I had dinner a few nights ago at East Side Café with an old friend who was in town for business, and we had reservations at 6:45pm. I had previously gone many times over the years but hadn’t been back for over a year or so. Unfortunately, East Side Cafe did not live up to its reputation and prices. Although we had reservations, we were placed in not very desirable table in a far corner of the Garden Room. Worse, we were rushed the whole evening; it seemed that the server was most interested in moving the table; there was little time to rest between courses; our plates were swooped way as soon as possible--even though my friend was still eating--and the bill was presented barely after we declined dessert. Any thoughts of lingering or having coffee were dashed. What should have been a calm and relaxing spring evening had turned into a sprint. Furthermore, the food was a disappointment. The salads were fresh, and I
did enjoy the side salad, but the radishes in my side dish were crudely chopped in chunks (rather than neatly sliced). Inexplicably, too, the mushroom crepes were heated up rather than freshly made--and how long does it take to make a couple of crepes? The experience left me feeling that I'd made a bad choice of to take my friend to dinner. It was neither a good experience nor a good value.
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