our friend either).  Our meal was perfectly paced, and our drink glasses never went empty.  Our waiter spent a lot of time with us, explaining the menu, and guiding us to make the best choices.  They also presented us with the RW menu right away, and didn't seem to treat us any differently for "dining with a discount".

I started with a cocktail, as I knew that this was one of the specialties of the house.  I got the "Hemingway Daiquiri", which was excellently mixed (including small bits of crushed ice).  It was strong, and really tasty.  I stopped at one, but likely could have drank quite a few.  I guess Hemingway knew how to drink, so I shouldn't have been surprised that his namesake drink was tasty and strong.

As with our other RW meals, we got one of each selection on the menu, to ensure we could try everything.  This is a good time in my review to comment on the quality of the options.  J&G selected their "greatest hits" to best represent their restaurant.  I think some other restaurants pick cheaper options, but I appreciate that J&G took this opportunity to showcase themselves in their best light.

The Caesar salad was great.  It was light, lemony, and fresh.  It was covered in shaved Parmesan, and was very large.  The Steamed shrimp salad was really special (our waiter informed us that dish has been on Jean-Georges Vongerichten's menu since his very first opening).  It consisted of 4 very large shrimp, cooked perfectly, with accompaniments of micro greens, funny long mushrooms, avocado, and a great vinaigrette.  I understand why this dish has stood the test of time, as all the ingredients worked so well together, and showcased their individual qualities.  It was a really great appetizer.

The entrees arrived.  The Steak frites was pretty good.  The quality of the steak was good (and it was prepared just as we requested), and the fries perfectly prepared  (they were somewhat pedestrian - but cooked perfectly - crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside).  The highlight of our meal was the Salmon dish.  It was the most perfectly cooked piece of fish I have ever had.  It was simply prepared (there was very little seasoning, which allowed the quality of the fish to shine through).  The side dish of creamed corn was spectacular.  Good corn is in season right now, and easy to come by, so,  Kudos to J&G for highlighting a great ingredient.  Both of the entrees showcased great cooking, using high quality ingredients.

Of the 2 deserts we had, the standout was the Apple Tart.  It consisted of a baked apple ring, on top of a delicate pastry.  The apple was a perfect consistency, with a strong caramel cinnamon flavor.  This dish is another of their specialties, and I understand why.  The molten lava cake was good, and rich, but nothing spectacular.  We make this a lot at home, so the novelty of this desert has worn off for us.  Both deserts came with ice cream, which was fine, if not spectacular.

Overall, our meal was a wonderful experience.  It is hard to beat the ambiance of the Phonecian, and the restaurant itself feels upscale.  The experience from start to finish was top notch.  All the food highlighted simple preparations of high quality ingredients.

One last comment, looking at the regular menu, the prices aren't exorbitant (for instance the Steak Frites entree is $18).  While a meal could add up quickly, it would be possible to eat here on a budget (if you are careful with your selections).  We absolutely loved J&G, and will likely be back for another meal.

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What we ate:

J&G Steakhouse - Steakhouse

• First Course (choice of):
  • Heart of Romaine Caesar Salad
  • Steamed Shrimp Salad, Avocado, Mushrooms, Champagne Vinaigrette

• Second Course (choice of):
  • Slowly Cooked Salmon : Creamed Corn with Jalapeno, Lime and Cilantro
  • Grilled Black Angus Flat Iron Steak Frites

• Third Course (choice of):
  • Apple Tart Tatin, Cinnamon Ice Cream
  • Warm Chocolate Cake, Caramel Ice Cream

BLT Steak - Restaurant Week Menu Review

We had our first (of 2 - next up J&G) Restaurant Week meals last night at BLT Steak.  It was wonderful. Our meal started with a complimentary Champagne cocktail.  It was placed in front of us as soon as we sat down.  It was interesting, basically sparkling wine, with sugar, and bitters maybe.  It was a nice touch, not wonderful, but certainly nothing to complain about, since it was complimentary.

Next up was the amuse bouche.  It was a small turine of chicken liver pate.  I am not a fan of liver usually, but absolutely loved this dish.  Everyone at the table was in agreement that it was wonderful, and we all basically fought over who would get to lick the bowl clean.

The next suprise were the Gorgonzola Popovers (which I should have known about).  This is the signature item at BLT, and has won raves from previous diners.  They are huge, very light bread puffs, with a perfect balance of cheese funk.  After finishing the popovers, and liver app, we all agreed that we were already full, and could probably leave happy now.

Of course, our meal hadn't even begun.  We ordered one of each off the menu, to ensure we could taste everything.   I ordered a glass of Gruet Sparkling wine (one of my favorites, and props to BLT for supporting regional purveyors).

The highlight of our first course was definitely the soup.  It was basically a squash soup, with crab, and the most amazing sweet cinnamon croutons.  All the tastes in the soup complimented each other, and the portion of crab was generous.  The tomato/onion salad was pretty good, but maybe a little pedestrian.  In this dish the quality of the ingredients really stood out - they used heirloom tomatoes (the skins were dotted, and different colors), and a nice balance of oil, and other ingredients.  It was a nice dish (but I would probably opt for the soup if given a choice, as it was much more special).

The standout for our main course was the fish.  It was a whole Sole, butterflied, and cooked to perfection.  The fish had a wonderful salty crust, and perfectly tender meat.  It was cooked to perfection, and among some of the best fish I have had anywhere.  The steak was also good.  The quality of the meat was clear, and the mushrooms that were presented with it in the cast iron skillet were amazing (and I am usually not a fungus fan).

The sides that came with the entrees were nothing special.  The fingerling potatoes dish had more onions than potatoes, and the carrots were fairly pedestrian.  Again, they weren't bad dishes, just nothing special.  If I had it to do over, I think I would have supplemented the meal with some other sides from the regular menu.

Deserts were a minor letdown.  The peanut butter mouse was super rich, and overwhelmed the rest of the tastes of the dish (namely chocolate, and banana from the ice cream).  I thought the consistency was fine (and the crunchies they put on top added a good texture).  The berry cheesecake was fine, but nothing special.  We all wondered if they used goat cheese to make the cake, as it had a little bit of a funky taste (in a good way), and a very soft texture.  We asked the waiter, and he said it was just regular cream cheese.

My final comment would be about the service.  It was stellar, and indicative of what we would expect if we were paying full price.  They changed out the silverware with each course, paced our meal properly, and most importantly, offered us the RW menu right away, with no attempt to upsell.  From the moment we walked in (the hostesses accommodated our request for an outside table), to the time we left (everyone thanked us for coming in), they treated us well.

Overall, I was very happy with this meal, and thought it was a wonderful value (actually a steal, as our final tally was $69 and I had a glass of wine).

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Here is the menu:

BLT Steak - Modern American Steakhouse

BLT, or Bistro Laurent Tourondel, is the personal stamp of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Laurent Tourondel, named 2007 Restaurateur of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine. BLT Steak opened in Manhattan in 2004 as a revolutionary modern American steakhouse and was named one of Esquire magazine's "Best New Restaurants in America" shortly after receiving a two-star review from The New York Times. At BLT Steak, Tourondel elevates the classic American steakhouse with his signature style, French training and all-around finesse.

• First Course (choice of):
  • Kabocha Squash Soup / Crab Relish / Canella Crouton / Chive Creme Fraiche
  • Early Girl Tomato & Onion Salad / Ginger Vinaigrette / Frommage Blanc / Mache Greens

• Second Course (choice of):
  • Hanger Steak / Roasted Fall Mushrooms / Truffled Steak with your choice of either Butter Heirloom Glazed Carrots / Mesquite Honey or Fingerling Potato "Boulangere" / Pancetta / Stewed Cippolini Onion
  • Lemon Sole/ Brown Butter Caper Sauce with your choice of either Butter Heirloom Glazed Carrots / Mesquite Honey or Fingerling Potato "Boulangere" / Pancetta / Stewed Cippolini Onion

• Third Course (choice of):
  • "Sugar Pie" Pumpkin Pie / Mascarpone Chantilly Cream
  • Cheesecake with fresh berries instead
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse / Banana Ice Cream

• Additional Items (choice of):
  • Navan Champagne Cocktail

Eating in Las Vegas

My Vegas Report

Aug 4, 2008

Just returned from a weekend in LV, and wanted to capture my feelings on what I ate over the weekend.

Started out grabbing a burger at Burger Bar (we were staying at Mandalay, so it was a quick and easy destination). I had the sliders, which were 3 small burgers with various ingredients, all made with different meats. I couldn't tell the difference at all between the different meats, but the different ingredients definitely gave each a distinctive taste (I really enjoyed the one with bacon, and would recommend this as a must have ingredient on any sandwich there). Wife had the regular burger with bacon as well. It came out exactly the temperature ordered (medium rare), and she loved it. (She said it was among the best burgers she has ever had). The fries were very good as well. The sweet potato ones were actually crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, which is perfect, and not easy to accomplish. My wife got their "Mojo" to drink, which had Chipotle syrup in it, and she didn't like it. The recommendations to eat at the bar instead of waiting for the table were spot on. We were told it would be 50 minutes for a table, but walked right up to the bar (during prime time, of Fri night around 8:00pm). The atmosphere is casual, which was nice, and overall, our meal was reasonably inexpensive, which is a plus.

Breakfast the next morning was granola bars at the pool. We then headed to Lotus of Siam for lunch. We were bummed to see that they only serve dinner on weekends, so we had to think quick about a backup plan. We decided to head to Ceaser's, and decide between Bradley Ogden, and Mesa Grill. BO, is only opened for dinner, so our decision was made for us (although we did check out the menu, which looked great, and they were offering a price fixe dinner for $55 which seemed reasonable). Mesa grill only serves brunch on the weekends until dinner, which wasn't optimal, but we were hungry, so we stayed. I got the Eggs Chiliquenes, and the wife got the spicy pork tenderloin sandwich. They were both pretty good, but I wasn't wowed by either. The service was excellent, and the bread basket they bring to each table had some real winners (in particular, I loved the blue corn muffin, and a jalapeno biscuit). My diet coke cost $4 which I find outrageous (but it seemed to be the going rate for drinks in LV). I would also comment that the restaurant space was beautiful. The different colored glass panels (following the color theme of Mesa) was well done, and the whole restaurant in general had a classy feel (but not stuffy). We loved that you could see into the casino, but still felt isolated from it. I wouldn't make a point of rushing back, but it was a solid meal, and a very pleasant experience.

Dinner was at Lotus Of Siam. We were going to eat there no matter what, and we are happy we made it. Plenty of reviews on this board for this place, so I am not going to rehash. We had the crispy rice with sour sausage, beef salad, northern Thai curry (item A from the Northern menu, which was already included in our menu), and finished with sticky rice with mango. All of the dishes lived up to our high expectations. If I lived in LV, I would open up a tab, and go there as often as I could. This is a must do for any foodie, and a stop we will make whenever we are in town. The nice thing about this place, is that it isn't stuffy, and they aren't cocky (for lack of a better word). LOS has gotten tons of rave reviews from all over the country, but all the people that work there seemed laid back, and grateful for our business (and willing to help us chose which dished to order, and explain the nuances of each). LOS gets a lot of positive reviews, and they are well deserved).

Next we headed to the Wynn for a show (Le Reve), and needed to cancel reservations at Tablau for brunch the next morning. We were a little bummed we couldn't eat there (not enough meals in a day). It was a beautiful space, and the menu looked really great.

So instead, we went to Bouchon for brunch on Sunday. It was great. We ate outside (which was surprisingly pleasant for a August morning). The space reminded me of a French brasserie, but more upscale. I had the corned beef hash, which came in a cast iron skillet, with some wonderful bread (light and airy). The wife had the French toast. It looked somewhat small at first, but turned out to be a perfect portion as it was very rich. She commented that each layer had candied apples, which she loved. My corned beef hash was very good. Our service was only OK. My coffee cup was empty at the end of the meal, and I would have liked more. It also took a while to get our check (our table definitely got forgotten when the waiter became overwhelmed with other guests). We would have also liked to have a small basket of bread included with the meal (you could buy one, for $13, but we thought this was expensive). Brunch is an inexpensive way to experience Bouchon, but in hindsight, it probably would be wise to have dinner there, as it is probably more extraordinary.

On our way out of the Venetian, we made a point to stop at Bouchon Bakery. We wanted to get some "road food" to have on the way home. This little counter (just behind the escalator into the shops outside of the casino) is something special. We got four items: Focacia, Chocolate Croissant, an "Oreo" cookie, and a lemon tart. They were all unbelievably delicious (and expensive our bill was close to $20 for 4 pastries). The focacia had a wonderful pesto on it, that matched well with the white cheese, and tomatoes. I only got 2 bites (was concentrating on driving while the wife devoured it before I knew it), but it was one of the highlights of anything I ate this weekend. The chocolate croissant was only fair. The chocolate in it was very high quality (you could taste, and I think they said it was Valrohna), but the bread was too flaky (fell apart into millions of crumbs), and was just OK. The "Oreo" was to die for. It was very light, and the white chocolate ganache in the center played well with the crisp cookie. The lemon tart had a pine nut crust, and was perfectly tart. The meringue on the top tasted like a fresh marshmallow, and cut the tartness perfectly.

Overall, we ate well in Vegas, and look forward to getting back again sometime, and knocking some of the other places off our list.

La Jolla, what we ate

La Jolla, my review

Sep 05, 2007

Here is my brief review of the dining experiences we had in the La Jolla area. Overall, I would say we ate very well, in some great environments, relatively inexpensively.

Day one, went to Girard Gourmet for sandwiches. We split the Italian on Italian roll. The meat was wonderful, but the roll was too big and hard for the sandwich, so all the fixins squished out the sides. We also got a Turkey, Cheddar, Avacado on 12 Grain. This bread was terrific (which is so important in the sandwich). The ingredients were all well proportioned, and this sandwich held together better. They had a large variety of wonderful frosted sugar cookies, but we were trying to be relatively good, so we skipped them (but they were enticing).

For dinner that night, we tried to hit Georges on the Cove (without reservations). We were told it would be a 1.5 hour wait (for the restaurant on the top floor). So we put our name down, and headed to the middle bar to get drinks and wait. We were able to snag a table in the bar after waiting a short time - this place was hopping, but the table turnover was quick, so while there were never any empty seats, no-one had to wait more than 10 minutes for something to open up). We were hungry, so we just decided to get apps at the bar. We got a bowl of their famous bean and chicken soup, and some fish tacos (my only chance at getting this San Diego specialty, since the wife, isn't so into them). Both dishes were wonderful, especially the tacos. I thought the soup was OK, but $9 for a bowl of soup is very expensive. We also got a specialty drink off their menu (which was recomended by Chowhounders). It was a Mojito, which was absolutely terrible. The mint was barely muddles, and there was barely any lime. We probably should have sent it back, but weren't in the mood to make a scene. For a specialty drink, I would expect something that is better executed, and not something basically undrinkable. Overall, I thought the scene at Georges was a little too much. I don't like to wait so long for a table.

Decided to head to Jacks after that for another drink, and another round of apps. We ended up heading to the lounge (downstairs), which seemed like the easiest, most informal way to go. There were too many choices regarding which Jacks restaurant to hit, and quite frankly we were a little overwhelmed, so we just decided the lounge was easiest (in hind site, the middle, open air bar looked pretty neat, and probably would have been a good choice). We found some couch space, easily, and ordered drinks and two apps. The atmosphere was great, and the people sitting across from us were extremely friendly (something we found all over SoCal). Our "dining partners" were actually competitive sky divers, and a bit crazy, but it certainly added a fun element to our evening. We got a Potato and Goat Cheese pizza which was tasty (probably 10" around, light but sturdy crust, and fresh ingredients). We also got the tuna tartar. It was a very large portion, of very fresh tasting tuna, with specks of scallion, and lime juice. Really great flavors. I am not a big fan of tuna tartar regularly, but this dish may have changed my opinion. My wife found a reasonably priced glass of Prosecco, and I had a rum and coke which were both fine. The service was very attentive, and we didn't have to wait or ask for anything.

Next morning we decided to stay in our hotel for the Sunday Brunch. We were staying at the Hotel Valencia (really great place, I would strongly recommend it, but this isn't a hotel board, so back to the food...). We were lucky enough to get a ocean view table (got the reservation the night before, and reservations are recommended, as they weren't able to accommodate walk ups in any of the dining rooms on Sunday morning). The view from our table was worth the price of admission by itself. The food was pretty good. It wasn't anything spectacular, but they had a good variety (including seafood - crab, oysters, and shrimp). a carving station for meat, an omelet bar, and a large variety of hot dishes (loved the eggs Benedict, and tried some of the pastas, and potatoes). The deserts were great (including a Chocolate fountain, and one of the best key lime pies I have every tasted) Champagne and Mimosas are included in the price, and since I wasn't going anywhere, I indulged in many, many of those (they just refilled your existing glass, so I have no idea how many I actually drank, but I was feeling no pain!). The price of the buffet is $45, which is somewhat of a splurge. We looked at the Seafood buffet Sat night, and it had much less food, and didn't look nearly as good, and it was $65. I would recommend the brunch over the seafood buffet. Service was excellent, our waters, and Mimosa glasses never went empty (my head still hurts thinking about all those drinks I put away that morning). My only tip, is to avoid getting there right at 11:00 when they open. The lines at the food were pretty long, they quickly dispersed (by 11:30), but it was kind of annoying to have to deal with all those people, when you are hungry, and just want to get back to your table, and enjoy the awesome view of the ocean.

That meal held us over until fairly late, but we still wanted something for dinner, so we headed to a Thai Restaurant named "Spice and Rice" (stupid name IMHO). It was really good. We got the summer rolls, as a starter, and they were great, very fresh crisp ingredients. They cut them up as part of their presentation, which made them difficult to eat, it would have been better if they left them whole). We then had a green papaya salad. I loved it, as it was heavily spiced. Warning, if you are spice averse, I would mention it, as all their food was pretty spicy (my wife couldn't eat the salad). Lastly we had the Pad Thai. It is a pretty run of the mill dish, and their version wasn't anything spectacular (but I think there is no such thing as "spectucar" Pad Thai). They had little pieces of Tofu, in addition to the chicken, which I really enjoyed. This dish was also spicy, but tolerable to my SO. If Spice and Rice was located in our home, town, it would definitely get a spot in our regular rotation, as we really liked it. (Comment, there were long lines for "Sushi On the Rock" place next door, which seemed like a lousy place, the wait was long, and the restaurant was packed, and was so loud you could literally hear it from outside where we were sitting next door. I didn't eat there, so I can't vouch for the food, but the atmosphere wasn't inviting to me).

Wanting to satiate our sweet tooth, we stopped at Gelato Frizzante (on Prospect). It was really great (we have had our fair share of Gelatos in our lifetime, so we know good stuff when we find it). I go the chocolate toffee, which had alot of chunks in it (how I like it), and my wife mixed Green Apple with another flavor (can't remember). I would definitely recommend this independant (they also have a shop in Gaslamp, but I think that is it) over the commercial Hagaan Daas store down the street that also seemed to be doing a brisk business.

Breakfast the next day consisted of granola bars, on the way to hike Torey Pines. But again, this isn't a hiking board, so back to the food...

Lunch at "The Cheese Shop" in Del Mar. Delicious sandwiched. We got a Regular Torpedo, which also came on Italian Roll, but held together must better than Girards. It was great, and we also got a Turkey and Avocado (basically same sandwiches as Griards, if we're anything, we're consistent). Turkey was thick cut, fresh, and not "lunch meat". Both sandwiches were terrific. I also loved all the funky candy (a lot of European candy bars, and other stuff you haven't seen since you were a little kid) they had for sale.

We then took a sail around the bay, and enjoyed snacks on board the ship (Sunchips, and stale corn chips).

For dinner we didn't have a plan, so figured we would just head to Gaslamp, and look around until we found something that looked good. We parked the car, and my wife noticed a restaurant right across the street that looked familiar (although we have never been to this area before). It was Agua Al 2, which is part of a chain (really only 2 restaurants), with one in San Diego, and one in Florence, Italy. We couldn't beleive it. We ate there in Florence, talked a lot with the owner, who told us to come visit him in San Diego if we were ever there (of course, this conversation was a distant memory). So we ate there. The menus were exactly the same. We kind of mis-ordered (actually had a language problem with the waitress who was Italian, which is kind of weird since we are in the states). But the dishes we got were still wonderful. The highlight of our meal was the cheese plate. It was large, with ample servings of 4 different cheeses, and some salad greens (I think one was arugula, as it had a very peppery kick). I also loved the bread they bring in paper bags. It was toasted on a grill, then you dip it in olive oil, and balsamic. I pretty much filled up on that. It was really neat for us to stumble upon this restaurant, as it really brought back good memories from our Italian vacation.

That is all we were able to do. On my list (for next time), is San Diego's best fish taco (this will take some research to figure out exactly were that is). Nine-Ten (their breakfast menu actually looked great), a real meal at Georges, Mission Cup Cafe, Chuao Chocolates , and Barbarella.

We had a wonderful time, and look forward to getting back.

G1 likes & dislikes

Feb 8, 2009

Likes: -Openness of platform (especially that I can easily install my own applications - not only from 1 heavily monitored store) -Variety of applications available for the phone (there are some real innovative ideas emerging) -Extra Camera functionality (especially the barcode reading functionality). -Size, and form factor.  I love the keyboard, big screen, and think the phone is small enough to fit in my pocket comfortably. -Durable screen -Internet integration (including  GMail and GCalendar);  This is the first phone I have ever had that sync's well with the world.

Dislikes -Becomes sluggish at times, requiring frequent reboots. -GPS reliability (my phone is very unreliable when it comes to location-based services). -Camera isn't very good (doesn't take great pictures even in good light, with a perfectly still hand) -Integration with non-Gmail email providers (the email app is awful when trying to use other services - YMail, etc)

Things I want -A2DP -sudo (or some kind of extra access so I can kill rogue applications, or look a little deeper into the system - especially the data folder). -G2, or G3, or G4 (next android phones which will be faster and more polished and even better) -Peace in the Middle East

Elements Restaurant Scottsdale - terrible service

This summer I had a terrible experience at Elements Restaurant (at the Sanctuary Resort) in Scottsdale, AZ.   The whole experience from the beginning to the end was awful, and never resolved to my satisfaction.  Here is a post I made to a private dining message board regarding the experience.  Rather than making a small accommodation to make us happy, they made it so we had no alternative than to leave.  To this day, I am still unhappy about the experience, and will never forget it.

Summer 2009:

I recently saw a pre fixe special mentioned in the local paper to Elements Restaurant (which everyone knows, is one of the top tier restaurants in the Valley). I had always wanted to try this place, but it is quite expensive, so without a special occassion, it was hard to justify. The pre fixe offering provided the impetus to make reservations (which I made through Open Table - which was linked to on Elements website). We invited one of my wife's co-workers to join us, as they had always wanted to try this place, but couldn't justify the price either.

When we got seated, and ordered the pre fixe menu, we were told by the waitress that it wasn't offered on the weekends. I was very surprised by this. As I mentioned, the main reason we chose to eat here, was to take advantage of the special menu (we were not prepared to pay full price).

I asked to see the manager (hoping we could work something out, and I could avoid further embarrassment with my wife and her coworkers). I explained to him, that there was no mention of restricted days on their website. At the time, I wasn't sure if I had missed the fine print (and immediately assumed I had, which put me on the defensive). I have since verified that the restriction wasn't listed anywhere (and still isn't - http://www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com/content/prefixemenu.html). I was vinidcated! During the "altercation", I wasn't sure if I had misread the exclusions, but I hadn't! This was not my mistake!

The manager wouldn't accommodate us. Quite frankly, while he was polite, he immediately began to cover his tracks with a variety of excuses, and half truths (a big one, was - even if he wanted to offer us the pre fixe, he couldn't because the food isn't on the regular menu - which is an outright lie, every item is on the regular menu). We actually went back and forth with the manager for a few minutes (I will spare you all the gory details). But, the longer this went on, the more uncomfortable the situation became, so in order to quickly put an end to further embarrassment, we left. It is obvious to me, that they wanted to clear us out, so they could seat other people at our table (who would pay more for their dinner).

I would have liked for the situation to be resolved differently by the manager. I would expect he would allow us to order the pre fixe - "Well Sir, we normally don't allow the pre fix on Fridays, but I would be happy to make an exception for you this evening; Sorry about the ambiguity on the website".

Food for thought: -Even if we ordered the most expensive items off the pre fix menu, our total food cost would have been $54 (vs. the $39 for pre fixe) - not a significant difference; If I apply the math to what we would have actually ordered, the price difference becomes even smaller. -We would have more than made up for the price difference with the wine we were planning on ordering. -We had already spent money in the bar, while waiting for our table - which we wouldn't have if we weren't coming in for the pre fixe menu.

The next morning, I contacted the hotel manager (assistant manager was the only person available at the time), told him my story, and requested a call back from the General Manager, and the Food and Beverage manager. I haven't heard back from either of them yet.

Bottom line, this was one of the more embarrassing situations I have experienced in a very long time. If this was due to a mistake I made (ie. not reading the fine print closely enough), I would take my lumps, and go away quietly. However, this was not my mistake, and wasn't handled appropriately by Elements staff, and I  hoped they would have bent over backwards to make it right. In the hospitality industry, it is much easier to keep a guest happy, than change the opinion of an unhappy person.

No-one from Elements ever called be back (I gave them 4 days, which was plenty of time).  I finally called them and they still did not apologize (which is really all that I wanted from the beginning).   Bottom line, this place is not worthy of my hard earned money.  I would much matter spend my money at a place that values my business.  A follow up post I made to the same message board:

I really appreciate the feedback.  What I really want from Elements, is an apology.  At this point, I think there is nothing they could do compensation-wise to rectify the situation (even if they did bring us back for a free meal, at this point I wouldn't feel comfortable going back).  The damage has been done, and the longer it takes to hear back from them, the worse I feel about the situation.

I would expect a certain level of service from a restaurant of the caliber of Elements.  They obviously failed us on Friday, and their follow up has been poor as well.

I asked this question to a friend of mine (who writes about restaurants in the national media).  Here is part of his response: "I think your expectations are perfectly reasonable. In fact it's nice of you to give them a second chance at all. Many customers wouldn't and would instead go around badmouthing Elements for the rest of their lives — literally: People never forget a bad restaurant experience, especially if it's an embarrassing one."

It is true.  I will never forget this embarrassing experience.  It's too bad, as I have been looking forward to dining here for a long time.

It is true, that I will never forget this experience, and will likely continue to bad mouth Elements for the rest of my life.  Too bad they didn't resolve my problems quickly (as I would be happier to give them props).

Favorite restaurant after dinner candy

Nov 17, 2006

So I was at a Sushi restaurant tonight (in Baltimore), and with my check, they brought me this Green Tea Hard Candy (it was the single most intense Green Tea Taste I have ever experienced).

It got me thinking, the after dinner treat, for me, really adds to the experience at a restaurant. It may not be the most important reason for going to a particular establishment, but it certainly influences the overall experience (who doesn't like a sweet treat for free?).

It got me thinking about some of my favorite restaurant treats. Certainly one of them is Del Frisco's giant bowl of jelly beans. I also like the Andee's Thin Mints (although I can't think of where I have had them lately, maybe the Broker?).

What are your favorite restaurant treats?