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Restaurant Guru

Restaurant Guru

by | May 14, 2018 | Eat, May 2018

Dear Restaurant Guru,

I like dogs, I really do, but there are just some places I don’t think dogs are appropriate. My husband and I went to lunch recently at a sports bar, a great spot near N.C. State. I was shocked that two tables inside the closed-in patio (not outside) had dogs sitting at their tables – one little dog was laying on the seat in the booth, the other big dog (lab size) was sitting in the owners lap barking loudly. And, no these were not service or anxiety dogs wearing service vests.

Again, I like dogs but I assume there are rules about animals in restaurants…Aren’t there?­— Fed-up with Fido

 

Dear Fed-up with Fido,

Oh no… here’s where I offend about 75 percent of the readers of this publication. I’m not a dog lover. And furthermore, I’m not a big fan of dogs at eateries either. We, as Americans, are one of the few countries that have such a profound relationship with our canine community. Granted, puppies and the occasional droopy-eared beagle will melt even this icy-hearted writer, but those instances are few and far between the tables of a bistro.

Unless otherwise indicated, restaurants are for humans. Heck, if you ask some chefs, only adult humans. Don’t ask me about the time I watched an irate chef throw out all of the children’s menus during a Mother’s Day Brunch service.

Now the reason I bring up children’s menus, in an article about dogs, is because many dog owners will make the claim that their dogs are their children…. and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as they know they are totally nuts.

Look, kids and dogs can both be irritating in the dining room. I get it. But, someday a child will grow up to be an adult, an adult that will enjoy restaurants on a weekly basis. So, by including your rambunctious juvenile along with you could be a form of ‘training’ for the future. But, correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t think Cujo, or Fluffy or dare I say Max, (sadly, one of the most popular dog names… sigh), is going to make a reservation to eat at the Angus Barn some day.

We already travel with dogs on airplanes, create fancy little parks for them to run and poop and even bake the occasional pup-cake. Yes, you guessed it… dog cupcakes.

Dog owners: please recognize that your emotional-support-pooch is sending the rest of us into hysterics. Let’s keep the dogs at home and present them with a nice little treat we like to call: the Doggie Bag.

— Max Trujillo

Host of the NC F&B Podcast.

ncfbpodcast.com

Restaurant Guru

Restaurant Guru

by | Apr 30, 2018 | April 2018, Eat

Dear Restaurant Guru,

I love going to great restaurants with great chefs but what happened to the salt and pepper on the table? I understand chefs think their seasoning is perfect, and sometimes it is, but everyone likes their food differently. Recently, I asked for salt and pepper and the waitress was stunned; as she put it, “I’ll check and see if I can do that.” What? What’s happening? — Salt-n-Pepper Deprived

Dear Salt-n-Pepper Deprived,

About three years ago, I brought on a young chef for the restaurant. The first thing he said was, “Bro, let’s get those salt and pepper shakers off the table… stat.”

It was something I never considered before because I would also assume that chefs felt their food didn’t need additional seasoning. It may come off as arrogant. But when I asked the young chef to explain why, he gave me a well thought-out answer.

His reasoning wasn’t that his food is perfectly seasoned, though he still admitted it was. It was about a few things, such as real estate on the table, the quality of the salt and the intention of true hospitality.

“If we intend to put a flavor enhancer, such as salt and pepper, on the table, then why stop there? Shouldn’t we also put sugar, cinnamon, garlic powder, oregano and my favorite Sriracha sauce on the table too? I’d rather have another plate of food, a glass of wine or simply some open space on the table. Instead, let’s offer freshly cracked pepper, and sea salt and whatever else a guest may want throughout their dining experience. It’s our duty to serve the guests’ needs.”

So, there’s no excuse for the server to be unaware about the availability of salt and pepper, but the dining table should only consist of necessary items. True hospitality encourages that type of mentality.

I agree with the chef, as salty as that answer may be to swallow—keep the shakers off the table.

The Restaurant Guru

The Restaurant Guru

by | Sep 22, 2017 | Eat, September 2017

Dear Restaurant Guru,

Last Tuesday, my husband and I went to dinner. We were seated immediately by the hostess. She gave us menus but we waited and waited and no one came to the table. It was over 15 minutes before anyone came to the table to speak to us or offer to get us a drink. It seemed like a very long time to us… we thought of leaving. How do you know when you’ve waited too long? What should we do next time?

Dear Waiting4Waiters,

I feel for you. There’s a lesson I give to my new hosts during training: “Pacing is the most important key to our success. If you seat everyone at once, the kitchen gets backed up, the servers get frazzled and the guests get left alone.”

Just because there are open tables in the restaurant doesn’t mean they all need to be seated. Each night is unique and should be treated as such. Sometimes a large party is running 30 minutes late and an unusual amount of walk-ins (people without reservations) drop in.

A guest would rather wait to be seated for 30 minutes, than be seated and left alone for 10 minutes. We (the restaurant and the guest) haven’t completely entered our dining contract until you have been seated. Once your butt hits wood, it’s game-on… or at least it should be.

There’s no good reason that you waited so long. I’m sure the place was busy and the server sections may have changed.

Either way, it was a communication breakdown. Give them another try.

— Max Trujillo

Host of the NC F&B Podcast.

The Restaurant Guru

Dear Restaurant Guru…

by | May 22, 2017 | Eat, May 2017

Dear Restaurant Guru,

Recently my husband and I went to dinner with friends at a local restaurant, two of us ordered the same dish and both of us became violently ill within two hours of dinner. It clearly was food poisoning. What is the “right” thing to do – do you call the restaurant and tell them or not?  If I had been really sick and needed to go to the doctor would the restaurant typically be responsible for helping with costs?

Dear Tummy Troubles,

Restaurants are highly regulated and fall under intense scrutiny with the Department of Health. We are tested on everything from the cleanliness of the kitchen to how we write our menus. When an inspector walks in the door, it feels like the opening scene of Inglourious Basterds.

People in the restaurant industry might be a little unusual and snarky, but we have a code. We understand serving food and drink to the community and we want return business. We feel good when someone leaves in a great mood and take it personally when someone’s experience isn’t up to par with our own expectations. The truth is, no one tampers with your food because it’s not in our nature.

But things can go awry for many reasons. Someone may be sick and should have gone home, but instead they worked that night. How many of your kids go to school and come home with 1,000 germs? We’re human and it’s going to happen.

I highly encourage anyone who feels a restaurant is responsible for food poisoning to inform that restaurant. It’s your obligation to let them know so they can evaluate any issues in the kitchen and prevent it from happening again.

As far as medical costs, you’re going to need actual proof. Perhaps you unknowingly took some of your contaminated food home in a doggie bag? If so, you could have a lab check it for bacteria. All restaurant menus must include the disclaimer about “consuming raw or undercooked meats may increase your risk of foodborne illness…” so you’re entering a contract once you’ve ordered food from that menu.

Help yourself. Be proactive by only going to restaurants with good health scores (90 and above). And here’s a little insider tip, food distributors don’t deliver on Sundays, so I would flag the Half-Off-Sushi-Sunday under ‘Buyer Beware’.