Tuesday, May 10, 2011

To review or not to review a crappy meal?

When I started this blog, I thought I would be brutal honest about all my gf experiences with recipes, products and eating out.  I was going to tell it like it is, take no prisoners, and name names!  And then I had a crappy meal at a gf establishment and didn't know what to do.   I really really wanted to like the place-honest; but alas, it was not meant to be.  This was even my second visit as my first was only two days after the soft opening; and you cannot fairly critique when the staff is still learning the menu (even if it only consists of 2 salads, a quiche, and  bagels with your choice of pb & jam or tuna) and the equipment (the debit machine was particularly overwhelming for the barista-"damn it!  I create coffee, not cash!").  So 6 weeks later,  my sister and I wander in for an early Mother's Day lunch.  The menu looks more promising-hmmmmmmmmm, should I have the chicken pot pie?  Grilled Tuscan chicken wrap?  Pizza?  I finally narrow it down to the grilled wrap- I haven't had a nice fresh wrap in months.  I envisioned a simple corn or rice tortilla with a grilled chicken kebab or breast with loads of fresh or grilled veggies, with some type of sauce that would embody the "Tuscan" theme.  

Sadly, this is not what I got.  I looked down to see something that looked a lot like a samosa -oily flacky triangle pastry (was actually the wrap) with a yellowish (think curry) sauce oozing out.  The only veggie I spotted were bloated white beans sitting in the sauce.  Wow,that is so not what I pictured.  Or wanted.  It tasted okay.  Not great, fantastic, so-glad-I ordered-it delicious -just okay.  If I am looking for the silver lining/half full compliment-the entree only costs $7.95 and came with a small plastic-bag tasting spinach salad.  I think what annoyed me the most is that I could have easily made something similar, if not better, at home (and remember, I am a self-confessed shit-tacular cook).  I will say that the cherry vanilla cheesecake was fantastic; however, one can not live on cake alone (despite what the gluten queen Antoinette declared). 

Will I go back?  Maybe.  I'll give it a few months.  Or six months.  Or just go for coffee and cheesecake.  I don't know.  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice.....seriously, shame on you!  The truth is I can't name names because I am not the brutal take-no-prisoner kinda gal.  I respect that this is someone's business AND that this was my experience - who knows, maybe I have incredibly high unrealistic standards when it comes to food.   I really don't think that that is the case -at the end of the day, I just want to have my gluten-free cake and eat it too.  Is that too much to ask?

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