Local Joint Sucks
We went to eat at a local restaurant the other day (I’m still debating whether or not to name this restaurant). We’ve been to this place prior to their move to a new location- but only for breakfast. This time we were going for lunch (though Grump hoped to still be able to get a breakfast plate).
The inside was nice enough- though it had an old hospital cafeteria feel- and the staff could have been friendlier. But I don’t mind that. Sometimes the breakfast crowd can drive you bonkers. Anyway, Grump tried to order off the breakfast menu (which is on the same menu as lunch) and was told that each item would be charged the a la carte price. I was doubtful, but he decided to get a reuben instead. I decided on the pasta primavera special.
We waited for a while for our food. The restaurant wasn’t crowded, so I didn’t really understand that. I was just starting to get irritated when our server brought our food. She quickly dropped it on our table and disappeared. I took one look at it and decided there was no way I was eating that.
First, my primavera was simply rigatoni in marinara with some canned peas and carrots thrown in. Second, it looked like it was days old left over. Something that I probably would throw out if I found it hiding in my refrigerator. The meat in this mess was pot roast. Pot roast (in my area) is very distinctive and I was pretty sure it was the same meat that I could have gotten with an open-faced beef sandwich.
I poked it with my fork. It noodles stuck together and my fork came away with a clump of pasta. I asked Grump to taste it. He did (he’s very brave like that) and immediately spit it out. Just as I suspected. It was probably days old food. I worked at a restaurant that did that with food- used it until it was no longer remotely recognizable. I was disgusted.
Grump’s reuben looked ok on the outside, but the meat on the inside wasn’t corned beef. It was, you guessed it, pot roast. The cheese was white american, instead of swiss, and the it was completely absent the thousand island sauce. The only thing that even resembled a proper reuben was the sauer kraut and rye bread. Yick. Grump, though, championed through. For him everything thing tastes better with half a bottle of catsup.
The server came back to check on us and I told her to take my pasta (heh) back and asked her if I could order something else. She was amiable enough, complete with a hollow apology (I wonder how many times she’d had to return the same dish), and took my order. A turkey club- which is super easy. She took away the slop and promised a quick return on my food.
A little later she brought the sandwich. She told me that she used my salad as my side dish because she didn’t want to charge me. I told her I wouldn’t have paid a dime for that dish anyway and we left it at that.
It looked like a regular turkey club until I took a bite out it. If that was turkey on that sandwich there was no way I could tell. If there’s anyway that deli meat can get water logged, this restaurant had found it. The meat was so wet that it soaked the bottom bread of my sandwich. Literally soaked it through. The bread fell apart when I lifted it. I took the meat section off and proceeded to eat just the bacon and lettuce part. I was once again disgusted, but my hunger was over powering. Sadly, the server came by only once more to drop off the check. She was quick to avoid the ugly situation that I’m sure she saw on my face.
When Grump paid the check, the hostess didn’t ask how our meal was. Were these ladies used to this kind of reaction? Well, I’m sure they are. Grump is way to polite to offer a criticism without a prompt. I’m not the same way. On the way out I told the hostess: “I’m sorry, but this was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had. How you stay in business is beyond me.” I don’t know if she responded to me, because my embarrassed husband rushed me out. Personally, I don’t think we should have had to pay the bill for what we got.
So, if you’re ever in our neck of the woods, don’t go to Dee’s Restaurant. You’ll regret your choice if you do. Go around the corner to Carbone’s. They are locally owned and take pride in providing excellent service and delicious food.
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Haha I was curious if you were going to name the place while I was reading it! I hate places like that! I’m starting to think they need to have undercover food police go to these places every week. I went to another placed like that a few weeks ago and I will never go back!!! Thanks for the heads up if I ever see a Dees Restaurant I won’t stop.
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This is a great site. Stumbled on you by accident via EntreCard…
I hate crappy service. Had a shining example of this on holiday. Sat with family at restaurant that was damn near empty and the wait for service was so long we nearly walked out!
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