Children LOVE fish!
One of the things that has been on my mind lately is how much we at Ferry Plaza Seafood love, I mean LOVE, children who eat vegetables and seafood. It’s so refreshing and a wonderful change from the usual question, “Do you have a kids menu?” and “Do you have anything besides seafood?” We have had children chowing down on raw oysters, steamed mussels and steamed clams. It makes me believe that it is possible to encourage “the little foodie” in the youngest of generations. Thank you so much parents and way to go kids!
When did paying your restaurant bill become elective?
Sometimes, I am confused by the rigidity of some people. I don’t know how else to explain this situation except to just dive right in: You would be very surprised how many people don’t know that smoked salmon comes in a few different forms: Hot smoked (generally dryer texture) and Cold smoked (generally a more delicate “lox” style). Because the fish is “smoked” technically it’s raw. It is not the same as having a piece of fish that’s baked or grilled. At our restaurant we serve smoked salmon (both hot smoked and cold smoked) and we serve a piece of salmon that is baked with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
So after my salmon lesson, I will share with you that we had a group of people in the restaurant and pretty much everyone ordered soup, but there was a woman who ordered a smoked salmon sandwich. We delivered the sandwich and she said it was “raw” and she didn’t want it. She said that when she had had smoked salmon in Sacramento, it was delivered on a board and that this was not the same and therefore unappetizing. I tried to explain to her that she probably had eaten Hot smoked salmon and this is a different style and that all smoked salmon is technically raw, blah, blah, blah. So she said well I’m not going to eat it. I asked her what she wanted me to do since there’s nothing wrong with the sandwich and in fact it’s very popular in our restaurant. She said I don’t know, but I’m not eating it reiterating the version of salmon she had eaten in Sacramento which I guess to her was the “be all end all” of smoked salmon dishes. She asked me if I could cook it. I said “Wow, I’ve never been asked to do that, I don’t think that’s going to work given that it’s already smoked. Why don’t I take it away and bring you another cup of clam chowder.” She said “I’ll take a cup of clam chowder.” I went back thinking you know what, I am going to cook the salmon just to show her how it’s not going to work and deliver the soup. So I dropped off the cooked smoked salmon sandwich and the chowder. She looked under the bread and refused to touch the sandwich. So at that point, I let the table wrap up, which incidentally was a table of 6. I dropped the check off with a free cup of soup, the salmon sandwich still on there since there wasn’t anything wrong with and a gratuity.
As they left, they paid for the meal and her companion said here is your money, there is no tip and we have subtracted the price of the sandwich off the bill. I was so frustrated because they tried something new, thought it was supposed to be like the salmon in Sacramento, and then because it wasn’t, refused to try it and pay for it. So, I discussed this with them all over again and finally they simply walked away and we swallowed the situation.
Why are people so rigid? Honestly, I don’t think there is a customer service rule that states that when you don’t care for something you get it for free. Shoot I think I must be the only fool that has been trying new things and paying for them whether I liked them or not for the last 25 years of my food, wine and cocktailing experiences.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, my last experience of the day was a lovely one that ended up with my boss telling me that a customer of mine that had enjoyed 6 oysters, 2 glasses of wine a whole crab and a cup of coffee, who went on and on about how great the meal was to me, didn’t pay for her bill in full after I left. She elected to pay $40.00 on a tab that was at least $59.00 and in fact, I think it was closer to $60.00. I was soooo upset. Who does that? Who eats a meal, raves about it and then cheats me and the restaurant of payment and tip? I don’t know what is going on in the world that this behavior is justifiable and that payment is “elective.”
Next time you go out to eat, especially if you have children, challenge yourselves not to ask the restaurant if it has anything fried or if there is a “kid’s menu.” Remember when children grow up, there won’t be a “kid’s menu.” Finally, don’t put sauce on fresh food or veggies, you are adding calories and disguising your food’s true flavor. Seek out restaurants that don't hide their ingredients underneath, frying, blackening, and "saucing." Fresh food speaks for itself other than a little olive oil salt and pepper what more do we need.
Eat Fresh Food!
