When you’re sick, and you know your time is even more limited than most, you expect more out of every endeavor you pursue, and when something doesn’t pan out like you expect, your disappointment is always compounded.
Our trip to Italy in September, was one example, and last nights dinner at Delius Restaurant was another.
Every Christmas the chapter of the professional organization I belong to, ASM International, and for which I am the chairman, holds it’s annual dinner for executive committee members. For the last 4 years, we have held it at Delius Restaurant in Long Beach, and for the last 4 years, it has always been great, but this time it was a tremendous disappointment.
For those unfamiliar with Delius, it is a prix fixe dinner restaurant with only one seating per night. Seven courses are served, from appetizer to dessert, including a selection of cheeses.
Business has apparently been quite good for the owners, Dave and Louise, as they are moving to a new location with a lot more room. They are also expanding their business, by including a small dinner menu in their wine bar, where you can come in, without reservations, and eat, plus they are either starting or expanding on an existing catering business.
And I think that all manifested itself last night in a much lower quality of food and service.
The first course was good, a crispy topped seafood pie, but after that it was all down hill.
Every one had to send their soup back, because it was served cold, and the filet was served a little rare for my liking. Plus the same size cheese plate was served regardless whether you were at a table for two or a table for eight. We were a table of eight.
Although the same as last year, the dessert was good, but that didn’t make up for the fact the wine selection, which has always been very good in the past, was a tremendous let down last night.
We weren’t even able to have wine with our filets, because they couldn’t come up with anything from the list, which was a recurrent theme that evening, by the time we had finished our meal. It was ridiculous.
We were told by one of the servers, that since they were moving in March, Dave was trying to keep the wine inventory low, so it would be easier to move.
That’s the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. At least four months away from a move, and he doesn’t want to replenish his stock of wines. How do you run a business like that?
I was not happy, and it will be awhile before I return.
It was also apparent to me that neither Dave nor Louise were on sight during service, choosing rather to work their catering business.
Now I could be wrong about that, but one of the servers had to call Dave, when I expressed displeasure after being told that my 6th selection of wine was unavailable, and Louise never came out to greet the customers, as she has done in the past.
What was even more surprising was when Dave came over to me, he said that most of the wines I did ask for were actually available, but the servers didn’t know where to look.
SAY WHAT! If you don’t want to be on sight to attend to your business, you had best have competent people to act on your behalf. That certainly was not the case last night.
Eating at home is beginning to sound more and more appealing everyday. For $200, I can have a Joseph Phelps Insignia, along with the best cut of filet, vegetables, cheese, dessert and still have change left over to rent a DVD or two.
Trackback Uri
Well, that’s terrible. I went to their site via your link and you can’t even VIEW the wine list. Apparently, they can’t find that either. So, were the harpists there? And what does prix fixe mean? That link didn’t work either.
Yes, the harpist was there, but you can barely hear him.
And prix fixe means it is a set menu. There are some variations, but basically everyone gets the same thing. It’s like the French Laundry in Napa, just not nearly as good, or as expensive!
I’m very sorry that your experience at our restaurant was so completely disappointing. Most of what you wrote about was true (with the exception of a few creative statements, notice I did not say lies) and frankly inexcusable, therefore I make no attempt to excuse them. I regret our failures with your party greatly as Louise and I pride ourselves on producing a quality product. Judging by the number of times you have been to Delius as stated in you blog, you must have agreed with me up until last Saturday. That is why I am rather surprised at your choice to air your grievances in such a public way. Buy slamming me in this forum instead of first contacting me privately; I begin to question your motives. While I understand your frustration and even the natural desire to share your tale with others, I would think that an honest craving for a quality experience and consideration for me as a person (since we do know each other) would have led you down a different path. If your intent was to exact revenge then I think you have accomplished your goal, as people such as Becky who have never been to Delius are now aligned against us.
I have taken your critique to hart as any good restaurateur does with the inevitable criticisms that he receives during his career and will learn from it and hopefully keep your experience from repeating itself.
Now that your blog has expanded to include restaurant reviews, please use that power judiciously.
Dave, I’m sorry that you took my post the way you did.
While I did want the message to get to you in a more forceful manner, then I was apparently able to convey at the dinner, more importantly, what I was trying to convey in my post, was just how much added significance everything, even the little things, take on, when you’re trying to get the most out of life.
I was obviously successful in the former, it’s just unfortunate the real point of my post, did not make as big an impression.