Smith & Wollensky
… and the Warren Buffett effect …
~ 2014 was a wonderful dinner
Today, I went there with three Chinese friends, father and son, and a friend of the fatter. They don’t eat steak often. Their manner is a little out of the place and their English is even worst than Irene’s.
A few years ago, a Chinese won the bid to have lunch with the investment guru Buffett, and they went there (mind you, Bill Gates is as popular, if not more, as Leonardo DiCaprio) … So it became popular with the Chinese. And the restaurant has added many Chinese serving staff lately, such as busboys. Asian patrons are on the rise, as well as the usual suspects.
I enjoyed its service and food. Nothing really stands out from other good steak houses in the city. They retain all male serving staff – Palm added young waitresses … call me anything you want but I prefer the good ol boys who looked like been doing it for all their lives.
Tonight, our waiter Mr Big Belly was being short – I think I could tell short from efficient.
One of my friends brought his own loose leaves tea – some tea connoisseurs just crave their tea. Four cups with hot water came.
No, I was thinking of a nice little tea pot. Although I don’t expect the Mr. Big Belly would know this, but certainly your Chinese staff should know better, don’t they? … why did you hire them in the first place?
A little tea pot finally came. BUT no one made an effort to empty our cups. How do they expect us to drink with the cups filled with hot water already?? This was really inattentive service. Is this an Outback Steakhouse?
Ordering food. Mr Big Belly came back haughtily recited the specials which were on our table.
In my broken English, Irene ordered a porterhouse.
“You know that’s for two?” Mr big belly demanded.
“Yes.” Little Irene replied.
“It’s $114.” He said.
Thoughts occurred in my mind:
- what did other Asians do to him?
- did he think that I thought I could leave his little eatery with $50 in payment?
- he’s a jerk on daily basis?
- I looked like a jerk … dummy … Fob … -:)
Anyway I ordered the wine after placing the meal order.
“I’ve two sommeliers,” he announced.
Big deal. But I only wanted the Chateau Berliquet’s St. Emilion. For this, I didn’t dare to bother their sommelier. Gosh. I had good time ordering the wine by using my finger to underline the wine just like a fob would do – did he got my joke?
The friend who suggested this restaurant said to me, “this place is pretty noise.” I knew exactly why he said that.
My filet mignon was better than the porterhouse. The sides, Cajun potato was great but the asparagus were too rough near the root – they need to cut off more.
Money doesn’t have color, so please treat us equally.
