My boyfriend and I tried to eat here Sunday afternoon for lunch (we've had lunch here before - VERY LIMITED lunch menu) and they were out - OUT - of the Tofu spread for the vegan sandwich. Which meant we had to leave because of the BF's dietary needs. When you are located in Hipsterville, of all places, you NEED to make sure you make enough Tofu spread.

I've had good and bad experiences here, and good and bad seating locations to boot. The wine list is a little too big and a little too all over the place, but the grilled cheese appetizers are my favorite. My favorite entree was a butternut squash dish that, of course, they no longer serve. I've also enjoyed the hamburger, but not the look of disgust on the server's face over my choice of a cheaper menu option (not due to price, just because I was craving one).

I'm not a huge fan of Burp Castle. I was taken there recently by someone who wholeheartedly recommended the place, and even *they* weren't impressed. Apparently it ain't what it used to be. When we walked in there were only two other people in there, and we felt self concious having a conversation even at normal tones.

Have been to Spuyten and frequent Muggs, but I second the notion of Barcade. Sure, you do have to take the L train there, but it's steps from the stop and the beer selection is impressive and ever changing. Go earlier, as the hipsters really start to show up after 9. Just a warning - don't sit at the end of the bar by the doors. You will feel like a little kid on a barstool, as the floor is apparently not even, so you sit lower on that side.

Sure, prices have gone up, but most servers are making less than minimum wage - here they make $2.37 an hour. Whether it's right or wrong for customers to have supplement the income of servers when restaurants don't step up and pay them a decent wage is beside the point.

If a server has a six hour shift where they only had a 15% average on $200 in sales (a very normal amount at a "typical" middle of the road restaurant with average volume at this time of year), they've made $14.22 in wages, plus $30 in tips. That means they've made about $7 bucks an hour (BEFORE taxes) for catering to your every whim. That means fetching your endless soda and coffee refills, probably making your dinner salads, soups and desserts themselves, making sure the order comes up correctly, and getting it to you while it's still pipping hot.

If a restaurant is busy and the food takes a long time, it is most likely the kitchen, not your server. Your steak wasn't cooked correctly? Most likely not the server's fault. That's something they can't check when your food comes up. And, if the staff is running around, obviously caught off guard by being understaffed on a usually slow night, how can you hold that selfishly against them?

And, unless you've done it, try to remember than waiting tables is not the easy thing that you think it is. Sure, maybe you're laid back at your table, but the server will most likely have several other tables - one with a demanding customer who sends them to fetch something different every time they drop by the table, one with a baby who spilled their sippy cup all over the place, cooks behind the line who don't care about how long you've been waiting, and a jerk for a manager. Besides serving you they are probably picking up the slack of one of their weaker coworkers, stocking toilet paper in the bathroom, running downstairs to get wine for the bartender, and the like.

Do you ever forget something your boss asks you to do? Have you never had a bad day?

If your server forgot your water the first time you asked for it, it's not because s/he needs drug rehab or isn't any good at their job. Between your table and the kitchen, they probably came across a half a dozen other requests they needed to fulfill. I guarantee you they don't intend to forget your water refill - they *want* to give you good service to get a good tip. Even a 15% tipper (which I guarantee you most actual servers think is LOW) is going to get above the bar service if they are nice to their server. Conversely, even being a 30% tipper doesn't excuse being a jerk to the person who shows up at your table.

Where I work, we have several above average (read over 20%) tippers who servers will routinely pass on taking because the money isn't worth the abuse.

And really, if something is so horrible that you feel you need to tip only 10%, you *need* to talk whoever is in charge. If the place is high volume, there is a chance the server won't remember you. But, more often than not, the server *is* going to remember you. Some times service is a matter of taste. I like to be checked on with some frequency, so I tend to think of *that* as attentive service. If you like for your server to be hands off, and you end up with someone like me, you're going to think they're annoying. It is perfectly acceptable to mention to your server the level of attention you expect. "We'll flag you down if we need you." or "I drink a lot of coffee. Can you check on it often?" or "I love this bread. Keep it coming."

And if you pay by card, you should always try to tip in cash. Tips on credit cards can be headaches to servers where restaurants might have crappy policies about how long a server might have to wait to actually see their money.

Having the eternal dilemma of where to catch Sunday brunch that has lots of good options for Vegans and Meat Lovers in the neighborhood of the Bedford Stop. We don't really care for Teddy's, Williamsburg Cafe is hit or miss, and Bliss is too bland and hipster filled for its own good. I know there are probably tons of places, but darn if we can come up with any. Any suggestions?

I know Chows will cringe, but all I wanted was a Wendy's Frosty after my wisdom teeth were yanked. The cold helped the pain.

Went to Cheeks last week. The cupcakes were good, the cakes looked tasty, but I was on a cupcake search. While I loved what I got, the selection was limited. It was the day after V-Day - maybe they were just picked over? I don't recall seeing that they do bread, but I could be wrong.

The Lobster Pot should do it. I've always had solid food there. While generally not worth the crazy wait you'll find in the summer, they (used to, at least) take reservations for big parties. Ask to be seated upstairs - the view is better from there.

While it's not as good as when it used to be in it's tiny location across the street (eons ago), a visit to Stowe isn't complete for me unless I grab breakfast at McCarthy's. Still worth a stop. Also, The Alchemist - http://www.alchemistbeer.com/ - in nearby Waterbury is worth a stop - solid pub food, with some good beer choices for Mom and Dad, if that's your thing.

Apparently I am one of the few people who disagree that The Restaurant at Burdick's is worth it - I live less than a half hour away and wouldn't go out of my way for a meal there. Consistency is lacking - I've had good and bad meals there, and it is overpriced for what you're getting. I'll gladly spend for a great experience, but underattentive waitstaff and mediore food aren't worth it. Also, their chocolate store doesn't obviously do as much business as the Harvard Square location, so you never quite know how long stuff has been there.

We tried this place last week for the first time. Fries were tasty (though cold by the time we got them home just around the corner), apparently the veggie burger was quite good too. I ordered the phillysteak and was disappointed by the *very small* amount of meat, and puzzled by the spicy mayo's pink color. It was good, just not very filling. We'll try it again... I'm intrigued by the pastrami sliders.