Sorry, Charley

Trip Start Jul 10, 2007
1
10
32
Trip End Ongoing


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of United States  , Florida,
Thursday, August 2, 2007

A couple of months ago, friends from New Hampshire visited the area, and since Don had  read that Charley's Steak House, in Tampa was one of only a handful of restaurants featuring USDA Prime and Choice Meats and rated a top steak House, there was no question...we were all going to Charley's. Although in our group of 6 there were 2 small eaters, including myself and 3 non-drinkers, I usually don't anticipate that to be a problem while eating out, but sometimes the waitstaff can have a pre-conceived idea, and in this instant that was the case. Obviously part of Charley's appeal and waiter training is to sell the biggest baddest steak and most expensive bottle of wine, at least that was the silent vibe he gave off.
In the past we have eaten at a whole genre of steak houses including Ruths Chris, Delmonico's, Gallagher's, Morton's, Smith and Wollensky, Capital Grill, Frankie and Johnnie's, and we may not always eat 2 appetizers, 4 side dishes, the 106 Oz steaks, dessert or that 1974 Margaux, but overall we are easy diners, and great tippers, when justified.
So it was with some disappointment, when we started ordering, that the waiter's initial affable attitude changed. No we did not want bottled water, tap would be just fine, and we would be sharing 2 appetizers (including the stuffed mushrooms, which are divine by the way) and oh no, here comes the clincher, 2 of us would be having appetizers for the main course.
2 Glasses of red and one of white (instead of bottles) did not put a smile on his face, but with a final push (I have to give him some credit for being persistent) he tried to get the 2 of us, who were  having the apps, to order the caesar salad as well (for a hefty price), which we gallantly declined. He sulked off to put in the order and for the rest of the 1 1/2 hours that the table was ours, we never saw him again, as he busied himself with another table of 4 businessman who obviously had not had gastric bypass surgery, nor were watching their intake of liquor. A friendly busser and attentive foodserver were our constant companions instead, and when it came time to tip, we did discount a couple of percentage points from the server's intended gratuity, passing it on to both the busperson and foodserver.
The food was classic steak house, with the meats (we had ordered a Filet, a Sirloin, a Pork Chop and T-Bone) perfectly executed, here medium rare is medium rare- hoorah. Our ubiquitous side dishes of creamed spinach and potatoes dauphinois were just that, and although the table had ordered both bearnaise and a peppercorn sauce, they had a thickish gloppy consistency, seeming, dare I say, pre-made.  
As we start thinking back about the thousands of restaurants we have frequented, a thought provoking question hits me, when dining out, do we give more points to service,  the food or atmosphere or value for money? When having the total eating out experience...which carries more weight? If your dinner was cold, but the atmosphere and service were top notch, is that a deciding factor to return or not, over, let's say, great food, interesting surroundings, careless or lousy service?  
How can we be assured that we get the total package each and every time? How often do friends recommend a restaurant because they loved it, and you encounter a hall of horrors, or the local food critic tears down a restaurant, that you have had numerous fantastic experiences  at. It is all a very personal opinion environment, as we have sold thousands of our crispy duck over the past 18 years, and you can be assured that the duck is always prepared the same way. Jose Luis could cook that duck and its pomegranate, cassis sauce, with his eyes closed, god forbid, but true, but still once in a blue moon a customer may say "I don't like the duck". Does that mean the duck was not prepared right? Not at all. We have had a dinner guest say that they did not like the vegetables, that they were too undercooked (some people are used to watery, overcooked, flavorless, soggy veggies), another guest may feel they are overcooked (maybe she subscribes to the new Raw Food movement), so it is all very relative.
Eventhough we not only may disagree with the customer's personal opinion, they may be entirely wrong, as long as we correct the problem in their eyes, and they have a wonderful overall experience, we can call it a success. But there have been diners in the past, that have come in, already in a negative mood, and no matter what painstaking attempts we  do to save the evening for them, it is a lost cause. From the moment they are seated you can often tell from their demeanor, voice and looks, that they had a pissy day (or maybe an entire lifetime of pissy days) and they are up for a fight. Bring on the sugar, we say, as we will go overboard to kill them with kindness and believe that somewhere along the way their brain registered a little blip of happiness....ahh we can only hope. 
Print this entry Tampa hotels