Sheryl Julian, the Globe's Food Editor, writes regularly for the Food section.
Devra First is the Globe's food reporter and restaurant critic. Her
reviews appear weekly in Calendar.
Ann Cortissoz is on the staff of the Globe and writes the First Draft beer column for the Food section.
Stephen Meuse writes about wine for the Globe's Food section. His column on
Plonk ($12 and under wines) appears on the last Wednesday of the month.
 Ask a question or share an idea or recipe with The Boston Globe food
staff.
 Week of:
November 4
Week of:
October 28
Week of:
October 21
Week of:
October 14
Week of:
October 7
Week of:
September 30
 
For Boston Globe restaurant reviews and food news and recipes, visit Boston.com's Food section.
|
« Your own boulangerie | Main | Traveling and famished » Monday, January 29, 2007Shaky starts
For awhile, it seemed that restaurant service was improving in Boston -- yes, it's true we're not Europe and the professionalism found in the most humble French bistro is seen here only in grand occasion dining. Still, service that is friendly, practical, and helpful seemed to be on the upswing. But lately I find myself shaking my head at ineptitude. It's not really that servers are rude -- although that happens even in fancy places from time to time. It's more that the staff seem oblivious to even the basics. Our main courses come and no one's cleared the table from the first courses. The young waiter stands at the head of the table balancing four plates. Not only does he have no where to put them, he has no idea who ordered what. And he or she fully expects us to move dirty plates around, rearrange silverware, tell him or her where to put the plates, and hand him water glasses to fill. Even to take the plates from him to save the bother. Oh, and of course, tip generously. In the last three weeks, this has happened to me four times at new restaurants -- and I'm not talking about diners. In fact, I bet a diner waitress would clear three tables, and take and deliver four more orders before these neophytes figured out that you don't ask the patrons to keep track of who gets what. Restaurant managers should teach the basics. Don't assume that because a new employee has worked somewhere else, that he or she knows anything about table service. Or take them out to the local diners. Posted by Alison Arnett at 04:45 PM
|
