Scottsdale/Phoenix: First foodie meal post-baby

Just read about Posh - this seems like a pretty good option for us. Would welcome thoughts about this choice. Thanks

phoodee in Phoenix

Scottsdale/Phoenix: First foodie meal post-baby

Staying at the Royal Palms right now - would like to get a baby sitter for the first time to enjoy our first post-baby foodie meal either tomorrow (1/25) or Tuesday (1/26). Restaurant criteria include: less than 4 hours door to door (baby sitting window), feels like a meal worth getting a baby sitter for, veggie friendly but some fish (not shellfish) is okay, not T. Cook's, elements or Noca (already eaten there). We visit the Scottsdale area yearly and have had an excellent meal at Binkley's last year but given the distance I'm thinking nearly 2 hours roundtrip in the car doesn't sound like the best use of baby sitting time. If it weren't for the drive I would probably just go back to Binkley's since it was so good and is the type of evening that we would be looking for (if that helps narrow down anyone's recommendation).
I have spent time looking over the boards already but am hoping that someone will take pity on my schedule with an infant and help me with some recommendations since I am trying to make plans in the next day or so.
I know that J&G at the Phoenician is very closeby - would appreciate thoughts on J&G and would appreciate other recommendations as well. Thank you in advance.

phoodee in Phoenix

Red velvet cupcake

Thanks for the suggestions so far. The frosting at Sweet is so "yummy" that they actually sell "shots" of frosting in a small plastic cup for 25 cents if you're not in the mood for the actual cupcake. Looking forward to more suggestions.

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)

Red velvet cupcake

Just returned from Boston where I devoured several red velvet cupcakes at Sweet on Mass Ave. during my stay. Am going through withdrawal. Any suggestions for a good version in the Golden Horseshoe area? I think what I enjoyed most about Sweet's was a very moist red velvet cake with a yummy cream cheese frosting. Thanks in advance.

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)

The Lark Detroit service issues

I recently dined at the Lark, fairly universally recommended on the board. First, let me say the food was nearly all very good with the worst dish being just good.

The reason I am compelled to write is to highlight some deficient service issues that are usually not acceptable at a restaurant of this caliber.
1. When one diner at our table was seeking more information about a wine by saying "I'm a fan of xxx type of wine, can you tell me about this specific one" the server's response was "xxx wine is a mix of a,b,c, etc. grape and is from this region". It was lost on the server that the diner was not looking for an encylopedic recitation of what composed this wine but rather a more personal review/recommendation of the specific wine offered. The server then said "I'll leave you to think about this and be back for your selection". This interaction was approximately 1 minute so it is not as if the diner was extremely indecisive and was tying up the server's time with too many questions. Definitely missed the point of assisting in wine selection and essentially the diner was left on his own.
2. At the Lark, there is a feature they refer to as carte blanche which we read about on their website. Other reviews on this board do refer to servers pointing this feature out (which allows you to request more of certain dishes within reason). Our server never mentioned this to us even after knowing this was the first time dining at the restaurant. We did not use this option anyway but as far as completeness of service I would think the server should highlight this unique feature of their restaurant.
3. Four or five attempts to clear our plates when we were still completing our dishes. I will mention that we were seated at the second seating and when booking were specifically told that the second seating was ideal if we didn't want to feel rushed. I should also add that in no way were we behind the pace of the other diners in our seating. We weren't taking an extraordinary amount of time and were never the only ones in the restaurant. The first time of someone trying to clear my plate while I'm still eating is forgivable, but after that first time it just feels like they want you to leave.
4. You are given the option of having your salad before or after your main course at the Lark. We told our server when ordering that we preferred ours after the main. At the time when our main course should have been served, the server came with our salads and began placing them on the table. One diner at our table reminded the server of this error, the server immediately remembered and took them away. The main problem is that we are fairly certain that the salads just sat while we waited for and ate our main courses. When brought out after the main courses as ordered, it seemed like the dressing had been sitting on the salads for quite a while with soggy leaves, etc. which wasn't up to par for the rest of the food. Considering this was their error, I would have thought that they would have freshly prepared salads for us when we were ready for them.

Overall I found the service unacceptable for a restaurant of this acclaim and price point. I have eaten at high end restaurants in many US cities so I believe I have a reasonable expectation of high end service. I did not make a big issue of these service issues when dining as we were celebrating an occasion and did not want to mar the evening for the guest of honor. Based on the experience I had I would not return to the Lark.

phoodee in General Midwest Archive

Detroit - the Lark atmosphere

I've read many old posts but still have a couple of questions regarding a celebration dinner for a family member in Detroit. I've decided on the Lark, that is, if they have reservations available as I understand it's quite small. But, my question that I can't answer from the Lark's website is regarding the atmosphere - the pictures didn't really help me.
My family member appreciates food but is not a foodie in the usual sense - she may prefer a more hip atmosphere and lesser food than I would, for example. So - my choice of which restaurant (other choices I've compiled from the board include Forte, Whitney, Opus One, Tribute) will depend on what you all tell me about the Lark's atmosphere - stuffy, old, etc.? The food at the Lark sounds fantastic but I just want your opinion on whether or not the atmosphere takes away from the food for people who might be a bit more interested in the feel of the place compared to the typical foodie.
Thanks in advance

phoodee in General Midwest Archive

What Constitutes Your Ultimate Dining Experience?

Absolutely - these non-food issues can mar otherwise positive dining experiences. Like other things in life, usually those situations for which we have higher expectations - whether due to high ratings by critics or due to the more than $150 per person price tag - higher-end restaurants are the places typically where I feel the non-food issues more likely affect the experience. At lower end places I'm more likely to excuse the many things that can go wrong in an evening.
Less so the decor type things you've described unless it's a high end restaurant. If it's dirty - for sure, that's a turn off. Attitude I would say is the number one turn-off. I've tried to avoid going to super-hyped and next big thing type restaurants due to this specifically. That feeling that some places give off that you're unimportant and lucky just to be able to walk in the glory of the dining room of restaurant X is enough to make me run out the front door.
More than once, and sadly usually at higher end restaurants due to way too much vino, my neighbors have ruined my night. The drunken and loud conversations have sometimes made it impossible to enjoy myself. Couples making out, couples breaking up - all these things have tarnished otherwise pleasant dining experiences.
So many variables sadly other than food to taint the ultimate dining experience...

phoodee in Not About Food

Service and tipping

jfood
Thanks for posting this.
One question though - you label it "minimum standards" - so for this list of minimum standards, what % tip does this equal to you. That is what I'm trying to get at. Is this minimum for 20% in your mind?

phoodee in Not About Food

Service and tipping

Thanks for the discussion so far. To clarify, regarding offering bread - I am only commenting on this if everyone else in the restaurant has complimentary bread on their table.
I actually do not decrease a tip based on quality of food, kitchen mixup, or anything else that is out of the server's hand (noisy neighboring table, blasting AC vent above my head) if anything this is where a good server has their chance to shine and increase their tip based on how they deal with the situation (I don't mean comp'ing, but rather how they choose to respond - kindly, genuinely).
I very much appreciate those who are offering their mental checklist for what constitutes 15 vs. 18 vs. 20% tip etc.
Anyone else out there please chime in - it sounds like I have a higher threshold for excellent service than others and perhaps I should rethink this. In my opinion, excellence does not include forgetfulness (whether it's the bread, or the person who has to check two to three times to remember my order). In my profession, if I forget something (in a similarly stressful situation where there are many things to remember) no one would ever call my performance excellent.
It's not usual that I would decrease a tip for only one forgetful episode, but two or more and it's fair game - especially at a nicer place where there is a lower ratio of tables:servers.

phoodee in Not About Food

Service and tipping

I originally wrote this message as a reply to a review of C5 which mentioned a couple of fairly significant slights in service yet still rated the service as a B. I opted to post it on its own as I really would like to hear what others think about this issue.

It's interesting to me after reading this review where the service was most obviously subpar (not offering bread, not volunteering specials) that the rater still gave service a B. I'm just wondering what is exactly expected for service these days. To me a grade of B for this subpar treatment speaks to the overall limited expectations we have for service these days. I tip well (18-20% of total) when I get excellent and even good service but it's so concerning to me that even at very high end restaurants that there is still an expectation to make excuses for glaring errors and, of course, tip at least 15% for subpar service which at a high end restaurant can be over $30-40 for a tip. If someone forgets the bread, doesn't tell me the specials, or other slights such as forgetting my order etc. that is subpar service and most definitely not acceptable. If a tip is supposed to be encourage and reward excellence - service with glaring errors definitely does not warrant a 15% tip or more, does it? In those situations I really want to tip less than 15%. But the overall consensus still seems to be that even for absent or subpar service there is a 15% expectation. Does anyone else relate to this? Sorry that this sounds like a rant but it's obviously touched a nerve with me. I'm getting tired of paying so much for such poor service these days. It feels like it's rare these days that the basics of service get covered and sometimes it seems like the service is actually worse at high end restos and I still feel pressure to tip excessively. And although, yes, I'm free to tip whatever I want - I think we all realize that tipping behavior is weighed in perspective to the general consensus and others' tipping practices. I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on my observation regarding subpar service and associated tipping behavior.
Thanks

phoodee in Not About Food

C5 at the ROM (long)

Moved to own post

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)

Personal Chef for Private Party

Hi just read this post.
Just heard about a friend who had chefs from Amuse Bouche (in Hamilton) do a dinner and wine for a birthday for 12 people and I've heard rave reviews.
905-527-3990

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)

Calgary and Banff suggestions

Update: I actually did make it off the waitlist - Capo was fantastic. Able to get an 8.30 spot for Friday and it was quite good. Our server rushed us a bit - after ordering cocktails, we were taking our time ordering. Within about 15 minutes or so after sitting down he had already asked us if we were ready to order a couple of times. Since all members of the dining room get seated within about 10 minutes of each other he mentioned something to the effect of "it's up to you but the kitchen will be getting very busy very soon". Which sounded like he was potentially advocating for us so we wouldn't be waiting long for food - but also was a bit odd considering that the restaurant is the one who decided to have all 32 seats filled at the same time twice a night and you would hope they could handle the influx if that's the way they set it up - but anyway - the rest of the service was fine and attentive - food was very good.
Thanks for the suggestions.

phoodee in Prairie Provinces

Calgary and Banff suggestions

This sounds like a great option as I'm staying in the Kensington area.
Capo is full on Friday but I'm waitlisted.
And it sounds like I'll have my hands full in Banff trying to figure out which of all the many suggestions to take - for now I have reservs at Fuze and Eden. The rest I'll play by ear.
Thanks for the suggestions.

phoodee in Prairie Provinces

Calgary and Banff suggestions

Thanks, I'm actually there this weekend so River Cafe apparently is not an option as it's closed until Feb 1 according to its website.

phoodee in Prairie Provinces

NOTL option other than Stone Road

Ended up going to Epicurean. Showed up a bit early for the reservation as the town (as I suspected) was completely dead by 5.15 or so on Sunday evening and there wasn't much more to do other than eat. I didn't realize there was a back section vs. a front section at first and walked by a couple of times before deciding to go in as the ultra casual front section was turning me off. The back section wasn't quite open yet but we were seated. Beware that Epicurean is doing renovations to the back section and it is very cold in the restaurant as a result. They post many signs warning of this though. The one thing that was avoidable is that the side door in the back of the restaurant was used over and over by workers going across the lane to somewhere? It seemed that to preserve the temperature for the patrons it would make more sense to have workers use the front door or a different door as it was also very distracting.
The food was adequate for the price.

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)

Calgary and Banff suggestions

I'll be in Calgary for about 24 hours - 2 lunches and 1 dinner.
Banff for 5 days.
Plan on eating at Eden once and perhaps Fuze once. Would like any suggestions for Calgary or Banff that anyone may have. Looking for a mix of great food in a comfortable setting mixed with high end.
Anyone with a recent Eden experience to share?
Thanks in advance.

phoodee in Prairie Provinces

NOTL option other than Stone Road

Thanks - I have reservs at Epicurean - just wondering if there was a not-to-miss that I haven't read about.

phoodee in Ontario (including Toronto)